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Is that really a thing? The Smell of 1970s panelling? Well it got your attention right? Don’t tell me you haven’t visited a site before and had this same thought. Do you know some of the signs of an outdated website?
Website design and functionality has changed so much over the last 10 years. Not only do you have to worry about how it looks, but now you have to consider how people are using/accessing your site. So how do you know when it is time for a website to get a facelift or a refresh?
Let’s take a look at 5 key signs:
Mobile Responsiveness
If your website isn’t designed to be mobile responsive, you are way behind the game. Just in the US over 25% of internet users are doing their scrolling from a mobile device. That’s a pretty big number. If you cater to a local audience, over half of that audience is searching for you on mobile.
So what does it mean for your site to be mobile responsive? The content on your website will automatically change to fit the size of the screen you’re reading on. Ultimately you want your content to auto fit a large computer screen, a smaller monitor (like a laptop), a tablet, and a mobile phone. If your site is not doing this, it is nearly impossible for anyone using a mobile device to access your content.
Dead Links
If you’ve been around a while, chances are you have some older content. Do you have a lot of dead or broken links on your older blog posts or page content? If your visitors are clicking links and landing on 404 pages or getting page not found, they are going to be frustrated and leave your site.
Your readers aren’t staying/buying
There could be a couple of factors at play here. If your readers aren’t sticking around there is a chance that your content is no longer relevant. Another possibility is that the information is too difficult to find.
Maybe you have some really annoying stuff happening on your website? If you have so many distractions that a reader can’t focus on what they are here for, they are going to bounce. Let’s get rid of some of that flashy, scrolling, sidebar, banner, in your face pop up stuff you’ve got going on.
If you are offering a product or service and you aren’t making any sales, are your offers clear? Are you providing enough information about your product to make them want to purchase? If you are a service provider are you making it easy for me to work with you?
Make sure that your call to action is clear. I want to see a “Buy Now” or “Book a Call” type of clarity in your offers. Use the navigation on your website to direct your readers to your “products” and “services.”
Social Presence
Do you have social links in your header or footer so that your visitors can find and follow you? What about your blog posts? Can your readers share your posts to their favorite platforms? You know how big social media is – everyone is using it.
Some of your readers will have multiple social accounts and others will have just a few favorites. Your readers expect to see your business on these same social channels. Having those social media integrations is also a great way to drive traffic to your website.
It’s Outdated and Sluggish
If you can get traffic to your site, let’s give them a reason to stick around.
Don’t make me look at flashing neon colors or wait 20 seconds for your page to load. Sound harsh? Did you know that most people won’t stick around more than 3 seconds waiting on your page to load (like 53%).
Some of the things that can slow down your website include cheap hosting, too many plug-ins, large images, and outdated themes. Your website doesn’t have to cost $50,000 or be insanely complex to convert to dollars in your pocket. It does need to have a fresh clean look without a ton of clutter. It needs to be easy to navigate so your reader can find exactly what they came there to see.
How much does a redesign cost?
The cost and time needed can vary greatly depending on what you consider a redesign. If your “redesign” includes just refreshing your content, specifically some updated page content, new headshots, brand colors, and a logo. As long as you are sticking with the same theme and basic layout, this project could be completed in a day.
If you want to change your theme, the look and feel of your site, and all of the above mentioned elements, this could be more like a rebuild than a refresh. By the time the project is complete, it is likely that the only thing that is staying the same is your domain name!
So how did you do? Is the look and feel of your website current? Maybe it’s time for a facelift?
Is it time for a redesign or a whole new website? I have two options to help you get there (if you need it).
Option One
If you want help with this you can connect with me here and we can talk about what you have, what you want, and what you need!
Option Two
Maybe you are the DIY type but need a little more knowledge to do ‘all the things’ to your WordPress site? You should check out Julia Taylor’s WP Rockstar course – this course will teach you some WP basics, coding tricks, etc. If you are looking for a little more, her Zero to WP Hero course teaches you how to build from the ground up. This course also includes the Genesis Framework and a Child Theme ($129 value) free with course purchase! You can find her courses here!
This is seriously one of the best courses I have ever taken. It is so full of content and extras it should be 3 times this amount (and probably will be soon). Julia knows her stuff!
