How To Tell When It Is Time To Upgrade Your Website

A stale, outdated website can give your customers the wrong impression about your business. When someone lands on your homepage, it is often the first introduction that they have to your company. Because of that, it should accurately reflect what your brand is all about. Not only should it look fresh and modern but it should also load quickly. You only have a split-second to convince someone to stay on your site. You need to instantly capture the attention of your visitors by having an attractive, fast-loading site that draws them in. Common problems such as overwhelmingly long paragraphs of text, pop-up windows, or autoplay videos can drive people away. If you aren’t sure whether or not it is time to upgrade your website, keep reading for some additional tips.

Is It Time For A Redesign?

Sometimes, it can be hard to tell whether your site is okay as-is or whether it should be updated. Here are some questions that you should ask to decide if an upgrade is in order:

Q: Does your site display correctly on mobile devices?

Have you ever looked at your website on your phone? If not, pull it up to see how it looks. Do you have to scroll to see your content? Does the page look a little bit funky on your tiny screen? How clear is the text? Try navigating through some of the pages to see how easy it is to get around. Ideally, your site should provide a good user experience no matter what device people are using to view it. If it is cumbersome to use on a mobile device, it is definitely time for an upgrade. Over half of all Internet users use mobile devices to get online. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you aren’t going to be able to connect with all of these potential customers.

Q: Does your website look like a relic from the past?

Take an honest look at your website. Does it look outdated? Website design has undergone significant changes over the years. While animated gifs and brightly colored text used to be all the rage, today, these design elements can look quite dated. The navigation and overall layout of your site should also be modern looking. It should be easy for people to get around. All of the most important information on your site should be clearly highlighted so that it is simple to find. If you haven’t upgraded your site in the past few years, it is most likely due for an overhaul. This will help ensure that you are keeping up with all of the latest trends.

Q: How fast does your website load?

Slow loading times can drive customers away. They can also hurt your standing in the search engines. Browse through your site on a standard Internet connection. Pay attention to how long it takes for each page to load. If the loading times are too slow, you need to make changes to your site so that the pages load more quickly. If people visit your site and the pages don’t load practically instantaneously, they will simply leave. This is especially true for people who are using mobile devices. Updating your web design can go a long way toward providing a better user experience.

Q: Is Your Site Search Engine Friendly?

Having a well-optimized website is essential if you want people to be able to find your site in the search engines. It is important to remember that search engines are responsible for driving the vast majority of traffic to businesses. If people can’t easily find your website when they search for the products that you sell, they will click on another site instead. Working with a web design company that also provides New York City SEO services can go a long way toward making your site as easy as possible to find online. This, in turn, can drive a lot more targeted traffic to your website.

Q: Is your website connected to your social media profiles?

Social media is one of the most powerful ways that you can promote your business. You need to make sure that all of your social media profiles are connected to your website and vice versa. People should easily be able to find your profiles on sites like Facebook and Twitter so that they can follow your company online. You should also make it easy for people to share the content of your website through social media simply by clicking on a share button.

Professional Web Design Is The Answer

If you are struggling with any of the items mentioned above, we can help. Our professional design team can help you with all of your web design needs. Whether you want your current site redesigned or a whole new website built from scratch, we can help you project the right image for your company online.

Call or contact NYC SEO Authority today for your free website audit and analysis!