Susan Friesen September 20, 2021 
Taking your Stale, Tired, and Clunky Website to an Income-Generating Machine
Have you ever come across a website that looks old and stale? What impression did that leave you?
Many business owners don’t realize the importance of updating their websites. But much like your wardrobe, websites need to be freshened from time to time. Think about a favourite outfit from a few years ago. It was probably the latest fashion when you bought it, but a little dated and out of place today.
Websites are no different. In fact, website ‘fashion’ changes much more quickly than clothing fashion. And websites have moving parts and a very important job to do, making staying up-to-date all the more important.
If you’re feeling like your website is a little tired, your potential customers probably are, too. Here are 10 reasons to consider a website makeover.
Website first impressions are important
Like I said, website trends move fast. The starter website you built a few years back may now appear unprofessional by today’s standards.
Website visitors judge your website within a few seconds, so it’s critical to have a layout and graphics that are professional, appealing and engaging. That’s why investing in an updated look and feel for your website is almost always a smart investment.
Remember that your potential clients are comparison shopping. The Internet makes it so easy for consumers to shop rates and compare options.
That puts a burden on companies to keep their websites fresh and inviting because the company with the sharpest-looking website that offers the best resources and information wins.
Redesigning your website can have a big impact on the look and feel of your entire business.
Improve sales
Websites can be designed to turn visitors into paying customers. In digital-marketing-speak, this is called ‘website conversions,’ and it’s critical if you want to increase business success.
A professional web design firm can help you re-examine the layout and content of your website to boost sales conversions.
Updated web technologies
Whether your website was built in WordPress or using a different content management system (CMS), it’s critically important to continually upgrade to the latest version of the software
Installing the latest security patches can prevent hackers from gaining access to your website. This can prevent data breaches of your customer information. It can also stop hackers from abusing your servers by installing viruses or sending spam.
Similarly, old shopping cart systems are also very susceptible to hackers if they have not been maintained by the developers. This applies to either purchased systems or open source – both need continual upgrades in order to stay ahead of hackers and of the users’ needs for functionality.
Shifted business focus
Over time, your business changes. You have new products and services to offer, which can also impact your target market and ideal client.
Your target market should always be the driving force behind your website, both in how it looks and the information it provides. So a shift in your business should lead to a shift in your website, too.
Additionally, don’t forget to update the company information on your site as well. Perhaps you have new employees to add, new credentials to showcase in your bio, or new contact information if you moved or stopped using your gmail address
Ultimately, it’s important to frequently review your website regularly to ensure that all your information is up to date.
Google loves regularly updated websites
The freshness factor can greatly influence your website rankings because Google and other search engines favour current pages and posts. That means that if your website is stale and hasn’t been updated in months or even years, it may drop in rankings.
Adding an engaging blog to your website is another great way to keep things fresh and Google happy. And learn more about how Google’s new ‘core web vitals’ impact small business websites here.
Improved site structure boosts SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
The way your website is constructed can dramatically affect your SEO, which is how well your website organically appears in search engine results. A website redesign can improve site architecture, page names, image names, meta tags, and content so that it’s considerably more SEO-friendly.
If your website isn’t getting the traffic you expected, professional SEO may be required. And a protip: building a website that is SEO from the start is just smart business.
It’s time to declutter
Over time, you’ve probably added content to your website here and there.
And while that’s great from a freshness factor, it can also make your website jumbled, complicated, and less effective. Doing a website redesign provides the opportunity to simplify wording, layout, and navigation. This makes it easier for visitors to find what they are looking for without being distracted or confused.
It’s not mobile-friendly
Your website should function perfectly on every possible screen size and shape.
More and more website activity is done on our phones, and at least half of your website traffic is mobile, if not a lot more.
So if your business website is not mobile-friendly (also called responsive) it could be costing you a lot of business.
So if you redesign your website, ensure it is smartphone, mobile-friendly through a responsive design that is easy to navigate no matter the size of screen your visitor is using.
Add social media functionality
If your website was built several years ago you may not be set up to connect with customers on social media. Adding social sharing buttons allows readers to share your content, which boosts SEO and your brand visibility.
Plus, adding links to your social media accounts helps you build relationships with your prospective clients. This also provides an instant way to share deals and offers with eager consumers.
As an added bonus, learn how to drive qualified social media traffic to your website for more leads and sales here.
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