Create and forget is what most small businesses do when it comes to their website. However, a website is not something without an expiry date. Though one cannot predict a precise expiry date for a website, there surely are telltale signs that tell you whether the time has come to redesign the company website so that it remains as lively as your business.
Based on our experience revamping different websites, we have listed out 10 distinct points that should alert you to modify your site promptly.
If the company website gives you nightmares, by making you call the developer frequently, then it is time to let go off it for a new one. Constant crashes not only create a dent in the budget but also gives the wrong impression to the visitor.
Detested by mobiles:
Does your site has a high bounce rate while it takes ages to load
A website should display fully and properly with ease of navigation irrespective of the device it is being viewed on – this is responsiveness. It is done by using HTML and CSS to automatically set the page’s dimensions to shrink, enlarge or resize a website, to make it readable and look good on all devices. A good majority of traffic online is through mobile; you sure don’t want to lose out on this front.
Visitors Bounce Off:
Does your site have a high bounce rate while it takes ages to load?
Time is a crucial factor. If your website isn’t up in a few seconds, consider it dead. You may wait for a while if you are browsing on a desktop, but while viewing on a mobile, every fraction counts and bores you. A website’s slow loading time is attributed to various factors such as the effectiveness of the hosting server, total baggage size of your website, images, redundant scripts etc. If your website is working at a snail’s pace, then it’s time to go for an overhaul. A visitor with a bitter experience might not come on your door knocking again.
Maze:
How difficult is it to navigate through your website?
If your website’s aim is to provide information to your prospective customers, then it should be designed thoughtfully with proper website architecture in place. A site designed with an appropriate architecture makes it easy for a visitor to navigate through relevant pages and find topic wise linking content.
Costs you a fortune:
Does your business website makes you rely on a web designer’s skill even for the basic website updates?
Gone are the days when every content update on the site needed a web designer. Content Management System (CMS) such as WordPress, you can be your website’s master. The CMS provides the flexibility of Do-it-yourself websites while keeping you safely away from the script so that you damage nothing in the background. Photos, text, URL’s and even basic SEO can be controlled at will.
Superfluous:
Does your website carry too many redundant pages or information?
As your business evolves, you expand to add newer dimensions to your business. Most small businesses push their website into oblivion while racing to move ahead, which is only obvious considering the resources at hand. However, your company’s website is an indispensable part. It is prerequisite to investing in revamping the website so that your business makes an impression where it matters the most – online. The site must contain information on all the products and services you sell, information on the personnel who are at the helm steering the ship, information on your location etc.
Old-fashioned:
Does the design of your website look outdated?
Design is one area that has undergone tremendous change. Look and feel of a web page is directly proportional to consumer perception. If your web design is archaic with flashy buttons and tables, your consumers think the same applies to your service/product. Also, the belief that “the first impression is the best impression” is very much true, as a visitor who’s impressed with your site, would definitely think of giving your service a try.
Ineffective call to action:
Is your website’s call to action unclear, cumbersome or unattractive?
The effectiveness of appropriate Call To Action (CTA) cannot be undermined. The colour, text and placement of CTA matters. What you have above the fold, how far does a visitor need to scroll to get to the CTA, can a visitor find the CTA at a point where they make that buying decision? – answers to all these questions dictate the performance of your best marketing tool – web page.
Wrong identity:
Does the website and your brand go hand in hand?
Your branding must be visible everywhere, and your site is one of them. If your company has recently undergone a branding process, then the same should be the case with your web pages. A good number of your target audience will know you through the website, so brand it accordingly.
A troublemaker:
Does your website needs too much troubleshooting?
If the company website gives you nightmares, by making you call the developer frequently, then it is time to let go off it for a new one. Constant crashes not only create a dent in the budget but also gives the wrong impression to the visitor.
Expansion plans:
Do you plan to add a new functionality to the website?
A website can do way more than just informing about your existence. If you wish to add different features, such as an e-commerce facility, then it is advisable to re-design the website so that it perfectly supports the new functionality. Websites built on an old technology might not effectively support a new feature that uses an updated technology.
