Does Your Website Need a Re-Design?

It took a long time to get your website ready: writing the text, finding the photos, hiring the web designer, figuring out a host. It’s perfect! Don’t touch a thing!

One small problem: How many years ago was that?

Web design evolves constantly, as does digital marketing. Does your current website attract traffic and bring in leads consistently? Here are a few signs that your website needs a makeover.

Outdated Content

Accurate, timely information about your company and your services or products would seem to be a critical function of a website. No brainer? Sadly, in the hectic day-to-day struggle of running a business, keeping a website up to date keeps getting pushed down the list. One reason may simply be a lack of time and staff: someone has to take the time to write the words and upload the changes, and that someone may already be pulled in a dozen different directions.

Cumbersome Updates

But another reason for sluggish updates may be the very platform of your site. Do you have to consult a web designer, a website developer, or some other sort of code guru every time you want to fix a typo, change your opening hours, or add a product page? You shouldn’t have to do that. Websites are moving toward content management systems (CMS), such as WordPress, which allow businesses to easily update content on their own. If your current website makes updates a hassle, you might want to consider a CMS platform for your site.

Mobile Unfriendliness

We’ve talked about this a lot on our blog: more people than ever view and read websites on mobile devices. Mobile viewers are in the majority as of this year. Is your site ready for them, or do they have to contend with tiny words, annoying navigation, and distorted images? Don’t let this happen to you. Site design should be geared toward responsiveness—design that scales according to the device used. A professional web design company will provide you with a mobile optimised site that your customers (and Google) will love. You can’t afford to lose those mobile users!

High Bounce Rates

Take a look at the stats on your website analytics. Do your visitors come to your main page—and then bounce right back off, without looking at any other pages on your site? “Bounce rate” refers to the number of single-page sessions for a website. You want people to spend time on your site and interact with other pages, not leave right away. Many factors could cause this: poor design, mobile unfriendliness, slow speeds or confusing navigation. Solving this may not be a quick fix—it involves page navigation, content strategy, and web design.

No Leads

A website isn’t usually just a pretty face and contact info. Your website should provide value to your audience and help you convert visitors into leads and sales. Here are just a few ideas:

• Landing pages that integrate with Google AdWords campaigns, with a strong call to action.

• Integrating automation that tracks individual visitors and their interests.

• Forms that collect email addresses for newsletter subscriptions or other content, such as webinars.

Giving your website a makeover isn’t just about appearances—it goes to the heart of your marketing efforts and your online presence. Does all of this seem a little overwhelming? Experienced web designers, marketers, and writers can bring your website up to date and back to life; they train you how to take over the care and feeding of your website by using a CMS. Whether you hire a web design agency or go the DIY route, a shiny new website is a solid investment.