Websites are often the primary place your audience visits to learn about your business and serve as a foundational touchpoint. It’s where people discover what you have to offer. Websites can be great tools when utilized correctly, but a website is not static, it is dynamic and constantly needs updating to stay relevant. Do you know when it’s time to consider an refresh? We’ve put together a list of 4 signs you’ll notice when it’s time to refresh your website.
Your website is more than 5 years old
The internet is a fast moving landscape of information. If it’s been awhile since you updated your website, chances are that you’re being left behind. There are always new tools coming out that will allow your website to unleash new capabilities and maximize results. Refreshing your website every 5 years or so gives you the opportunity to evaluate and refresh your design. Keeping your website fresh gives users an up to date view into your business, which helps people get to know your brand better. Keeping your website up to date is also important for SEO purposes, one of the key ways that you can reach your target audience.
You have a high bounce rate
If your users are quickly leaving your site, it’s probably a sign that there is something flawed with the user experience. Whether it be that users can’t find what they’re looking for quickly, or there are glitches that make using your site too difficult, websites need to capture attention quickly in order to make an impact. Evaluating your customer’s journey on your website and analyzing the overall user experience can bring problem areas to your attention and highlight what you should update.
You aren’t ranking in search engines
In order to allow your site to be discovered by new audience members and reach more potential customers, you need to ensure that your site is following the best SEO practices. If your site is not ranking well in the top keywords of your industry, you should consider updating your website to follow the best practices outlined by Google. There are many different aspects that go into how Google ranks your website, from site speed to backlinks signaling credibility. If you don’t have a blog, it may be time to consider adding one to your site or making other changes that will allow you to constantly refresh your content for SEO purposes.
It doesn’t reflect your brand anymore
Your brand and your business are living entities, and with that they are always evolving and changing. Your website should continually evolve with your business in order to tell your story and properly display your services or products to your audience. An obvious time to update your site to match your brand is when you rebrand. Other less obvious changes that require an update on your site are shifts in your potential target audience or a change in your company's values and focus. These subtle shifts can impact content and tone on your site and require evaluation for updates. In order to build relationships and brand loyalty, it’s important that you have consistent messaging across your digital and material marketing.
Your website deserves some TLC
It is important that you allow room for changes in your operations in order for your business and your brand to continue to expand and grow. This goes for your website as well, counting for periodic updates as you evolve and develop. Sometimes this might mean an entire overhaul and redesign of your site, other times it could mean refreshing your copy or imagery. Whatever the case, hiring a team of web designers and developers will save you time and can make you money as they are experts in making websites perform and look their best.
At 97 Switch, our curiosity becomes one of your best assets, and we make sure we are adding value to your business every step of the way. With that mindset, we work to elevate businesses' digital identity as a collaborative effort. If you need a fresh perspective, contact us here and learn if we can provide the switch you need to grow your business.
