First impressions last. When it comes to having a website, nothing is more important than making a good first impression. According to a research done by BIA Kelsey in 2010, 97% of Internet users in the United States go online to shop for products and services. If your site is not interesting enough to your target audience, they’ll buy their goods elsewhere and that huge market potential would be considered opportunity lost.
If you’re in business, you need a website, no matter what size your business is. One of our directors here at Maxweb even says, “Having a website is just as important as having a business card these days.” Websites, just like most things, are subject to trends and technological advancements. Preferred user platform, design trends, coding trends, and search engine algorithm updates are just some of the factors that will dictate how your website should be made.
Let’s say you already have a website, but it doesn’t really perform. Meaning, you don’t generate any business from it. You’re wondering what’s wrong. Maybe it’s time for a revamp. If your website exhibits the following symptoms, it’s time to tweak it.
A website design that’s wanting
Oli, our Chief Website Developer, says “what’s the use of having a website when you’re not happy with the way it looks?” If it looks like your website was created over half a decade ago, you may want to consider a revamp because search engine algorithms may have a hard time reading it due to its own updates. If that’s the case, then your viewers will probably feel the same way, as search engines are designed to mimic what a viewer wants to see and experience when going through a website.
Rebranding and company goal changes
You definitely need to change your website if you are going to rebrand. Major changes in your company logo, content, profiles, services, and products should also be done on your site.
Oli adds that if these changes are not applied to your digital assets, your audience might get confused. Oli reiterates that “it’s all about identity. It has to be consistent and clear.”
Competitors just launched a new website
Anything new will pique the interest of the market. If your competitor launches a new website, you don’t want to be left behind. You might not necessarily have to do a complete change but you should still take stock of what can and should be done to keep your market interested in you and your site. The key is finding a web design company that understands your needs and helps keep your website attractive and up-to-date.
Revamping a website for competitive reasons are “not a risk, it’s necessary to keep up with your audience” adds Oli.
Unresponsive website
Last year, 73.4% of global online population accessed the Internet through their mobile device. This figure is expected to grow to 90.1% in 2017. This is enough reason for you to consider a revamp. As early as now, make your website responsive. This means tailoring your site to be efficiently viewed across different platforms like mobile devices, desktops, and laptops for easier navigation from your viewer’s perspective. Easier navigation means more time for your viewer to get interested in what you have to offer instead of continuously pinching their touch screens.
Out-dated website technology
Keep up with technology to keep up with your audience; otherwise, expecting improvements in your website’s performance will be like wishful thinking.
Your site should always resonate with your brand/company because it is your digital representation. If your website looks old and out-dated, what impression are you sending to your viewers? As we mentioned earlier, first impressions last.
Summary
All in all, a decent website should have strong design and content. Whatever your reasons are for revamping your site, remember these tips:
- Make sure that the technology/design is up to date
- The overall design of the site should reciprocate your brand
- Do it when necessary, not just because your competitor changed their site.
- The site should be viewable in different platforms (Responsive)
Good luck!