If you have been in business for a while, chances are that your website is a little outdated. It does the job just fine, but there are a few little things that you know need to be changed.
But all those little changes are just cosmetic, right? A new title picture here or an updated menu loaded there. Little changes that will change the customer facing side is all your old website needs, right?
Wrong.
Websites have changed a lot in the last 5 years and the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the growth and relevance of a business’s online presence by 5 years. Think about that, where we are now in 2021 is where people thought we’d maybe be in 2025 ot 2026. There are a ton of new tools and features that make them easier for your customers to use and they have integrations that can make your business run smoother and more efficiently.
There are also a lot of new things that you can add to your website backend that will help it appear higher in search engine results and get more people to your site. Additionally, there are some new rules and regulations concerning images and mobile optimization that will also help your Google search results.
If you haven’t updated your website in a while, chances are good that it could probably use a complete redesign.
A new website might sound like a daunting undertaking, but there are a lot of good reasons to go with an entirely new website instead of trying to make the old website work. The primary reason being, creating an entirely new website gives you a fresh start and is a good chance to work on a new marketing strategy.
It is also very likely that the platform your old website was built using or is hosted on doesn’t have the new technology and tools to make your site successful now. Building a new site gives you the chance to find the platform and hosting service that will work the best for your type of business.
It’s highly likely that you might not know when your website needs an update. If your customers have been using the site for a while, they might not have any issue dealing with the limitations of the site. The best way to see if you need to consider an update is by looking at your competitors’ sites or the sites of companies you admire.
If their sites are more user-friendly, have more features, and a cohesive look and design, it’s a sign that it is time to update your site. Make sure that you take notes on the features of those sites that you like. Screenshot pages that you think are designed well and take note of the functionality of the site. How do you get from the front page to the page that explains their services? Can you book a reservation or service online? Is there an easy contact form?
Having a list of “must haves” makes it easier to know where to start with a new website. It also makes it easier to choose a platform to host the site on. Additionally, if you know what you want, you’ll have a better chance of knowing if you need a professional to design the site for you.
Are you considering a new website or do you think there is a chance that it might be time for some site updates? The experts at SimplyBuilt can audit your current website and help create a plan to move forward and create a new one. Looking for expert help? Contact us today!
