4-min read
In this article, you will learn the warning signs for when to consider developing a new site for your business.
Did you know websites tend to look dated in only 5 years? This is due to new technology developing, more people adapting to living in this digital age and new website design trends emerging. Is your website keeping up with these changes?
It only takes 50-milliseconds to make a good first impression on a website. Not only are first impressions important, but also load speed is crucial in today’s world too. Did you know that just a 100-millisecond delay in page load speed damages conversion rates up to 7%? The last thing you want to happen is to have a potential client turn away from your site simply because it’s too slow.
There are nearly 2 billion websites on the Internet today, plus 63,000 searches per every second! How will your site stand out from the rest? Continue reading below to learn the 11 signs for when to consider implementing a new website for your business.
11 Signs for a New Website:
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You are experiencing technical problems on your current site.
The biggest red flag or consideration for a new site is technical issues. If your current website has multiple plugins, crashes frequently and contains numerous 404 errors, then there is no question that you likely need a new website. Start anew by finding a quality developer to create a fresh design and a cleanly coded backend for your new site.
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Visitors often complain about navigation.
Along with the technical aspects, functionality is also majorly important. You want easy navigation because studies have shown the longer a user spends on your site, the more likely they are to convert into a costumer. A website which doesn’t function well will not give you great returns on traffic, conversions or feedback from your target audience.
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Impossible to navigate on mobile.
Have you ever been to a website on your phone which you find is almost impossible to get anything done? That means that site was not optimized for mobile or in other words, mobile friendly. It’s imperative to have a mobile-friendly website because almost half of website users say that if a business’s website isn’t working properly on mobile, they will assume the business is simply does not care.
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No animation.
When you are considering a new website, you need to be aware of the many design elements which come along with it. One important design element of modern day websites is adding animation. Animation on websites adds that touch of uniqueness and flare which can enhance the personalization of your brand. If your current site has no animation, consider talking to your developer.
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Too busy with colors.
As a Creative Director, I know that colors and the right colors in particular, can really make or break a marketing piece. Too many colors on a website makes it hard for your audience to know what to do and look for. I suggest using only 2-3 main colors for your website which characterizes your brand in the best light.
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Inconsistent content and brand message.
Is the content and other aspects of your website consistent? In other words, are your fonts, colors, logos, images, page formatting and CTAs on your current website flowing together? By having inconsistent content, your target audience will get confused on your company’s brand and story. Keep everything the same across the board to avoid frustration and confusion.
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Problems with adding content.
Speaking of content issues, every modern-day website should be extremely user-friendly to you, the owner of the website. If you get frustrated by adding a blog, an image or even updating a bio on your current site then that’s a major indicator that your website wasn’t properly developed. It may be time for a fresh start with a new website where you can update your content with ease.
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You are rebranding your business.
Often in the marketing world, a new brand means a new site. By not updating your site to respect your brand you can easily confuse your audience on your message and goals as a business. I advise you to have a new custom website developed which accomplishes brand-specific goals and increases user engagement.
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Are you engaging with your audience?
Engagement is much more than having a consistent brand and story. It’s also adding resourceful widgets to your website for your visitors to interact with your content. Today people expect websites to have interactive content such as videos, submission forms and internal linking.
Here are more engagement ideas to add to your new site checklist:
- Use professional photography
- Adding a Google Maps widget to your contact page
- Keeping up with a blog that allows for comments and asking questions at the end of posts
- Navigation bar at the header and footer
- CTA buttons (call to action)
- Confirmation emails and screen landing pages
- Impactful & informative videos
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Do you have a great website design?
Not only does your website have to have compelling content, but it also has to have an elegant design and interface. New research from Adobe suggests that 38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content/layout is unattractive. Another fact to take into consideration is that Stanford suggests judgements on a company’s credibility are 75% based on the company’s website design. You must have a compelling design for people to convert online. One that is unique to your brand and not just a template design.
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HTTPS & website security.
Are you familiar with the term HTTPS? HTTPS stands for hypertext transfer protocol secure. Its main purpose is to protect your website’s security information. Have you ever been given a warning to continue going to a particular website? If yes, then you have experienced a lack of HTTPS yourself. Your new website should have no red flags nor warning signs before anyone visits. Or you may rick losing potential new business.
If HTTPS is not implemented, you automatically have the potential to lose a sale because a visitor received a warning before visiting. It would be even more unfortunate if your website design is so dated that it impacts your sales goals for the year and causes you to lose significant traction.
If you can relate to any of these signs, then don’t hesitate any further and start making plans for a new website design. At Zelen Communications, we are expert web developers in the design and programming of truly custom WordPress sites. Contact us today so our team can help you to develop a winning strategy for your new site.
When was the last time you updated your site?