5 Reasons You Need A New Website


Need A New Website Blog Post

Ten seconds. Your website’s visitors only need 10 short seconds to determine if they will browse a little while longer or make like Jennifer Lopez’s husbands and split. Your website should be your 24-hour salesperson, forever there to greet visitors, assist in their shopping, and help them learn more about your business. But if you’re not careful, your website can quickly become a pillar for faux pas design and outdated practices.

If you feel you need a new website, chances are you do. The following information gives a few practical and real examples that will help you determine whether your website needs a complete overhaul.

1. Mobile Optimization
If your site isn’t optimized for mobile viewing, you need a new website. With 90% of mobile subscribers in the U.S. and Western Europe having internet-ready phones, a staggering number of consumers access the Internet through the mobile web. In addition, the proliferation of mobile devices, tablets, smartphones, and several other devices enable consumers to browse the web from a variety of platforms. Mobile optimization may even make or break your search rankings in the near future.

If your website isn’t optimized for mobile viewing you are simply missing out on a lot of business. The best solution is to have a responsive web design, which seamlessly converts across desktops, tablets, smartphones, and just about every other type of device.

2. The Design
The first impression of your website will be derived from the basic design of the page. It should appropriately reflect the quality of the products and services that you offer. When consumers visit your site and consider using your services, a large part of the decision is based on the visual appearance of your website. If your website is old or doesn’t have a quality look, you’ll essentially be driving customers away. A good website should feature a design that is modern, clean, and inviting to visitors.

3. Social Media
Does your website promote the sharing of your content on the major social media networks? If it doesn’t, you need a new website. It is important to make your content easily sharable on social media by having share buttons on your web page. Since most of your potential customers are in one or all of the social networks, you should make it extremely easy for your content to be shared. In addition, your website should also have social buttons that offer visitors a quick and easy way to subscribe to receiving future posts and information from your business.

4. If it Ain’t Broke…It Still May Need to Be Fixed
The old adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” doesn’t necessarily apply to websites. Google’s algorithm loves practices that are geared toward providing users the most relevant information, which means it rewards websites that have fresh and updated content. If you cannot easily change the content on your website, it’s time for a new one. The new website should include a Content Management System (CMS) that allows you to easily add, edit, or update all of your web content at your disposal or even on a set schedule. (We use WordPress!)

5. Blog it Down
If your old website doesn’t have one, your new website should undoubtedly feature an authoritative and relevant blog. This will help establish your business as a reliable source for information, drive traffic to your site, bolster your SEO efforts, and provide consistent and fresh content. In the end, blogs exponentially increase your chances of being found by the right customers.

 

Are you considering a web design or redesign?

The effort poses many questions: What will make my site better and more effective? What do I absolutely need to take into account for my end users? Are there serious SEO issues or new search engine rules that I should watch out for? The following free eBook answers the most critical questions related to a successful web redesign project:

  • Key elements and features “must-haves” for your homepage.
  • Critical steps to protect your SEO and content during a site redesign.
  • Steps you can take to improve your site right now while the redesign project is underway.