What is a Website and Why do I Need One
A website is a collection of web pages that are published on the internet. A website can be about anything, from your favorite hobby to your company. Websites are often used to provide information, advertise products or services, or sell things online.
There are many reasons why you might need a website.
- It can help you promote your business and get more customers.
- It can help you connect with people who share your interests and hobbies.
- It can also help you stay in touch with family and friends who live far away.
A study by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners has found that the average person who owns a smartphone will replace it every 2 years. That’s pretty quick! They also found that most websites are obsolete within 3 years.
There are a lot of signs that your company needs a new website. We’re not just talking about how it looks, but the performance too.
A well-designed site provides good functionality and an intuitive layout which will boost your conversion rates.
Signs Your Site Needs a Redesign
- A high bounce rate
- Slow page load speeds
- Your site doesn’t reflect your brand
- Your site looks old
- It’s been at least 3 years since you updated your site
- You can’t update content yourself
- Confusing website navigation
- Poor lead conversion rates
- Your site isn’t mobile-friendly or responsive
- You aren’t using inbound marketing
1. You Have A High Bounce Rate
When using Google Analytics, “bounce rate” refers to the percentage of single-point visitors to your site. That is, it’s the percentage of people who come to your site and only visit the first page they land on.
It’s important to understand that users who bounce don’t meet one of these 3 criteria: they couldn’t find what they were looking for, lost interest in your site after just briefly browsing it, or found your site too slow and not meeting their needs.
A new design can help with some of these issues and might convince readers to explore your site more.
If your bounce rate is always more than 70-90% on your website, you may want to consider a new website creation process.
2. Your Page Load Speeds Are Too Slow
The biggest issue we find with older sites is how long it takes for the pages to load. Most people these days expect content to be available as soon as they want it–so if your prospects are like most of them, they’ll likely be frustrated with the slow loading time.
When it comes to web design, there are just some things that humans can do better than bots. This list includes the process of image manipulation.
As much as AI has come to take over our other repetitive tasks, there is still no substitute for a human touch when it comes to making the perfect image pop up just in time for that perfect moment.
Long load times can affect your website and SEO and Google and visitors and bounce rates. That’s because Google optimizes the SERPs for sites that have fast loading times.
3. Your Website Doesn’t Reflect Your Brand
Has your website adapted to changes in your brand and messaging? Experiences like your website affect how visitors respond.
Visitors either feel welcomed and proceed to explore the site, or they’re quickly turned away. Ensure that your website is designed in a way that aligns with what you’re trying to convey, as well as your brand.
It should also be easy for customers to use and tailored to their needs now. If your company claims to be on the leading edge, yet your website is anything but, it creates a major disconnect.
If that’s the case, it’s time for a new one or at minimum, a launchpad site to get started.
4. Your Site Looks Like It’s From 2010
While many website designs from a decade ago may be aesthetically pleasing, it’s no longer a good fit for modern audience preferences.
Websites that use flashing graphics and flashy text bring poor design messages to your business, detracting from your company’s offerings.
Some good web design principles are ignored on what are our so-called worst website examples. This includes not following navigation guidelines, not doing enough research to illustrate credibility, and the use of too many ads.
Your website might not be perfect, and that’s okay! Potential visitors only spend a short amount of time checking your site out before they might move on to something else.
Visitors don’t tend to know what they want, which means it’s your job as a site owner to break their indecision and provide them with a clear direction.
5. You Haven’t Updated Your Site in More Than 3 Years
One of the most important things to remember is that fashion trends are always changing. When considering that, websites have to stay on top of their game to change alongside it.
Weidert Group has updated the site 2 times in the last 5 years. They’re constantly adjusting to keep our site up-to-date with design trends and user experience improvements.
Consider updating your site’s appearance and features for a wide range of reasons.
For example, did you know that it may be lacking a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate? If you share an URL that doesn’t have a locked padlock in its browser bar, then it’s not secure. An SSL certificate is important for the positioning of your website.
6. You Can’t Update Content Yourself
If you find yourself relying on a web developer for changes & modifications to your content, adding blogs, etc., it’s costing you precious time and money.
Many marketers find it frustrating when they have to deal with content management systems.
HubSpot makes it easier to import content from other places, collaborate with teammates on single projects, or self-manage without being a code or design genius. HubSpot has drag and drop templates and forms where you can easily add new landing pages, CTAs, blogs, and other pages to your website.
The CMS platform does require a little more in-depth changes to start these projects than some competitors out there which can make these tasks seem like pulling teeth.
7. You Have Confusing Website Navigation
It’s common these days to see navigation bars on websites with a dozen or more options. It can get confusing though, especially if there are similar services/products available on the site.
Some people think that providing too many options overwhelms visitors and creates an unpleasant user experience. But don’t underestimate the power of well-organized product lists.
As is the case with many websites that have been built over the years, such as yours, prospects visiting your website might find it difficult to find what they are looking for.
Prospects should be able to intuitively understand where they should click, how you bring out your products or services, and how to navigate through your pages seamlessly. Keep it simple.
8. You Have Poor Conversion Rates
You have likely put in a lot of hard work in growing your site to this point, but when it comes to generating the amount of traffic you are looking for, it’s likely time for an upgrade.
There’s a lot of different reasons why conversions may be below and if your business website is exhibiting two or more of these, you should consider updating it.
9. Your Site Isn’t Mobile-Friendly Or Responsive
Mobile site traffic is growing and is now over 50% of web traffic globally. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re missing out on all those people visiting.
Even if your website is responsive on multiple devices, many companies still want their sites to be mobile-designed too.
Mobile-first website designs are easier to load, Google also uses mobile layouts in their search engine. Use this design to future proof your site which will surely be popular in the future.
10. You Aren’t Using Inbound Marketing
If your website doesn’t help educate and guide your visitors towards a purchase, it’s not going to help your business. A true inbound site will have content that attracts, engages, and delights visitors, with multiple lead conversion opportunities throughout that assist the lead nurturing process.
If you’re asking, “Do I need a new website?”, it’s possible you already know the answer. Take a “Growth-Driven Design” approach with your site and start fresh if you want to implement an inbound program.
Start Updating Your Website Today
Be sure to consider these major flaws on your website and fix them before taking this route.
Texas Web Design can help you create a website that incorporates all the crucial elements. It’s time to reinvent your brand with a quality website.
Contact us now for more information about our services!
Texas Web Design has been selected among the Top Web Designers in San Antonio by DesignRush
