5 signs your website isn't working for you
So, there are probably more than 5 indicators that your website is no longer working for you but for time’s sake, I thought I’d keep it short and sweet.
There’s a lot of pressure riding on your website’s shoulders. It needs to be everything! It’s one of, if not the most important asset for your business. For some, it’s their alternative solution to owning a brick and mortar store, or, it’s your number one sales executive who works around the clock 24/7. It’s a business fundamental, it’s your first impression and your potential customers first port of call.
As well as the above, your website needs to be well-designed, easy to navigate, engaging, fast, optimised, up-to-date, and more! I could honestly go on and on. 75% of people judge the credibility of a company based solely on the design of its website. That’s quite a lot, right? No matter what, your visitors research buying decisions online before determining whether they should do business with you or whether they should buy your product. It could be the deciding factor as to whether your visitor goes with you or your competitor.
Somewhere along your business voyage, your website may have got left behind and left feeling a bit neglected from time to time. It may be no fault of your own, and updating your website might not be a day-to-day priority for you but if you plan on nailing that first impression and tipping the odds of a sale in your favour, then a redesign could be a game changer for you.
Below are some key signs that may mean that your website is no longer working for you, and could do with a redesign:
It isn’t optimized for mobile & tablet devices
You see it everywhere - people glued to their phone screens. Almost everything you can do on a computer you can now do on your mobile and that includes web browsing. Over 20% of Google searches are carried out on a mobile device, and when it comes to local searches more than 50% are carried out on mobile devices.
Your website needs to be responsive and be compatible on both mobile and tablet devices to better your chances of converting a visitor into a customer. If your visitors can’t easily navigate, read or find content on your website they will move on.
A way in which you can check to see if your website is fit to be used on a phone is by using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to have a look.
DOWNLOAD OUR FREE WEBSITE SCORECARD TODAY
Struggling to get enquiries via your website? Score your website against the industry's 12 key conversion criteria to see how efficient your website is at turning visitors into leads.
It looks a bit dated
Is your website not only outdated but inconsistent, disjointed, or simply a cluttered mess?
Not just your potential customers, but nearly everyone determines whether they want to conduct business with you based on your websites visual aesthetics. I know our mothers told us to never judge a book by its cover, but we do. A robust redesign that has a clean, modern & professional layout will instantly make you more trustworthy and give you and your business more credibility.
Another way in which to truly determine if you need a redesign is to pull up your competitor’s website alongside yours and make an honest comparison. Who would you honestly rather do business with?
It’s slow & takes more than 2 seconds to load
You wouldn’t think this is such a big deal, but in this instant society we need to have everything quicker and faster – your website content included. Business owners spend a lot of time and money getting their site looking visually perfect, which is important but tend to forget how crucial web page loading time is.
47% of consumers expect a web page to load in 2 seconds or less, and 40% of people will abandon a website that takes more than 3 seconds to load! Expectations are now higher than ever, and if your website doesn’t load by the time you’ve counted 1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, or at the very least 3 Mississippi’s, then you run the risk of missing out on leads and sales.
Making your website quicker can also increase conversions as it gives visitors a better user experience. Every second counts!
Navigating is difficult
A visitor on your website should be able to find exactly what they’re looking for in 1 click or less, especially vital information like how to contact you. At an absolute push, 2 clicks or less for non-crucial information, like a blog.
Try this exercise to see how easy or difficult it is to navigate your website. Can you find the following information on your website in one click or less?
About – more information about your business and the people behind the brand
Contact information – something like a phone number, email, address or opening hours if applicable
Price – even if it’s a rough ball-park figure for your products or services.
Call-to-action (CTA) – What do you want your website visitor to be their next step? Book a consultation with you? Buy a product?
Go to our Visuable Impact Facebook group and share your website link and we’ll give you our honest opinion on your website.
If a visitor can’t find one or more of the above on your website in one click or less, then it can lead to doubt and frustration on the visitor’s side. They shouldn’t have to spend ages sifting through your site to find what they need – try and make life as easy for them as possible.
Your business has outgrown it
When you’re starting off your business it’s okay to have a DIY website, especially when you’re getting things off the ground and trying to get yourself out there. Now you’re an established business within your sector or your local area and you have a reputation to uphold. Your website and imagery needs to look the part and reflect the standard of your business.
Take one of my clients Jen Wagstaff for example. When Jen started her sales training company 2 years ago, she like so many others built her own website. Her DIY website allowed her to get her company out there but once she reached a certain level of success, she felt her website and images weren’t representing her company at the standard it had grown to – since Jen was now a Sales Coach to top Sales Executives and Directors of large companies, the website really needed to start looking the part. You can read the rest of Jen’s website redesign journey on my blog.
Imagine if someone you really admired (like, Richard Branson for argument's sake) or a company that you really looked up to, asked you for your website details… would you hesitate for a second or be slightly embarrassed? If you’re slightly embarrassed to hand out your website details, then something needs to change.
Sometimes if you aren’t a technical guru, doing a DIY redesign on your own can be time-consuming, stressful and difficult. There’s no shame in raising your hand and asking for a bit of help. Take a look here at how I’ve helped my clients create or redesign their website and the impact it’s had on their confidence and their business results.
Your website is your first port of call and your first impression – don’t let your website let you down, let it build you up.
If you’re having issues with one or more of the above then get in touch for some advice and to find out how I can help you and your business.
Get in touch!
If you would like some professional help from a team of digital branding experts, you can talk to us directly and we will be happy answering any of your questions or simply having a chat.
