Websites take time, money and the right people.
In the past just having a website was good enough regardless of how well it functioned or looked. But those days are long over and today’s users expect a certain quality when visiting websites. Anything less and they are quick to move on.
With that in mind it might be time for a new website. But how do you know if what you currently have is good enough?
There’s only one way to find out and that’s by putting on your critical thinking glasses and reviewing your website.
So open up your website in another browser window and read on to find out if and where your website falls short and requires an upgrade.
1. It just looks bad!
First up, it’s the obvious one: your website just looks bad.
Usually this tends to be because the site looks so outdated that it transports you back in time to the mid 2000s. A reminder, that was 15 years ago. A long time in any business but especially long in an industry that changes so quickly as online does.
If you cringe when viewing your own website, what do you think your users and potential customers do?
Get a designer in and give your website a more modern look. Your customers will thank you for it.
2. Users hate using it
Is this one of your websites users?
Your customers and potential customers are meant to be able to use your website. If they can’t then we have a big problem.
This could be things like forms not submitting or website features not functioning at all. It’s not a great look and does not give any potential customers any confidence in not just your website but your business as a whole.
Another easy-to-spot user experience issue is speed. Do the pages load quickly enough? Or does the user have time make a coffee before being presented with the webpage?
Both are mightily important issues and ones that once a user encounters, it’s very hard to come back from.
3. Does it do what it should do?
Perhaps the most important reason to get a new website is if your website no longer provides you with what it was supposed to in the first place. This is usually some sort of conversion in the form of enquiries or sales.
If neither of those are coming in anymore or perhaps they have reduced to a trickle then you’ve got yourself a problem. Because in reality what’s the point of a website that doesn’t meet its goals?
In which case it might be time to sit down and have a good think about what you want your website to do for you and how to best go about getting it done.
4. Impossible to use on mobile devices
In case you are not aware of it, mobile has overtaken desktop as the preferred website viewing platform. This hasn’t always been the case and may not have been the case when your website was designed and built.
This means that your website probably is not optimised for mobile and therefore not optimised for the majority of your website’s traffic.
If your website is not too old then it is most likely at least responsive enough, and some small mobile design changes might be all it needs to get it up to scratch in the eyes of mobile users.
However if it is older than 8-10 years, you could be looking at a website that is not responsive at all. This means it’s impossible to view on mobile without zooming in and scrolling sideways. This is a horrible user experience that will turn potential customers away in the blink of an eye.
5. Old and unsecure technology
Was your website built using a computer similar to this one?
If your site is old then chances are what it’s built on is old too. This could be plugins that are outdated and therefore pose risks. Or it could be that your website is using old outdated technology that is no longer being maintained or is no longer the industry standard.
The number one priority here is to make sure that your site is safe, i.e. it’s not a security risk. So update its software, plugins etc. Then number two, the opportunity, comes from migrating the site to more modern technology that’s quicker and provides better usability.
Other options to consider
A full-on site rebuild is not always the best option; there are scenarios where it’s overkill. Alternatives to a rebuild that get you most of the way there but at a quicker pace and with a cheaper bill can be lifesavers.
Some examples are adding additional functionality to the site or refreshing the website’s content. Something a bit more in-depth could be giving the website a new updated skin.
Whatever option you choose Mogul would love to help. So have think and get in touch today.
