All too often we find that our clients think of websites as a static piece of “advertising” and not a place to interact and communicate with past, current, and prospective customers. Especially in a world where physical offices are becoming less central to how business is done, your website should be treated more like a “branch” of your company. It’s important that it keep pace with changes of your business and also provide a functional part of your operations.
So, is your site working well for you in this light or do you need a refresh? It might be hard to tell, but we’ve put together a list to help you get a sense of some ways your site might be ready for some adjustments.
1. You Haven’t Added Any New Content in 6 Months
One could say there are two reasons for not having added any new content. The first is that neither you nor anyone on your staff knows how to add or edit website content without possibly disrupting the design of the site. In order for your site to be useful to you, it needs to be designed and run on a platform that you can update without code. We like WordPress for this exact reason.
The other possibility is that you don’t think you have anything to change. If you are thinking this, ask yourself if your business hasn’t changed at all in the last 6 months. From menu changes to changes in your industry, very few businesses are so static that there isn’t something new to share with your clients or partners.
2. You’ve Never Seen it on a Phone
Most people are very aware that viewing websites on phones is a very different experience than on a laptop or desktop. What is often overlooked is what does your website look like on a phone. If you don’t know, you will more than likely be surprised. Take a look. You may want to make some changes.
3. You Have Multiple Sub-Domains for Different Parts of Your Site
We get it. It’s sometimes a lot easier to “bolt on” a new functionality for your site using a platform separate from your main website. We do it too, but if you’ve added 3 or 4 of these items, you may be missing out on key integrations of data and user experience. It’s worth considering how you can consolidate and get your platforms talking to each other better.
4. Your URL includes “facebook.com”
Calling your Facebook company page (or other social media platform profile page, for that matter) your website is not as cost effective as you might think. Sure, you can set it up for free and don’t have to pay for hosting. There is still an opportunity cost to consider. You’ve given up the opportunity to truly meet your customers where they need to find you. Locking yourself into a platform means you have automatically excluded anyone who is not on that platform from hearing about you. Social media is good for catching attention, but only a website is a universal place to bring visitors regardless of channel. If you’re taking this shortcut, you’re costing yourself potential customers.
5. Your Site Takes Longer than 3 Seconds to Load
Speed matters to visitors. The studies back this up. If your page doesn’t load in 3 seconds, 40% of the visitors will leave without going anywhere else on your site. For e-commerce sites, it becomes even more important. Significant increases in both conversion rates and order size have been recorded with even the smallest improvements in page speed.
If you’re not meeting visitors’ expectations on page speed, you’re wasting money and effort on your website. It’s time to fix it.
Ready to get Started?
Let’s just have a chat! We’ll do a free review of your site and let you know how you can freshen the content, functionality, and responsiveness of your website. Let’s make it reflect you and your organization in the best way possible.
6. You Aren’t Getting Any Inquiries Through It
Even if you live by word of mouth for new business, when was the last time you didn’t check out a prospective vendor or partner online before reaching out to them? We all need to refresh our memories the morning after a networking event or even validate what our friend just told us about “this company that can really help with that problem.” Your website is the place people go to do the deep dive before reaching out. If your site doesn’t 1) reflect how you help people and 2) make it easy for them to contact you, those referrals will fall flat.
7. More than 70% of People Leave the Site Without Visiting a Second Page
Getting visitors to your website is very important part of a digital sales and marketing. Unfortunately, if people get there and leave without clicking and exploring other pages, filling out a contact form or making a purchase, it’s failed the real purpose. If more than 70% of people coming to your site leave without going any deeper, you’re not connecting. That’s a good sign that your messaging isn’t connecting with their needs. Reviewing your content and in many cases, navigation as well can help make connecting easier.
8. You Haven’t Visited the Site Yourself in the Last 6 Weeks
One of the best attributes of a website is that while the content featured on it may change, the resources and information many of the people you meet in running your business need are often long-lived. In much the same way you can leave a pamphlet or flyer, your website can be a digital version of the same. Also, websites shouldn’t be isolated from the rest of your business. It’s a part of your business. If it isn’t connected to your operations in a way that helps you run business operations, you’re missing a major opportunity.
9. Your Marketing Strategy Has Shifted
With shifts in strategy come changes in messaging and focus. You have new target channels, personas, and pain-points to address. Websites are a public facing hub for communications for all of your channels to all your prospects. If the messaging doesn’t match the new tactics that go with your new approaches, it muddies your interactions. Depending on the depth of the shift, the change could be as easy as a landing page targeted for the new campaign, or it could mean you need to alter even the entire sitemap to make sure the right aspects of your business are emphasized. Either way, no change in marketing strategy should be done in a vacuum.
Considering whether you need an update and want feedback? Have strategies for keeping your site fresh over time? Let us know in the comments!