10 Signs That Say Your Website Needs an Update
Your website is essentially the face of your business in the digital world. Nowadays, companies cannot stay competitive without having an online presence, as around 45% of millennial shoppers prefer to purchase online than in stores. Plus, more than half of in-store purchases are influenced by ecommerce information.
As these figures suggest, businesses need to fully integrate web marketing in order to thrive in their industry. And one of the major components in ecommerce is to run a responsive website that not only engages your visitors and familiarises them with the brand but also provide a user-friendly retail experience.
Signs Your Website Needs an Update
Running a website is no easy feat. There’s a lot of upkeep involved to make sure that marketing and usability are incorporated into your ecommerce website design. Given all of these considerations, how do you know if your website is working for the business? Here are 10 signs to watch out for that tells you it might be time to review or overhaul your site, and corresponding strategies on how to improve your website:
1. It’s not mobile-friendly
Responsive website design refers to a set of techniques that make a website adaptable to mobile and tablet screens. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly now, you are definitely missing out on potential visitors who are using smartphones and tablets for online activities.
What you can do:
For many businesses it may even make sense to design your website primarily for mobile use. Why? Because the time spent on mobile devices (use of apps and browsing) is continuously increasing, with the latest survey indicating a 5-hour-a-day average on the amount of time spent on these devices.
Therefore, it would be wise to make sure your website can be viewed easily on smaller screens. By making it mobile-friendly, you are allowing a wider range of Internet audiences to enjoy your site. Check to see if your site passes the Google Mobile Friendly Test
2. It hasn’t had an update in years
Your website must be able to meet the latest web standards if you aim to boost its usability. And with new standards being devised every year, a website developed a few years ago may already be outdated today.
For example, check if your website still uses Flash. While this was previously used to deliver rich multimedia content, web technologies have evolved to replace Flash with new tools that offer better performance and security for your website.
What you can do:
The first thing you can do is remove any Flash program on your website since it isn’t compatible with mobile devices. Moreover, Flash is unreadable by Google and Bing, which means your site will rank poorly if it uses Flash.
It’s advisable to update your website if it has been up for at least 5 years. Think of it as a fresh start where you can improve on the speed, the layout and navigation features, as well as the programming (no more bugs!) of your site.
3. It’s not ranking high on Google
Google and other search engines like Bing and Yahoo regularly update their search results algorithms. Search engines rank websites according to the quality of content, navigation, links and other factors.
If your website isn’t able to meet the latest standards when it comes to these factors, then it could be the reason why you’re not showing up on the first page of search results. And since users rarely take the time to scroll through more than two pages, your site will have to be improved if you want to rank on top.
What you can do:
Effective search engine optimisation (SEO) is needed so that search engines can find and rank your website. By using the latest SEO practices and being keen on what updates your website has to undergo, you can generate more organic traffic and gain authority for your site.
4. It’s too slow
Speed is very important. In fact, visitors will think your site is too slow if it takes longer than 2 to 3 seconds to load. This can affect your performance because a slow-loading website will drive away visitors and potential leads.
What you can do:
You might want to consider upgrading your hosting plan if you have a slow-loading website. In addition, there are certain types of program elements, like plug-ins and high-res images, that can affect website speed. Eliminate website baggage by lessening these elements and opting for more compact formats. Remember, sites that are faster are more likely to land more conversions and rank higher on search engines. You can do your own “speed check” using Google’s Pagespeed Insights.
5. It needs new and more engaging content
A website that provides quality content will always attract visitors and make previous audiences come back. If your website has very old blog posts, events and any other outdated information, then it’s time to remove them. They only add to the clutter and are likely not what users are looking for in the first place.
What you can do:
Replace what you take out with more current information that will position you as an expert in your target niche. And if you want longevity for your content, lean towards topics and formats that can stand the test of time (e.g., commentaries, case studies, practical how-to guides and lists).
But engaging and relevant content is not enough. It’s also important to include keywords that boost your search engine rankings. By using tools like Google AdWords, you can search what most people are typing into search engines. However, make sure never to overuse keywords as keyword stuffing is penalised by search engines like Google and Bing and could land you pretty low in the rankings.
A useful tip to follow is: write for your readers, but also strategise keyword placement in your content.
6. Visitors aren’t going past the homepage
If you notice that visitors are spending very little time on your website, then chances are they are not finding what they are looking for. Think about your content and your layout because the reason could be either of these features, or both.
What you can do:
Free tools like Google Analytics can give you comprehensive insight into how people are using your website. From there, you can reflect on which aspects of the website need to be improved.
7. It’s difficult to navigate
Your content matters, but it’s also how you arrange and present it on the website that determines if you satisfy users. Obviously, if customers can’t easily find relevant content in your ecommerce website design, they will dismiss it and go somewhere else – which results in dwindling leads and poor search engine rankings.
What you can do:
Website navigation should allow users to instinctively find what they’re searching for. Hence, make sure that your content is categorised and sectioned clearly, and that the buttons are placed where the user can find them.
Stick to a simple layout. Studies have shown that the more distractions and fussy elements your pages have, the less appealing it will be to users.
8. It doesn’t reflect your current brand
Your website showcases your brand identity online. And if your business has evolved and undergone a lot of changes the past few years, it should also be shown on your website.
A lot of marketers forget that customers need to see the same brand identity whether they seek your product or service online or in-store. If there is considerable rebranding that the website fails to highlight, this could confuse customers and lower their trust in your brand.
What you can do:
Anything new about your branding should always be reflected on the website, especially since 56% of all customers go online when deciding what to purchase. These include changes about the marketing message, products or services offered, and rebranding features. When users are familiar with your identity, you gain their confidence and trust.
9. There’s no social media involvement
There are billions of active social media users on any given day. Target audiences like to connect with others via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other similar apps. If your website isn’t integrated with these tools, then your content and offers will simply be unknown to these users.
What you can do:
Don’t let your website go irrelevant. Make your website easy to share. You can also create a Facebook fan page, because testimonials and reviews are effective in building your site’s credibility. Connect with your customers to know their opinions about your brand. By connecting with your social media audiences, you’ll have a more substantial identity online.
10. The website doesn’t offer a great user experience
Web design isn’t just about looking good. It also speaks about your brand’s credibility and desirability. When your website focuses on user experience, it can help engage customers and guide them towards the sale.
For a website to be effective, it should combine design with functionality. Being mobile-friendly, loading fast and containing great content – all of these point to a great user experience (UX). If your ecommerce website design garners poor UX, your traffic, sales and other conversion targets will naturally be affected.
What you can do:
Make your website competitive by using simple, spacious and clear design aesthetics. Keep everything neutral, but make your calls to action colourful to stand out.
And remember, cluttered and mismatched webpages that look outdated can pose problems for your business goals. Be in the now, and let your website show it.
Your website announces your business to the online community. Take these suggestions to update your site. With some purposeful modifications, you will eventually enjoy the rewards of higher conversion rates and happier online users.
How we can help
The point of this article was not to convince you to update your website just for the sake of changing. While a website redesign is an important and demanding process, which requires some time and effort – think about the reason you got a website in the first place. It exists to promote your ecommerce business or website, help customers to get to know you as a brand and successful company, as well as get them excited to recommend you to other people!
We put much thought and expertise into each of our products, to create high quality websites worthy of your work and vision. Be that themes, custom website designs, plugins, setups or SEO services – we want you to succeed! And we are here to help and guide you through the process. Click on the “Let’s start a project” below and let’s see how we can help you!