How To Know When You Need a New Website
Building a website for your business can be a daunting and, if it’s not your area of expertise, time-consuming process. Of course, you want it to be aesthetically inviting, well-organized and user friendly, but getting all of those pieces mastered into one website is no easy task. With time, effort and maybe a little outsourcing (hello, web designer!) you can create a powerhouse website for your business. But what happens when that website stops being as wonderful and impactful as it was when you first made it? There are many different variables that go into how successful a website is, and those variables are ever-changing.
The internet space is constantly evolving – things that were once considered “in” go out of style, the newest version of accessibility and user-friendly features gets updated and more advanced and really, time passes, and things generally just need to progress with it. While it would be so much easier for a business owner if websites were just a one-and-done project, that isn’t the case and knowing that is the most important piece. Keeping your website current and up to date is a huge factor in growing your business and it’s so important to know when to revamp and rebuild. In this post, we’re going to discuss how to know if you need a new website. Keep reading for the most important tips and tricks.
The importance of a website
As a business owner, you probably know why having a website is important and if not, we’re going to fill you in. A website serves as a first impression to your potential clients. It’s where your audience can go to learn more about you, your business, your services and probably your portfolio as well. If done well, it can be what seals the deal for your potential clients, leading them to invest in you. If done poorly, it can be enough to send them running in the opposite direction. Your future clients are wanting to invest in someone who will offer them the best of the best and while you may be just the person for the job, if your website says otherwise they may not know that. If your site screams, “I invest in and care A LOT about my business,” your potential clients will probably assume that you’ll care a lot about theirs too.
Some key components that your audience will look for in your website include:
Well-organized
Aesthetically appealing
User friendly/easy to navigate
Informative
Current with the latest trends
Clean and simple (less is more)
All in all, your website says a lot about your business. It speaks volumes to how invested you are in your own business and that translates into how invested you are in the business of your audience. One of the most important of the components listed above, is to keep your website current. Unfortunately, that means you will need to update and reconstruct your website somewhat frequently. But trust us when we say that it is an investment well-spent.
So, how do you know when it’s time to switch things up? Keep reading to find out.
How to know when you need a new website
Of course, you’d like to think you will just know when your site needs to be redone. But sometimes, when we’re caught up in the many moving parts of running a business, we miss the smaller stuff – like a new website. It’s important to know the few tell-tale signs to look out for with your website.
1. Your website is outdated.
Here’s the deal: it isn’t ALL about being on-trend. After all, what’s “trending” is quickly changing and it would be almost impossible to always be current. With that said, there is a balance between outdated and on-trend and it’s important to know where your website falls on the scale. If your website has been built more around your brand than what’s trending, you will be able to get away with it a little longer. If you air more heavily on the side of trendy, you are more likely to need an update sooner. Having a website that accomplishes both representing your brand and staying relevant on what’s “in”, is a huge piece of the success of a website. If you’re not sure how to accomplish that balance, outsourcing your website creation is definitely in your best interest. That’s why we’re here!
2. Your site isn’t mobile-friendly.
We live in the age of technology and smart phones. Everything you need is readily available at your fingertips and most consumers are primarily using their phones over their computers or other devices to view your website. If your website is built solely for computer web browser format and can’t easily respond to a mobile format, you will lose traffic. Your website needs to be easily accessible to mobile devices, as the masses are using them to visit it and even invest in your business. It’s likely that the creating a mobile-responsive website is a little bit foreign to you, if it’s not your area of expertise. A website designer would be able to help you with this important piece and we’d love to talk more about how we can support you!
3. It isn’t delivering the traffic, leads and conversions you want.
Beyond just appealing to your clients and making a good impression, your website’s other primary purpose is to attract and land future clients. The internet space is one of the most fundamental source of potential clients – mainly because everyone is on the internet. But also, because it’s the place where the majority of the population turn to find resources for their business. People turn directly to google search to answer their questions, find products they want to invest in and services that will help their business thrive. If you maximize your presence on the internet, you will be at the forefront of people’s searches. There are tons of tools to help you drive your traffic to your website, but the most impactful is Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
If you notice your website traffic and conversions aren’t reaching the same numbers they used to or are moving in the opposite direction of the way you want them to, it’s probably time to consider making a new one. There are many reasons the numbers are taking a turn for the worse, but outdated SEO and content may be the problem. Having a web designer or copywriter take a look at your site to find out what could and should be updated would be incredibly helpful!
4. Your website is more than 3-5 years old.
With time passing, comes change. It’s inevitable and the only thing in life you can really count on. In addition, as time passes, your business will change and evolve. Your services may be different, your prices may have increased, your portfolio may have grown, or you simply just have a more evolved brand that you want to reflect through your website. You want the information on your website to stay true to where you’re at in your business and not reflect outdated content or information. As a general rule of thumb, it’s wise to reassess your website every 3-5 years. It’s safe to say that by that point, your brand will have evolved and grown, the website format may be outdated, and your content won’t be gaining as much traction. Of course, considering the other variables, three years might be far too long – but it is important to check in with your business and your website designer around this time to assess if changes need to be made.
5. Your site doesn’t align well with your brand.
Obviously, we stress the importance of branding more than the next blog, but there is a good reason for that. Having a strong brand is such an integral part of building a business and that brand will be displayed clearly on your website. As with any other aspect, your brand will evolve and change over time. Ideally the changes won’t be drastic, unless you undergo a complete rebrand; but there will surely be gradual changes to your brand with time and growth in your business. You always want your website to align with your brand. Everything that represents your business should be cohesive and centered around your brand. If your website doesn’t reflect your brand or makes your business seem inconsistent, it’s time for a new website that aligns with your current brand. Each aspect of your business can be tied together in an intentional and impactful way, when it is centered around a solid brand strategy. Your website should be a prominent component of that!
How we can help you
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: building a website is hard work. There’s a lot that goes into the process and without the knowledge and experience, it is easy to become overwhelmed or end up slapping together a sub-par website. Investing in a web designer will not only save you time and effort, it will also ensure that you have the most impactful, current, and unique-to-you website possible. There is nothing more valuable than your time, so maximize it and spend it where it truly counts and leave the rest up to us.
If you’re interested in our website design services, you can visit this page on our website to learn more. We offer a FREE 30-minute consultation that allows you to ask any questions, get to know us and learn about our process. We can’t wait to collaborate with you!