Are you still thinking about getting a new website for your company? If your answer is “YES” to the following, then you probably need a new website.
Was your website designed over 3 years ago?
Your website is your digital shop window, 90% of people research a company online before they buy from them. If you don’t find your website nice to look at, then more than likely neither does anyone else. Is your website pleasing to the eye and does it reflect your company? The reason why it’s good to change your website every 3 years is because the web is forever changing. Just like fashion and technology, websites also go out of style. Current trends favour a clean and simple website design, rather than a cluttered and busy site. Staying up to date with current trends and technology also delivers a better experience for your users.
Does your website look like a five year old could create it?
You may have the most technical website in the world, but if it looks like anyone could have created it, then it’s pointless. Developing and designing are two different specialties and qualities, and both are crucial when building a website. Going with the cheapest proposal will save you money in the short term, but it won’t give you the long term quality, results and return on investment that you were looking for from a new website.
Is your website built around a template?
There are many reasons to avoid using a template for your website. Yes, they may look tempting as they are attractive to those with limited budgets or resources, but free and/or cheap websites stick out like a sore thumb. Templates restrict many things, including generic design, SEO, content, licensing and functionality. If you’re using a template that you found on the Internet, it’s more than likely hundreds of other companies are using that same template off the Internet, removing your uniqueness. Templates are too generic and have provide less value compared with a bespoke design, specifically designed to represent your business.
Is your website difficult to use?
As everybody is now getting busier and time is of the essence, people want to find things quickly and efficiently online. Most want to find what they are looking for in two clicks and under. Web users today expect a user–friendly experience as the web has evolved. If your website is difficult to use, the visitor will very quickly move on to another more user-friendly website, and you will miss out on potential sales.
Are your website’s search rankings and SEO non-existent?
80% of the UK searches for what they need online; especially now smart phones have become more advanced. If your website isn’t SEO optimised, you’re losing potential customers to your competitors. The number 1 place on Google gets 36.4% of all traffic for that keyword. That increases sales for that company dramatically. Going back to the previous point, accessing your site easily and efficiently, to find crucial information about your business, is key – having the number 1 spot will help you achieve this.
Is your website content–managed?
A website updated at least twice a week, or as often as possible, with fresh content helps to optimise search engine ranking. The majority of companies out there don’t update their website because they can’t produce the right copy or simply don’t have the time. Most websites are now built with a content management system (CMS) that allows you to easily add and edit content on the website.
Is your website responsive?
As of April 21st, Google are penalising any website that isn’t user friendly on mobiles. Smart phones are now being used much more as they become more advanced. Google analysed that a increasing proportion of its search traffic is coming from mobile devices, and decided they needed to focus on providing a better user experience when browsing via this platform. According to Google, 75% of users prefer a mobile-friendly site. 50% also said that even if they liked the business, they would use them less if they had a website that wasn’t mobile-friendly. Have a look at our blog which explains the difference between responsive and mobile-friendly websites here.
Does your website integrate with Social Media?
It is now crucial to make sure your social media presence is managed. Does your website make it easy for people to follow/like you? Does your homepage have a Twitter or Facebook feed? Social Media is a great way to engage and create relationships with your customers as well as promote your business at the same time. With this, Social Media is essential for both B2B and B2C businesses.
Does your website contain a “Call to Action”?
An effective Call to Action (CTA) results in more leads and conversions for your website. A Call to Action is where enable a website visitor to perform a specific task. This might be to download something, subscribe to your newsletter, purchase an item and/or request more information. Making sure these are easily noticeable is key as your visitor wants to get everything done in the most time efficient way possible. Data capture is also a great way to build your database of new business prospects to whom you can send newsletters, updates and special offers via EDMs (Electronic Direct Mailers).
Does your website represent your business?
Most companies have grown and evolved over the past few years. Seeing as many websites don’t have a Content Management System in place, updating the website to add new services, products and offers will be difficult. Your website should match with what your clients know about you and your brand.
Does your website load very slowly?
If you know that the images and content on your website take a long time to load, then many people would leave your website without viewing it. Both search engines and web users do not have the patience to deal with a slow loading website that hasn’t been optimised. Google now includes a load time in its search results, which also penalises your ranking. It shows that if your website takes longer than 2 seconds to load, visitors will abandon it.
Do you prefer your competitor’s website?
If you prefer your competitors websites more than yours, this is an obvious reason why you should upgrade your website. If you’re thinking that about your OWN business, imagine what users choosing between you and your competitor think. Get ideas from your competitors website and pile all the good parts into one.
Does your website generate any sales for you?
There is no point having a website just for the sake of it. A website these days has to work for you. One, this will give you a good Return on Investment, and two, it makes your life easier! If your website can bring in leads and conversions whilst you’re bringing in your own leads and conversions, your business will grow quicker and increase its sales at a faster rate.
If you can relate to any of these points, then CDP, a Digital Marketing Agency in Sheffield can help. Send an email with your details over to jcoughlan@cdpcreative.com and we’ll call you back and discuss how we can provide you with support, advice and a partner to help grow your business.
