As we all know, technology is rapidly evolving. And as tech evolves, styles and functionalities become obsolete. Websites are no different.
As the internet and associated technologies change, websites need to be tended to to ensure they are still operational, let alone optimized for performance. Falling behind the curve can have a negative impact on your business, and knowing this is happening is not always obvious.
If you think you’r unsure, here are 5 signs it’s time for some TLC:
- Your website loads slowly
- Your website actually looks old
- High bounce / low conversion rates
- Difficult to navigate
- Your brand is not reflected in the content
1. Your website loads slowly
Have you noticed how quickly your phone or computer loads web pages now compared to even 5 years ago? This change has led to a shift in user behaviour, as studies now show the majority of web surfers leave a page if it has not loaded within 2 seconds!
If your website is slow to load, it is important to look at the factors that may be causing this, including large images, cheap hosting, bloated code, etc. Old websites, even if they still appear current, can have troubles under the hood. If your website is more than a few years old and is loading slowly for your customers, it may be time to think about a rebuild.
Use this free website to check your page load performance: https://gtmetrix.com
2. High Bounce / Low Conversion Rates
Unless your business is using a tool such as Google Analytics to measure performance, you would likely not know you were experiencing high bounce rates or low conversion rates.
A bounce rate is the percentage of visitors to your website that leave your website without interacting with it at all. Many factors contribute to this, including slow page loads, poor quality content, bas aesthetics, etc. Typically, these visitors either didn’t find what they were looking for or got frustrated with your website.
If your bounce rate has climbed up over 70-75%, it is a strong sign you may need a fresh design or content overhaul.
The more traffic leaving your site without exploring it, the lower your conversion rates will be, as you have less and less visitors getting where you would like them to go, whether it is buying a product, filling out a contact form, making a phone call, etc.
3. Your website actually looks old
I think it is safe to assume you have visited enough websites to know when you are looking at an old website. They typically load slowly, are hard to interact with, and look like they were built in the 90’s. If you are like me, the moment that web page loads and you are looking at a business that has a website that looks like it was created the same day as the internet, it’s time to head back to Google and try another search result.
Your website represents your business online. If it looks old, slow and outdated, your site visitors will think your products and services are the same. So take a good long look at your business website and give it the smell test. If that aroma ain’t pleasant, time to do something about it.
4. Difficult to navigate
It is very common for website navigations to become outdated over time. As mentioned above, older sites can be difficult or confusing to navigate, resulting in a higher bounce rate and lower conversion rates.
Ask a friend or family member to hop on your website and take it for a spin. Watch them as they do. If you notice they are moving slowly through your content, having to ask questions on how to get from A to B, or are rapidly clicking areas that don’t take them anywhere… then you will have your answer.
5. Your website is not consistently branded
Try going to a few different big name brand websites like Apple or Nike. You will notice that their brand style is evident in every single nook and cranny of that website. From the content, to the images, font and colour usage. Granted, they spend millions of dollars on hiring the very best in the business to produce those websites, but that doesn’t mean your business website can’t incorporate these same principles.
Take a good look at your content, if you think you need a revamp, do it! There is no time like the present and you could be letting valuable leads slip away.
Local Web Design & SEO
MarineView Media is a locally focused web design & SEO company based in Victoria, BC, Canada. We work closely with business owners to develop websites that not only reflect their brand, but drive customer conversion. Using advanced SEO techniques and data-driven Performance Analytics, MVM gets to the heart of your customer and delivers results.
Think your business is in need of a new or revamped website? We would love to chat. Connect with us today!
