So you’re wondering “do I need a new website”. Maybe your website is a little outdated, maybe you’re just starting out. Maybe you’re not sure if there is anything wrong with your website.
With the increase of usage in the digital world, a new website and a better online presence might be on the agenda for you and your business. Digitally speaking, your website is the home of your business and is often your customers’ first point of interaction with your business.
Let’s dive into the reasons you might need a new website…
1. What Led You to the Question “Do I Need a New Website?”
Before we get into the main bulk of the article. I’ll always ask this question and will probably bring it up in almost every article I write, but that is:
What are your goals for the business?
The why questions…
Generally, it’s in the business owner’s best interest to control the business in the direction they wish to. So if you’re a business owner you need to make the connection between where you want your business to be, what holes need fixing to improve the business, and finally – can a website help you achieve that.
2. You Want More Customers
This is generally the most popular need for businesses wanting to update their website.
You might have some marketing campaigns you want to implement and a new website will certainly get you closer to the success you want. For instance, if you are trying to drive more traffic to your website (getting more visitors to come to your website) such as SEO, PPC or paid advertising – a new well designed, high performing website can increase your chances of converting those visitors into customers.
Just keep in mind – a new website isn’t a magic bullet. Don’t get a magic bullet and a website confused. A new website can most certainly give you more business, but it’s not something that always happens with a click of finger. It certainly might be worth the investment and pay off, but remember, online marketing can be a long term play. To get the most out of your website, you need to actively promote your business and sometimes that takes time.
3. You’re Embarrassed by the Quality of Your Current Website
Usually this happens when your branding isn’t aligned with your business or your website isn’t aligned with your branding. You might encounter this problem when your website clearly doesn’t represent the great work you do.
As a business owner, you want the confidence that your online presence can attract your prospective clients rather than scaring them away from doing business with you. Not only will you build the confidence, but you may also end up converting more of your prospects into customers!
4. Your Current Website Doesn’t Align With Your Current Process
The way we run business isn’t always the same as it used to be, so things on your current website may be incorrect or outdated. This can be an inconvenience to you and your potential customers.
It’s not good to give the wrong message. This could go both ways. If you’ve made several great improvements and it’s not on your current website you could be underselling yourself! On the contrary, if you’ve got a promotion that hasn’t existed for five years still on your website, it also gives the impression you’re out of touch and may not even still be in business.
It’s important your website has the right information about your business and ensuring your designs don’t make you look like a business of the past.
5. Problems With User Experience
These are the things that make it more difficult for your website to use. Your business website needs to function in a way that doesn’t deter your customers from choosing you, and I think there are a few things that might surprise you. Your website’s job is to give your customers what they want whether they want a specific question answered, or whether they just want to learn more about your business. Why they are visiting your website does depend from person to person, but your website’s job is to minimise their distractions and help them get to where they need to be.
Your Website is Slow
It’s very easy to singularly judge the designs or looks of a website because we can see it with our own eyes. The thing is – the ‘backend’ of a website (the tools used to build the website and the structure of the website) also plays a great deal in knowing whether it’s time for a new website. Having a slow website is one of those things. People have a very short attention span, so if a page on your website is loading very slow, there’s a good chance they’ll back out and find somewhere else they can get what they want. The speed of your website is determined by the tools and methods of building the website.
Your Website Doesn’t Give The Next Steps
Assuming you want more leads from your website, your website needs to make it clear what the next steps are. Earlier in this article I mentioned making sure your website aligned with your current process. So what is the next step after they come to your website? Schedule a call? Request a free quote? These are what we call – ‘Call-To-Actions’ (CTAs). CTAs grab your website visitors’ attention and inform them what they need to do. If you want to increase your leads, use your new website to guide your sales process.
If your current website is lacking in this area, it might be time to introduce clear Call-To-Actions to your new website.
Need for a New Feature or Functionality
Your website might be limited in terms of functionality. Sometimes you might need custom functionality to help your customers get what they are looking for that your current website doesn’t have.
Overcomplicated/Distracting Designs
While the designs and ‘good looks’ of your website is important, over-complicated designs can be quite off putting. An example is the use of animations on your website. Sometimes they are okay, but when text and photos are bouncing all in your website visitors’ faces, it can be quite distracting. The main point is – don’t confuse fancy with effective. To learn more about why a good website is more than ‘good looks’, click here.
‘Over designing’ a website is actually a thing too. This is when your business is trying to look bigger than it actually is, so you design a website that makes you look like a billion-dollar business. All of your design choices should match up with your target audience. If you’re not sure where to start with the type of designs to use, do some research on the types of customers you want to attract, investigate their interests, demographics and behaviours, and design accordingly. Most of the time websites are ‘under designed’, but over designing can happen too.
Check out more examples of common website usability issues here.
Final Words
I hope you enjoyed the article and understand the reasons you might need a new website. If you’re looking at hiring a professional to build your new website, I’m here to help. I am a local Blue Mountains web designer and available Australia wide! Contact us today!