10 Tell-Tale Signs You Need a New Website

Even if you already have a website, is it as good as it could - or should - be? Are you getting plenty of hits and visitors? How is your ROI from those who do check out your site? If you’re not impressed by those stats, you might consider creating a new site from the ground up. 

But, how can you tell it’s time to get a new website? Let’s go over a few tell-tale signs. 

1. High Bounce Rate

Are people clicking onto your site only to be directed somewhere else? If that’s the case, there’s a serious problem with your host. Chances are, they won’t be giving your site another chance when they can look elsewhere just as quickly.

2. It’s Not Mobile-Friendly

Did you know that over 2 billion people only access the Internet on their phones? If your site is only built for desktop use, you’re missing out on a huge audience. Your website needs to be optimized for mobile, or those using their phones to browse won’t be able to view it the way it should be seen.

3. It’s Unappealing

It’s probably hard to criticize your own website. But, you know what looks good and what doesn’t. If you were browsing your site as a potential consumer, what would you think? It could be time to swallow your pride and admit that your website simply doesn’t look good and needs an upgrade.

4. The Speed is Slow

The average person will only spend a few seconds on a website before clicking somewhere else if it doesn’t work. If they click onto your site from a search engine and it takes longer than five seconds for the homepage to load, expect them to go elsewhere. We live in a fast-paced society, and people expect websites to load just as quickly.

5. It’s Hard to Navigate

Who wants to spend unnecessary time trying to work through banners and buttons to find what they’re looking for on a website? If your site isn’t clean, easy to understand, and even easier to navigate, it’s time to declutter or start over.

6. It Doesn’t Rank Well

Google may change their algorithms from time to time, but if your site consistently isn’t ranking well, it’s a sign of a problem. It could simply be outdated, or the content isn’t being utilized properly. Even if you don’t know exactly what the issue is, if it’s ranking low you should be making changes.

7. You’ve Change Your Branding

If your current branding doesn’t reflect what is on your website, it’s definitely time for a change. It is very important to be as consistent as possible with your brand. Since your website will often be a first impression for your business, it should be a major point of focus in explaining what your brand is and what you represent.

8. You Don’t Have the Right Security

Far too many outdated websites are constantly at risk because they don’t have strong enough security. If your website doesn’t have an SSL certificate, you could be risking the information of your visitors. SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. SSL encryption refers to the keys used to encrypt data from your website. One of the keys is public and can be sent out from one device to another. The other is private or secret, only meant for one recipient. SSL encryption is important for any website to keep your visitors safe, but it’s especially important for e-commerce sites.

9. It Isn’t Consistent

Do you find that sometimes your website works, and sometimes it doesn’t? Or, do some pages look different or give off a different vibe? Consistency is incredibly important, especially when you’re trying to build a brand. Whether it’s a problem with your host or your design, if you can’t find that consistency people won’t take you seriously and you’ll lose credibility.

10. It’s Been More Than 3 Years

Can you remember the last time your website was updated? If it’s been more than three years, it’s best to start from scratch and build a new one that reflects where your business is, currently. After that, make sure you’re updating it frequently with fresh content. 

There’s nothing wrong with admitting you need a new website. If it’s time and you’re ready to make positive changes to your site that will boost your digital marketing and SEO capabilities, feel free to contact us for more information today.