A website is probably the most important asset of any business. It is your ‘digital front door’ and just as if you enter a shop, office or business premises, first impressions are crucial when you land on a website. It is said that people make a judgement on a website with 50 milliseconds on whether they will stay or leave the site. Nearly 40% of users would consider not using a business if their website looks dated, is difficult to use or isn’t mobile friendly.
A new site can be a daunting and costly prospect, but its importance to the success of a business means that the investment of both time and budget is more than worth it for long term success.
So, when can you tell it’s time for a new website? At Blue Bee our award-winning web design team know what they are looking for when it comes to poor performing website. We have highlighted the five main signs that it’s time for a change.
Outdated design
Around half of people say that a websites design is the main consideration in them making a judgement on a business’s creditability.
It is generally recommended to update your website every 5 or so years, and the fact that trends and technology evolve so quickly means that it doesn’t take long for websites to look and feel outdated.
It also doesn’t reflect well on you as a business, as it looks like the website has been neglected and that you are not keeping up with the industry trends.
You’d be surprised how much difference a slick, modern website can make. It doesn’t just look nice but can have a real effect on the user experience of the website and driving engagement.
Decline in stats
Is your website not delivering in regard to enquiries coming in, purchases being made or getting the phone ringing? This might not be down to you as a business, the quality of your product/service, and you may even be getting plenty of visitors to the website but it could actually be down to the website itself.
If users can’t clearly and quickly find what they are been looking for they are more than likely to give up and leave the website all together. More on this in the next point.
Many contemporary tracking and analytics tool tools required for assessing your website’s performance are specifically designed for modern sites. Upgrading to a modern website will significantly reduce the uncertainty in your online strategy.
Poor user experiences
There are number of things that a user on your website has to find and work out when they land your page; how to navigate the menu, where to click, what fields to fill in, all whilst taking in the information on the page and working out whether they are in the right place or not. So, ensuring that you can keep people on the site once they arrive is crucial.
These issues can be quite hard to identify internally as you know your website better than anybody and know where everything is. It’s worth getting someone from outside the business or a digital expert to carry a full audit, analysing everything from the layout to the content, so they can recommend changes to the site to improve the user journey.
Outshone by competitors
This can be seen as a “keeping up with the Jones’ but is important none the less. If any of your main competitors have updated their web design more recently you should seriously consider doing the same.
People will often visit the websites of a number of companies when looking for a product or service, so it’s important that your website doesn’t stand out for the wrong reasons. As we mentioned earlier, users will be more likely to choose a competitor based on how they website looks, whether your reputation is better or not.
It’s also a chance for you to get ahead. New technology and developments in web design are constantly being introduced, so if you can be the first amongst your competitors to introduce something will gain advantage and head start over your rivals.
Mobile Responsiveness
Over 50% of web traffic now takes place on a mobile device, so making sure that your websites design is compatible and responsive for mobile is crucial.
Mobile responsiveness refers to how a website adapts to the screen size on which it’s viewed. A responsive website automatically adjusts to look appealing on any device, whether it’s a desktop, tablet, or phone.
Common problems include;
Poor navigation – your menu may need to be redesigned or reformatted for mobile.
Underperforming – pages with too much content, full-sized images and videos that autoplay can make loading time slow on mobile.
Unoptimised content – Tables and PDFs are difficult to read on mobile devices, and decorative elements can create excessive. Additionally, interactive features such as maps or forms need to be tested for mobile compatibility.
How Blue Bee can help
At Blue Bee we design, develop, and deliver award-winning websites that assist our clients in growing their online presence and establishing a strong digital footprint. With decades of combined experience, our team has created effective and affordable websites that yield impressive results across the UK. Our diverse projects include wine coolers, hotels, rugby clubs, estate agents, and much more!
Get in touch with our team of web design experts to start your new website today.
