Companies no longer have the freedom to do business with a merely ‘functioning’ website.
As often the first or second impression that your company makes on a prospective customer, it’s critical to make a positive impression and express in an instant that you are legitimate, reliable, and modern.
If any of these telltale signs apply to your business’ website, it’s time to redesign your website.
Reasons to Redesign Your Website
It Looks Terrible On Mobile
According to an early 2017 study by the media analytics company ComScore, mobile browsing accounts for 71 percent of all time spent online in the United States. With this kind of market, your website should be designed with equal focus on desktop and mobile appearance, and ideally with mobile as the priority.
Far too many companies create websites that are focused on interactions through a computer, leaving the mobile experience to stay stuck at “good enough.” The worst thing that a website can be on a mobile browser is “adequate.”
It’s Not Secure
If you’re not well-versed in search engine skills, it’s easy to overlook the importance of your website’s URL. However the difference between an “http” and an “https” website could be damaging to your brand, your business, and even your customers.
HTTPS confirms that all activity done on and through the website is encrypted, securing vital data like login information and credit card numbers. This also means that the website and activity cannot be visible to someone who is trying to sniff through network traffic. Without a secure domain, your users’ information is at a greater risk of being accessed by outside parties.
More info: Why Secure Your Website With HTTPS
Lack of Aesthetic Unity
The most common issue that arises from having a lackluster website is a drop in trust and legitimacy in the eyes of the customer. The website is where the customer typically interacts with your business first, and if the website is riddled with typos, blurry .jpeg images, and faulty hyperlinks, the customer isn’t going to believe the rest of the business is run competently.
Are all your fonts consistent across pages? Is the color scheme, content layout, and imagery appropriate for the product you’re selling? If you aren’t sure, then neither is the customer, and that will certainly result in your website sending the wrong impression.
You Haven’t Updated It In The Past 6 Months
Not all businesses need to have state-of-the-art websites, but they do need to be responsive, easy to navigate, and pleasing to look at. Trends in the digital design industry are constantly evolving, and if you haven’t touched your website in nearly a year, chances are your layout, user interface or content could be updated to current standards.
You might not need a total re-do, but even seemingly minor improvements — a better functioning toolbar, or crisper tab navigation — can lead to a better customer experience. Plus, going over your finer points can lead to realizing anything from pricing errors to outdated discounts still up on the website.
Updating frequently allows for another opportunity to engage with your customer. They’re your best source for finding out what to fix, and how fast it needs fixing. And if the customer knows that news, deals and promotions are constantly being put up on the website, then they’re more likely to return.