Yesterday one of our clients asked us “ when is it time for a new website ” As you can imagine we get this question, and questions like it quite a bit. It’s with this in mind that we write a few observations that should help answer this question. During the five minutes that it takes to read this article there will be a million searches completed on Google and over three hundred hours of video will be made public on YouTube. However, every inquiry and video has the chance to become a business website that would compete with you for online consumers.
The internet is a means for the constant addition of knowledge and access to communication channels that can be used at any location, by any person. The internet is not slowing down, but rather growing in vastness of information daily. Online growth can also be seen as a negative for business owners. Everyday more competitors emerge online creating websites and content that tries to overshadow your online presence. This makes it important to grow with the evolution of the internet to ensure that you are not left in its dust. You must embrace change and adapt to have a chance to flourish and capture your audience.
What does it mean to embrace change on the internet? This involves being aware of your competitors, being a trend setter and transforming your business plan. This could be achieved by Google Analytics to evaluate your users and the behaviors they display online. When contemplating this information it is crucial to determine where your traffic originates and if your content is meeting the needs of your audience. Look for trends emerging from the sales figures of your website. This information is always fluid and changing, but it will allow you to determine if your site is growing with your audience or remaining stationary.
It can be difficult to gage if your site is becoming stationary, but here are five cues that your site is due for a remodel:
The design of your website occurred years earlier
The status quo of websites changes often. In order to better something, you must take it apart; redevelop it and present new model. Within the last decade alone, new versions of HTML have emerged and content management system based websites have surpassed static Flash based websites. This only further confirms that if your website is old your audience will be aware and more likely to venture to a site newly designed by a competitor.
Website traffic is stagnant or decreasing
Few things will drive your audience away faster than not making new content constantly available. Old content is of no use to your audience and will only drive them to your competitors. Just because your content is not news related, that doesn’t mean that you have the license to remain stationary and immobile. Create new content and write timely blogs. This will satisfy your audience and allow your site to be indexed by search engines that crave new content. Over time, this will give you higher rankings on search engines and access to a larger audience.
Sales are plummeting
Decreasing sales can have a direct correlation with out of date content, which results in low traffic. Try developing new methods to target your user base. Refocusing your sites purpose can allow for a better understanding of your product and audience. Creating content that is more refined will generate more sales and optimize your potential.
Your site is not accessible on mobile devices
Each day more and more people are accessing the internet through the use of a mobile device. Therefore, restaurants and retailors need to be mobile-friendly, in order to ensure that they are listed as an option when a consumer does an online search using a mobile device. Not every website requires a completely mobile website, but part of your site should be accessible by using a phone or tablet. This is necessary with the growth that technology has taken over the years.
Your product and marketing goals have diversified
Has your business or product undergone a transformation in recent years? Have your products or goals changed from when you first developed your site? If this is the case, it is essential to look more closely at your online presence inorder to better understand how your site correlates to your actual branding needs.
If more than two of these reccomedations relate describe your website, it is probably time to reevaluate your online presence.
Also allow us to review your sites priorities and shortcomings. We will be able to give you fresh ideas that will lead to a stronger web presence and larger audience. Don’t forget that changing your site to the preferences of the internet is key to your businesses overall success.
Recent Comments