Most of my clients are shocked to find out that it only takes 5 seconds for a potential client to decide whether their website is worth a look. With 89% of customers searching online before making a purchase decision, your website’s first impression could make or break your business. So, what are the 8 telltale signs that you need a website redesign?
Our client’s website was several years old, and they were lucky to get one to two legitimate leads each month. They knew they were leaving money on the table and were ready to take their business to the next level.
But their website wasn’t congruent with their brand and identity. Not only were new contacts not finding them online, but they were embarrassed to send potential clients to their website because it was no longer a reflection of them. The design was dated, which reflected poorly on them as a business. The business had grown since the website was first developed, so their offerings had changed, and their messaging was no longer relevant.
As with any tool within your business, your website design should be closely linked to the business objectives. A sleek and attractive design is a good start, but if it doesn’t service your company, then you’re wasting your money. The goals for most businesses include:
- Helping people to find your business
- Showcasing your products and services
- Reflecting your brand
- Offering credibility and social proof
- Communicating the next steps to getting in touch or making a purchase
If your website isn’t ticking all of these boxes, then chances are you’re missing out on potential income. Watch out for the following signs – they’re all indicators that it’s time for a website redesign.
1. Minimal Traffic
Imagine that Susan is looking for a new gym and she does a Google search of local gyms in the area. Your business comes up on page 16 of the search. How likely is it that Susan will find you? There is a 36.4% chance she won’t even go past the top-ranked site. If you aren’t getting traffic to your website, you should consider an update to optimise the content and HTML source code for SEO.
2. High Bounce Rate
After people have found your website online, you want them to stay on the site to learn about your business. If people click onto your website and then leave without clicking through to other pages, then you’ll end up with a high bounce rate. You can check your website’s bounce rate via your Google Analytics account. What constitutes a “good” bounce rate varies by industry, but on average you should aim for around 41% – 55%. Any higher than this, and you should be reassessing your site’s content or design framework.
3. Slow Load Time
In today’s world, we’ve become accustomed to instant gratification. Back in the 90s we were used to waiting for websites to load, nowadays if you click on a website and it doesn’t open, you’ll probably click the back button and try another site. If your website takes more than 3 seconds to load, you’ll lose 53% of your traffic. Google also values site speed when it comes to search rankings. So if you want to increase your chances of ranking higher in Google, optimise the speed of your website. Start by checking your results on Google’s own PageSpeed Insights to see what changes need to be made.
4. Poor Mobile Responsiveness
Responsive web design means that the layout and design changes depending on the size and capabilities of the device the viewer is using. Have you ever clicked on a website on your mobile and had to zoom right in and move things around on the screen just to read what it says? Or felt ready to throw your phone across the room because you have filled in a form, but the layout won’t allow you to click on the submit button? Over 50% of people browsing the internet are using their mobile devices, so if your website is not optimised for mobile use, you need to address this.
5. Bad UX Making it Difficult to Navigate
Website user experience (UX) encompasses all the elements that impact how users interact with your website. Load time and mobile responsiveness contribute to UX, but the way users can navigate around your site and find the information they need is also crucial. While a high bounce rate can be related to poor UX, you can often assess this by the quantity of phone and email enquiries from people who weren’t able to find the answer to their question online.
6. Outdated Content
When was the last time you updated your website content? If you’re like the client we mentioned above and don’t have your current products or services listed online, it is high time for a website update. Plus, one of the criteria Google uses for SEO ranking is “fresh” content.
7. Low Conversion Rate
Possibly one of the most important measures of whether your website is working for you is to assess your conversion rate. Depending on the products or services offered, you could be measuring purchases or enquiries. How many enquiries are you getting each week from your website and how many of those are converting into paying customers?
8. Lack of Synergy with your Brand
Your website is often the first interaction that people have with your brand, and therefore it must reflect who you are, what you do, and why you do it. Your brand is far more than your logo and colours; it encompasses your company ethos and your approach to doing business. If your website lacks synergy with your brand, then it is hard for you to attract the right customers – those that are aligned to the values and purpose that drive your company forward.
When we updated our client’s website, their bounce rate decreased by over 40% and page views increased by over 66%. The end result? They were getting more than ten times more enquiries every single week.
If your website doesn’t reflect your brand, showcase the products and services that your business offers, and drive enquiries, then it isn’t doing its job. For more information about redesigning your website, check out our Web Design page.
