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Do you Need a Site Refresh?

Are you wondering why your website is not getting as many visitors or sales you were hoping to get? Have you noticed your decrease in inquiries or phone calls? Design plays a massive part in your visitor’s experience! If you have an outdated and unattractive website, most visitors will leave. 75% of people form their opinion of a website based on aesthetics (Source: Digital Apeel). So, that’s how important a good website design can be! Here are some signs that you may need an updated website.

Outdated Website Design

An outdated and unattractive website can make your business look unprofessional to modern visitors. I recommend getting an updated design around every five years, to keep up with the contemporary look of new sites. There are always advancements in technology throughout the years. Over this past decade, a responsive design and SSL security onto your website have become essential. Trends are ever-changing! If your site looks like it’s from the early 2000s compared to your competitors’ new stylish website, they will most likely decide to spend their money elsewhere. It’s similar to a storefront by making sure the store looks clean and on-trend with other stores in order to gain sales.

Outdated to Modern Design for a Past Client! Look at the difference!

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Bad User Experience 

When someone visits your website, they are hoping for a great experience where the pages load fast, the information they are trying to find is easy to find, and there are no missing links when navigating. If you have a disorganized website with a variety of different fonts, and colours that don’t look cohesive together, visitors will find it confusing on your brands’ message. 

Think of your website as a physical store. If a customer walks into a messy store and can’t find your products/services quickly, they will have a bad experience and walk out. That’s why an easy to use the website is key to having a successful business! I recommend having a maximum of 10 links in your navigation menu and having hidden links throughout your website, as well as call to actions on the homepage.

Not Mobile/Tablet Responsive

This step is the most crucial feature that you need to have. The majority of your visitor traffic will be coming from a mobile device! If your website is full width and not easy to use on various screen sizes, visitors will most likely leave. Having a non-responsive design can not only affect your business but your SEO as well. Google ranks responsive designs higher than websites that aren’t. With a responsive website, the site will adjust content to fit on a variety of screen sizes and will be easy to use.

No Personality

When you meet someone for the first time, your personality will be the real factor to see if you connect with this person or not. You should show your personality on your website! This will help visitors make a connection with your brand, and relate to you. Showing your real personality lets visitors remember you! For instance, visitors who have read my entrepreneurial journey on my About page reach out to me. They can resonate with me and connect with me on a personal level, which turns them into a client. 

You’re Embarrassed

If you’re not entirely confident and wanting to show off your website to everyone you meet, it needs a redesign. Your website should reflect your business’s message and make you feel confident in your online presence. It will not only make you more confident but feel more productive and ambitious to reach your business goals. Now that I have my dream design, it makes me feel powerful and motivated to keep going! Therefore, make that easy step to get a website that will WOW your clients, and makes you feel confident as a business owner.

High Bounce Rate

If someone leaves your website without looking at any other pages (also known as a bounce rate on Google Analytics), then this can affect your ranking on search engine results. A high bounce rate means that you did not leave a good first impression for visitors wanting to explore your site. If someone exits after getting to the homepage, they won’t have seen the fantastic products/services you offer! If your bounce rate is over 60% throughout your site, it’s probably a good idea for a redesign or to check if you need to fix anything.

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Your website isn’t HTTPS

The truth is, if a website is not HTTPS, I will personally not stay on it. Having an SSL certificate protects your visitors from having their information stolen, like credit card information, login information, personal identification, etc. Most browsers will block you from viewing the website and will ask for your consent to proceed. If your visitors click on your domain and gets a warning page right away, this is not a good first impression! Thankfully Showit offers SSL certificates with their pricing plans, so I can ensure all of my clients have a secure site. 

I recommend checking to see if HTTPS is at the front of your domain, and there is a lock beside your domain (on Google Chrome), stating that your website is secure. Having HTTPS not only helps Google and other search engines to find you credible but also makes your site load faster. Therefore, SSL will reassure your visitors that they can safely do business with you through your website.

You’re not blogging

Search engines love fresh content! Updated websites will reach the top of the search results because it shows that you’re providing great information to visitors. Search engines like Google check to make sure if your website is still active by looking for new information! Even one post a month can still benefit you! As a result, people will start to find your website through blog posts containing keywords that they search up on search engines, or through sites like Pinterest. It’s essential to keep the blog posts relevant to your business and the services you offer so that people who come across your website can be potential clients. Blog posts have helped my overall ranking significantly.

Did You Check Most of These Boxes?

There you have it! I hope these signs helped you realize if you’re killing it with your website design, or if you’re in significant need of some design help. I know it sounds tempting to design your website and save money. If you’re a new business owner and not wanting to spend much on your first website, I recommend getting a template to start off. In my template shop, you have access to affordable premade templates that you can customize to your liking, but still with a designer’s touch. If you’re still not sure if you need a website refresh, I have a website audit checklist freebie! Get free access right here. This will allow you to check your entire website.