The short answer: If your website is five to ten years old and visitors leave before they contact you, it’s time to upgrade. Look at four things: how professional it looks, whether the content is quick to read, whether every page makes it easy to get in touch, and how smoothly it works on any device.
Let’s Bob Ross it and paint a picture.
You are having another successful year in business, but your marketing could say otherwise. Your website is roughly five to ten years old, and customers can’t find what they are looking for, causing them to exit before ever completing a task. Upgrading your website has crossed your mind sometimes, but you’re unsure if it’s worthwhile.
If this sounds like you, the answer is unequivocally YES; you need to invest in a website upgrade this year.
In today’s world, it’s not enough to just have a website. It needs to be interesting, effectively communicate your message, and easily convert. An outdated or hard-to-navigate website can turn potential customers away before they even know who you are. What a bummer that would be. Think of your website as the first impression of your culture and philosophy as a business. Do you like what you see?
How Do You Know It's Time to Upgrade Your Website?
1. Does Your Website Look Professional?
Does your website look professional and present information in a thoughtful way? Your prospective customers will jump ship if they don’t like what they see.
You can increase visual appeal by:
- Adding movement.
- Playing with color.
- Trying different fonts.
- Using professional imagery.
2. Is Your Content Quick to Read?
Websites haven’t always prioritized content, but the narrative is shifting. While design shouldn’t be forgotten, content is King. On today’s website, you only have 2 to 4 seconds to capture a reader, which means content needs to be highly digestible and straight to the point.
You can increase the quality of your content by:
- Keeping things short and sweet.
- Personalizing your tone.
- Keeping your goals front and center.
- Hiring a professional copywriter to keep things fresh.
3. Do Visitors Know How to Contact You?
We can’t stress this enough, you need effective Call-To-Actions. Many dated websites lack effective call-to-actions that convert. If it’s unclear on every page, potential customers won’t contact you for your services.
You can get more leads by:
- Putting form fills on high-traffic pages.
- Using contact buttons throughout your website.
- Creating landing pages.
- Developing a freebie, like an e-book.
4. Is Your Website Easy to Use on Any Device?
UX is all the rage these days, and for a good reason. User Experience describes how people feel when navigating a website. Users should be able to complete tasks on your site with little to no friction. From start to finish, their process should be seamless. UX addresses things like speed, navigation, and so much more.
You can create a positive user experience by:
- Understanding who your users are.
- Ensuring mobile responsiveness.
- Addressing your website design.
- Asking for user feedback.
As you can see, a lot goes into a website, which can be overwhelming. That’s where we come in. At Moxie Creative, we take a collaborative approach with clients and will work with you to get the job done. With hundreds of websites under our belt, our experienced team is sure to create a new website you’ll not only love but see results from.
And remember, upgrading your website will never be a mistake, just a happy accident.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is too old for a business website?
If your site is roughly five to ten years old and customers can’t find what they need, it’s likely costing you business. An outdated or hard-to-navigate site can turn people away before they ever contact you.
How long do you have to capture a website visitor?
About 2 to 4 seconds. That’s why content needs to be short, easy to scan, and straight to the point.
How can a website generate more leads?
Make the next step clear on every page. Add forms to high-traffic pages, use contact buttons throughout the site, build landing pages, and offer something useful for free, like an e-book.
What is website user experience (UX)?
User experience is how people feel when they use your website. A good experience lets visitors finish what they came to do with little friction, which depends on speed, navigation, mobile responsiveness, and design.
