Nine tell-tale signs you are in dire need of a website redesign. When was the last time you visited your website?
Unless you sell online, you might have had a website built and then left it to do its thing. Months pass. Then years.
The emails you used to get from potential customers dwindle, and you wonder why?
You decide to Google your business name and URL to discover your website is not showing in the search results! Typing in your website address takes you back in time.
That is when you realize your site is covered in years of digital dust. This is the time for a website redesign.
Almost 65% of small businesses rely on their website to connect with customers. Between 70-80% of people research a company's website before buying from them. Over sixty percent of customers who have a poor website experience will not buy from that website again.
That's all fine, but websites cost money to redesign. How do I know if I even need a new website design?
This simple guide highlights nine warning signs to look out for. If any of these apply, it could be time for a website overhaul.
Read on to see if any of these red flags sound familiar.
1. A Broken Contact Form
Every business website should include the most crucial detail in their contact information and a contact form.
Does your website have a contact page that is easy to find? Are your telephone number and email address prominent or hidden beneath mountains of text?
Even if you do not wish to give your phone number or mailing address, you still need some way for your customers to communicate with you.
Most sites, at the minimum, have a contact form. Only having a contact form has the advantage of capturing client information without giving your email address. Unfortunately, contact forms are notorious for malfunctioning.
You should periodically test your contact form often. Submit a series of inquiries to yourself. Use accurate contact details and fake ones.
How many of these test submissions did you receive in your inbox? Do you get an error when you try to submit the form? If you use Google's reCAPTCHA to stop spam bots, does it hinder you from submitting the form?
If your contact form doesn't work correctly, your customers will not contact you or your competition instead.
2. Poor UX
User experience (UX) means how your visitors interact with your website. If the user experience is poor, they won't stay long.
If you're not sure what a poor UX is, here are some things that infuriate everyone:
- Too much clutter/not enough white space
- Annoying pop-ups or ads
- Navigation does not make sense
- Unclear who you are and what you do
- Colors clash or hurt the eyes
- Links do not work
Most modern websites offer a great user experience, so those that do not stand out. Read our guide on UX and see how a website redesign will ensure your customers will love your new site.
3. RIP Google Traffic
Google is the largest search engine globally with over 92% market share. If you do not rank high on Google's search listings, then your customers may not find you.
First, check if Google has scanned/spidered your website. Search site:www.yourbusiness.com (replace with your website address) and all indexed pages, if any, will show. If there are no results, you need to get your website listed asap.
Visit Google Search Console and create an account. It's free and allows you to track your rankings and improve them.
Improving rankings through search engine optimization is one of the main reasons for website revamping.
4. Mobile Users Demand a Responsive Design
Have you ever heard of responsive website design? Unfortunately, neither have many nontechnical web designers.
A responsive website is coded to adjust images for smaller mobile screens. The essential factor here is your website address remains the same for all versions of your site.
When you visit a site on a mobile device, the content should adapt to a smaller screen. This responsive method lets mobile customers order or contact you as quickly as on a laptop or desktop pc.
Although responsive design is now the standard, many older sites do not adjust to mobile devices. For example, if you need to swipe or scroll to the right, your site needs a website redesign.
5. Copyright 1999
A dead giveaway of an out-of-date website is the copyright date. Usually located at the bottom of the page, this little notice can cost you if not updated yearly.
If your front page welcomes visitors to your website and the copyright date was five years ago, they'll run for the hills. Nothing says we do not care more than outdated text copy and an old copyright notice.
Also, make sure to check spelling and grammar. Businesses often cobble together some vague sales talk when rushing to create a new website. Anyway, text content needs refreshing every few months at least.
Remember, this is your business entrance online. So greet visitors with pearly whites and not a gap-tooth smile.
6. Whose Branding Is That?
Has your logo changed since you started business years ago? If so, did you remember to update your website?
Consistent branding across all your media platforms is essential to strengthening your reputation. For example, if your website customers see a different logo or color scheme, they may get confused and think they are on the wrong website.
Confusion rarely leads to a sale.
7. Is your Site Loading Quickly?
If your website doesn't load within five seconds, you'll lose 90% of your traffic.
Old websites often have large images to download before a user sees the entire page. This added download is incredibly annoying for mobile visitors with slower connections and limited data plans.
Clear your Internet cache and monitor and track your website speed. If your stopwatch spins a full circle, you have a problem and need a website redesign. You can test your site page speeds using a tool like Pingdom.
8. High Bounce Rates
A bounce rate measures the percentage of your visitors to a particular website who navigate away from the site after viewing only one page.
As you can guess, a high bounce rate is not ideal. Your analytics should break these stats down in detail.
Does your website not have analytics? When you get your website redesigned, ensure you access your site's statistics. They're free to add, so there is no excuse.
9. Adobe Flash Hell
The iPhone killed Flash websites years ago. Then, animated flash websites might look cool, but nowadays, it doesn't work on most browsers, and their effects can now be emulated using Javascript and HTML5.
If you have a Flash-based website, then there is good news. The good news is with a website redesign. You can provide the experience your customers want in 2020 and beyond without using Flash.
Revamp With a Website Redesign
If your existing site needs an overhaul, then it's time to call the website redesign experts.
Quick Web Designs delivers high-quality, responsive websites to match your brand. We produce visually pleasing and easy-to-navigate sites your customers will love.
Contact us today to discuss your requirements. Our friendly staff is waiting to take your call and help build the site you deserve.
Don't be ashamed of your website any longer. With a website revamp from web design North Carolina, you can finally be proud of your business online.
