Hint: The first sign is that you’re reading this blog!
Yes, I know… it’s such a cliché, but it’s true.
It’s that time of year again. Each year, around this time, we say to ourselves (and others), where did the time go? How is it November?!
Christmas is less than 50 days away… WHAT?! … and all the rest (for good measure!)
But, on a serious note, it is right around the corner, AND it can be an excellent time to start thinking about what the new year has in store for you.
Traditionally we even use this as a reminder to reassess our digital presence and determine what is working, what needs to be enhanced, and what we can change to ensure we skyrocket in the new year!
So, where do you start?
Well, you know what they say, ‘home is where the heart is’ (That’s the last cliché, I swear!)
Your website is the digital home of your brand – it showcases your brand’s identity, voice, service, and product… Now, when you think of it like that, it’s pretty essential to get it right.
We get it; the idea of a new website or even a refresh of your current website is DAUNTING! But, sometimes you have to wake up and smell the roses coffee (Dammit, there’s another).
So, as promised, let’s jump into the 10 Signs It’s Time for a New Website
(…before I hit you with yet another cliché)
Web design trends are changing all the time. Your business and your competitors’ businesses evolve. Consumers become pickier, and buying trends alter.
Here are just some of the examples that dictate that a new website or website refresh is needed.
SALES OR QUALITY LEADS ARE DECREASING
Let’s start with an easy one – this one should be pretty obvious. One of the primary purposes of your website is to both attract potential customers and generate sales. If you find your sales or quality leads decrease, it can signify a larger issue.
YOU HAVE LOW ENGAGEMENT
There’s nothing worse than going to all the trouble of creating videos, product photography and blogs and gaining little to no interaction or engagement with them from your customers (I’d know, I’m writing one as we speak). However, don’t get too disheartened that the content you’re producing is the issue. It may be the website rather than the quality of your content that fails to gain engagement.
SLOW PAGE LOADS
We live in a world where we are accustomed to instant results. We expect to find what we need straight away, and we’re not going to stick around if we have to wait. It’s that simple.
WEB DESIGN IS OUTDATED
It’s no surprise (well, I hope it isn’t) that your website’s design is right up there when it comes to providing feedback on websites. People like sparkly, beautiful and shiny things. Simple. Your customer is judging the aesthetics of your site within seconds of seeing it. If it’s confusing, clashing, clunky, hard to navigate, or there’s simply just too much going on and with no clear call to action. Chances are, your visitors give up within minutes.
BRAND INCONSISTENCIES
This one is a personal favourite for the graphic design geek in me! I’m obsessed with creating a consistent look across every brand touch-point you have. We’ve seen a massive rise in the tech and digital media world in recent years, and this has, in turn, seen an increase in the number of digital platforms we can now use to reach customers. It’s vital to create a consistent brand identity – from logo to colours to the tone of voice – across all of your touch-points.
A BAD SEO STRATEGY
Let’s talk about Search Engine Optimization (SEO). The primary goal for search engines like Google Search is to connect people with the answers to their search. Having an effective SEO strategy is an excellent way for your business to do just that. It’s uncommon to look beyond the first page of results on Google (Think back to your own ‘googling’ habits, do you?). If you’re not there, it’s that simple; you’re not going to be found. A new website is a perfect opportunity to create a new paid and organic SEO strategy to sky-rocket your business’s website to a higher position on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).
BROKEN SITE LINKS
Frustrating!!!! Customers will lose interest FAST when they navigate your site and find broken links, missing images and buttons that don’t work. Not only does this discredit your brand, but it’s also not great for the big guy above, SEO. Enough said.
YOUR WEBSITE ISN’T MOBILE-FRIENDLY
Now, this is a BIGGY and one that a lot of businesses constantly struggle with. The last few years have seen a shift to mobile-first. More people are using their mobile, over their laptop or desktop computer for their source of inspiration, information, shopping and more. With this, customers expect their experience to be seamless from desktop to mobile and are easily frustrated when it’s not (understandably). Improving your mobile responsiveness is key to keeping your customers happy and growing your business.
And that’s a wrap! Regardless of why it needs to happen, the end goal is always the same; to create a better user experience, generate more quality leads, revenue, users, and more!
