Lately, you have noticed an increase in flashy websites from your competitors…while your site is the one you’ve been using for years. You start to wonder if your site is doing enough for your business. Is it capitalizing on opportunities and really giving you the online presence you are looking for? While a website redesign sounds sexy, is it really worth the investment?
Here are five clues that it may be time for that website revamp you’ve been considering:
Your site lacks a compelling story
Your business has an exciting story to tell, so why isn’t it highlighted throughout your site? A website is often a prospect’s first impression of your business, so give them a good one! Weave in your unique history and brand voice. It’s okay to let your sense of humor show – it might just encourage someone to choose you over the competition.
Your site is underutilized or just plain bad
Images are the easiest way to capture the attention of your site visitors. They draw the eye down the page and inspire traffic to other parts of your site. Be sure to include high-quality, updated images that are interesting and brand-relevant. If you keep clinging to old (and let’s be honest, sometimes tacky) pictures, you are really missing out on an opportunity.
Your site doesn’t reflect current products or services
Over time you’ve (hopefully) added some new products/services or at least tweaked the ones you have to reflect your current state of business. Your website provides many opportunities to highlight these new offerings: a homepage feature, landing pages, blog posts, etc. Make it clear to visitors what you have to offer and keep it current!
Your CMS is difficult to use or non-existent
Your Content Management System (CMS) is the tool you use to edit your site’s content. If you have one that you don’t understand how to use, or don’t have one at all, then it is going to be very difficult to keep your information relevant and up-to-date. Why is this important? Because it not only lets customers to get to know and build trust with your brand, but it also improves your rankings on search engines.
Your site has a confusing interface
Nobody wants to stay on a site that doesn’t have a logical flow to it. If you are not confident that someone can navigate to a specific part of your site without some guidance, then it needs work. The progression from page to page should feel natural. If customers aren’t finding the information they need, you may need fewer pages or a clearer path.
If you find some of these to be true for your website, it might be time for a redesign. If not, great! No matter where you are with your website, it’s important to always be evaluating the message it sends and making sure it matches your brand.
Photo by William Iven on Unsplash