Successful web design is not just about an eye-catching logo and a sleek appearance. Your site should not only look good, but should be easy to navigate, work well, and bring in sales.
A quick look at the signs will affirm that you really need a brand new website now:
1. It’s not Responsive
Over 80% of internet users own a smartphone, so there’s been a HUGE increase in mobile search traffic over the past few years. Needless to say, your site should be easy to view and navigate on both desktop and mobile. The easiest way to do that is with a responsive website. This kind of site adjusts content to fit on a variety of screen sizes.
2. It doesn’t catch the eye
With mobile search becoming more popular than desktop, searchers have seen a number of mobile sites and won’t stay long on a site they find outdated. Website design has been researched as the number one factor in determining the credibility of a business. An unattractive site can make your business look unprofessional and out of touch with modern buyers, and may cause a searcher to abandon your website.
3. The Site Is Slow
When a user visits your site, they’re not only looking to find quality information, but to find quality information quickly. In order to attract customers to your site and keep them there, you’ll need to have an updated site with a fast site speed.
4. Your Google rank is low
Though it’s great if your site looks polished and modern, an attractive appearance means nothing if it’s not showing up in search results. If your site isn’t ranking well, it’s not doing one of its most important jobs. Though there are a number of things that go into ranking at the top of Google, your website’s usability plays a big role in what Google constitutes as a helpful, reliable website.
5. Your conversion rate is low
Converting leads to deals is of the utmost importance to keep your business running. If your site is ranking well and bringing in leads, that’s great—but only if those leads are converting. If you’re seeing a higher bounce rate, a lower number of average pages per visit, or simply fewer conversions, users likely don’t find your site helpful. A website redesign project with potential customers’ goals in mind will surely be beneficial to your site.
6. You have changed your brand
If your company has gone through rebranding since the creation of your current site, it is imperative to have your website re-designed. Strong branding can make all the difference in customer recognition of your business and can put you at the top of their mind when they’re in need of a service you offer. Your site sends a clear message about your brand identity, and an outdated web design that doesn’t match your brand will have a negative effect on your potential customers.
7. Your business has grown or diversified
Chances are that you have either grown your business or have simply diversified. If your site hasn’t been updated since then, you’ve likely outgrown it. A website redesign can better reflect your growth and can continue to grow with you.
8. Your industry has evolved
Almost every industry sees small changes throughout the years. Certain services become more popular and new techniques emerge and steal the spotlight. Though sometimes you can make small tweaks to your website to reflect your changing industry, there are some occasions where your old site just won’t cut it. If you haven’t had your site revamped in over five years, there’s a good chance there’s plenty of updates that need to be made.
9. Your website isn’t HTTPS
HTTPS is a way to encrypt information that you send between a browser and a web server. The way that happens is with an SSL certificate. This protects your website’s users from attacks, where someone steals the information being sent to a website, like credit card information or logins. In the past, only sites with sensitive information have been HTTPS, but as this has become easier to implement, this is becoming the standard. With all the recent hacks, users expect secure sites and find https sites more trustworthy.
If you can relate to any of the 9 signs listed above, it’s time for a website redesign now, regardless of how long you’ve had your current site.