Site visitors look for new and engaging websites that are easy to use and that feel fresh and vibrant.
If your website still uses old web design principles or features stale content, now is the time to start working.
Signs Your Website Is Outdated
Websites that use flash, prominent visitor counters or in-your-face high contrast colors are outdated. A basic website may not have any of these hallmarks of aging designs. Look at site traffic data. Are your site visitor statistics growing, remaining level, or dropping off? Start looking at content refreshment while your site visitor levels remain steady. Think about a website refresh or a complete overhaul when traffic drops off significantly.
Does your website feel old? Start browsing around online. What do you really like about some of the websites you regularly use and which ones will you click away from immediately? Recognizing what appeals to you can help you identify outdated elements on your own page.
Addressing an Outdated Website
Making the initial investment in web design or updates stalls some companies from taking action, but you can improve your website on any budget. To remain relevant in a target market, every company needs to commit to regular updates. A website is the first place many individuals look to find out more about a company. Consider these tips for rejuvenating your site to earn real ROI:
1. Recycle old content – You do not necessarily have to start from scratch. Pull the content from your about, contact, and services sections and work on optimization. What part of the story haven’t you told your audience? Take old blog posts and look for a new spin on the topic.
2. Change the date – The copyright dates listed on the website are a dead giveaway for website age. Always update the copyright to reflect the current year. Doing so adds credibility to the content posted on the site.
3. Eliminate errors – A few years ago, companies could create a basic website and ignore it. Today, the world uses digital content for education, to make purchasing decisions, and for entertainment. Grammatical errors, broken links, and poorly placed content all affect website usability and could hurt your online presence.
4. Use a professional email address – A business email should match the website URL. Do not list your personal internet provider address or a webmail address. Your website host may offer email packages, and this one small change will improve the professional credibility of your business.
5.Use content in multiple places – Have you been active on social media, published an article, or created an E-book for your audience? Think of your website as home base. It should serve as a place for company information as well as a repository for all your online content.
Making small changes to your current website can prolong its lifespan while improving site traffic and brand reputation. Whether you need simple content rejuvenation or a complete overhaul, remember that your website is your most powerful digital asset. Update it early and often.
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