Did you know that websites can expire? It’s time to update your site if:
Your site does not look good on a mobile phone. Over half of all web traffic is viewed on a mobile device. So if your site is not optimized for mobile you are missing out. Frankly, pinch a zoom is annoying on a phone. Tasks that we complete easily on a desktop or laptop are not so easy on a phone, like filling out a form. So by optimizing your site for mobile you are able to save your customers from headaches and keep them coming back.
Your site is not accessible to all people. What do we mean by accessible? Accessibility allows people to interact with your site regardless of disability type or severity of impairment. There are many disabilities or impairments that can be a barrier to effective computer use such as cognitive impairment, visual impairment, hearing impairment, and motor and dexterity impairment. In fact, Domino’s recently got sued because a disabled customer was not able to use the app to make a custom pizza. The cool thing about technology is that there are are many things that we can do to make our sites more accessible.
Your content is not fresh. Content matters. We want to put our best foot forward and present ourselves well to others. Websites are not meant to be static. They are meant to be updated and interacted with. Web Design is always evolving just like fashion trends. One day you are in the next day you are out. If you want to compete in the online marketplace you need to refresh your website on a regular basis or you just might lose out to your competition.
Your site is not secure. We have all heard of the numerous data breaches on the news where millions of credit cards and customer information was stolen. Hackers are looking for easy targets. Don’t let that be you. If you are capturing customer data or accepting payments your site needs to be secure. As a general policy it is also good idea to let customers know how you are securely handling their data.
Your site is not visually appealing. Your website is a direct reflection of your company. And it is often the first line of contact for people wanting to find out more about you and your organization. A professionally designed website that reinforces your brand is much more effective, than a sloppily put together site that doesn’t say much to your customers.
Your site loads too slowly. Have you ever clicked on a link and it seemed like it took forever to load? This is often referred to the white page of death. There are many reasons why sites don’t load: bad scripts, old plugins, flash content, too many ads, database errors. People’s attention span is only 8 seconds. So if your site does not load in under 8 seconds- they are likely moving on.
Your site is not searchable. Everything begins with a search. You are going to dinner with friends and you issue the query ‘restaurants near me’. You will get a page of search results with nearby restaurants. Some of those results are likely to be chain restaurants but some of them will be other local establishments. So how do you stand out? By updating your site with fresh content, cleaning your code, and using terms that people search for.
I love working with small businesses, non-profits, and entrepreneurs. Contact me today!