Websites have changed a lot in the last five years, plus we saw accelerated growth in doing business online during the COVID-19 pandemic. You have to keep up!
The online demand we experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic brought demands for new features and more online ordering and payment systems. Mobile use increased dramatically, requiring website owners to provide better user experiences for mobile devices.
If you haven’t updated your business website in years:
- Your design looks outdated and does not follow today’s mobile-first trends.
- Visitor’s are getting a bad vibe from your site’s appearance and old content.
- People are bouncing from your site, which means you’re losing potential customers.
- Your website needs critical security updates which could hurt your business if not addressed.
Time for a Website Update
A new website might sound like a big undertaking, but it’s better to go with an entirely new website instead of trying to make your old website work.
Is Your Content Outdated?
The information on your website is probably outdated, including product lists, service details, pricing, and staffing updates. Outdated content can confuse visitors and harm your credibility.
Visitors may question the legitimacy and reliability of a business with an outdated website. An old-fashioned or poorly maintained site can erode trust and credibility, impacting your brand perception.
How Does Your Site Rank in Google?
Google likes fresh content. Google loves relevant content.
If you haven’t made any updates to your website in years, you’ve probably seen a dramatic decline in how you appear in search results. That means your business is less visible to potential customers (and your competition is seen more!).
Are You Providing a Great User Experience?
An outdated design and clunky navigation is a leading factor for an unhappy user experience. If your website visitors are finding that your site is difficult to use, they’re getting a negative first impression of your business. They will move on to your competition.
How Good is Your Site Technology and Security?
If your WordPress software and plugins are outdated, this poses a security risk to your site overall. WordPress needs to be updated with every software release so your website is protected from vulnerable security threats and hacking attempts.
As technology evolves, older websites may not be compatible with newer browsers or devices. This can result in functionality issues, preventing users from accessing certain features.
How Mobile Responsive is Your Website?
Everyone is using their phones to surf the web. With the dramatic increase in mobile devices visiting your website, a mobile-responsive site that resizes automatically is crucial.
Your site has to be optimized for mobile viewing. You will not only lose potential customers, but your Google ranking will slip since the search engine also prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in their search results.
Are You at a Competitive Disadvantage?
To stay competitive online, you need a modern website that follow’s today’s trends.
Do your competitors have more up-to-date and user-friendly websites than your? They’re probably getting all of the potential customers who bounced away from your outdated site.
Do Your Own Site Audit
To address these issues, it’s time for you to conduct your own website audit and decide what needs improving. If you haven’t updated your website in years, chances are it could probably use a complete redesign.
Creating an entirely new website gives you a fresh start with a more stable design framework, updated WordPress software, and new technology to add more user-friendly features people want.
Once your new website is published, you need to make sure you update your website content often. This will help you maintain a positive online presence while staying relevant and competitive in your industry.