6 Signs that you need a new website
The average smart phone user upgrades their mobile phone every one to two years. It’s amazing how fast technology advances and how many people ‘must have’ the latest upgrade to a larger screen, bigger storage, lighter, faster processing micro-chips etc. Technology has advanced not just in terms of devices and other hardware, but also in terms of software. Despite this similar pace in the development of technology, business owners are not updating their websites as often as they should.
How do I know if its time for a new website?
If your website is slow to load, sluggish, not getting as much traffic or converting as many customers as you had hoped, then there is likely to be underlying issues affecting your websites performance. Whilst your website may look aesthetically pleasing the performance and functionality of your website are as important as ‘aesthetics’.
Here are a few of the common underlying issues that can affect your websites performance.
1. Slow Page Load Speeds
One of the biggest issues found with older websites is the speed at which the websites pages load. When a visitor goes on your website and immediately goes off it again this is called a ‘page bounce’. This means that the website visitor didn’t properly visit your website and in analytical terms is regarded negatively.
2. Slow image loading
A large volume of unoptimized images is usually the most common reason behind website slowness. High-resolution images can consume lots of bandwidth while loading slowing the website down. Google prioritises faster load speeds when determining a website’s search ranking (affecting your SEO). If you’re concerned about your web page speed you can check yours out for free HERE.
3. Content
If your website content isn’t what the user expected or was looking for, they will more than likely bounce off your website. So its important to make sure your website content is up to date, valid and gives your visitors what they are looking for.
4. Updates
Content management systems like WordPress for example require regular updates. These updates are important because they help prevent vulnerabilities such as hacking and malware. In addition to this like Apps on your phone these updates fix any bugs.
5. Your Site Is Not Mobile Friendly
Today, mobile devices make up more than half of web visits across the world. If your site isn’t compatible with mobiles then you’re missing out on all those potential customers.
6. Your website is not secure
Apart from its appearance, there are many behind-the-scenes reasons to update your site. For example, does your website have a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate? If it doesn’t have a little padlock icon in front of it when displayed in a web browser, it’s not considered secure (An SSL certificate is a major factor in how well your website is ranked in search).
If you’re unsure on whether or not any of these reasons are affecting your business don’t hesitate to get in touch.