7 Reasons to Update Your Website ASAP

Everything these days is digital, and you don’t need us to convince you of that. But as a business owner, you’re intentionally ruthless about deciding what initiatives are worth your time and money. Updating your website might not seem important, compared to hiring a new customer service representative or buying more product materials, so it might end up forever on the backburner.

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This makes sense, but if you want to make your buyer journey more seamless (which directly upgrades your customer experience), you have to improve your website UX (user experience). Here are some ways to know if the time has come to update your website, along with some website development tips.

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1. You’ve rebranded everything - except your site

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If you’ve changed your products or services, logo and visual branding, or transitioned into a new market, you’ve rebranded. Even if you’re not officially calling it that, it’s still a rebrand and your site has to reflect this. Sometimes minor changes are enough, like swapping in your new logo in place of your old one or massaging some of the homepage copy, but sometimes you need to take more drastic measures. Specifically if you’re targeting new buyer personas, and venturing into a new market altogether, your website deserves work from the ground up in order to be most effective.

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2. Your tech stack has drastically changed, and your website doesn’t support the changes

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Let’s say your site is built with Wix, but you recently invested in HubSpot. It won’t be long before you realize you’re going to face some serious limitations by adding HubSpot to your Wix site. Instead, you might be better served rebuilding your site on HubSpot itself, or on WordPress. Your website should support your tech stack, and vice versa. If it’s creating limitations instead, it’s time for an update.

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3. You don’t know if your site is helping you achieve your business goals

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If we asked you how your website helps you reach your goals, what would you say? Many business owners don’t actually know how to answer this question. If your website is serving its purpose like it should be, you should be able to directly connect the dots between its functions and your business outcomes. Let’s say one of your business’ main goals is to recruit more partners, and you have a “partner resource” page on your site, with a webform that invites interested individuals to submit their information. Not only is that page regularly visited, but webform submissions have actually yielded you 15 new partners in the last year, which is more than half of your annual goal. This is an example of a well-constructed site that plays a role in helping you achieve your goals. If you can’t see any connection between your site and your goals, it’s time for a revamp.

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4. Your site doesn’t move visitors through your buyer’s journey

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In addition to meeting your goals, your website should lead customers and prospects naturally through the stages of your buyer’s journey. Once they request a price list, for example, they’ll be taken to a landing page that explains your pricing - and your value. That page might also have a form where they can request a quote. You want each step they take on your website to get them closer to becoming a customer, or becoming a repeat customer. If it’s not built for this, it needs to be reevaluated.

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5. You haven’t updated anything about your site in at least two to three years

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Technology moves at lightning speed. If you’re not actively keeping up, you’re falling behind. No matter how current you think your website is, a couple years (or worse, three years) is more than enough time for big changes in Web trends. In order to be sure your site is properly optimized for new technology, new SEO algorithms and new functionality, you should sit with a Web development expert at least once a year and consider updates as needed.

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6. You keep attracting the wrong clients

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Are you a premium health club that keeps receiving inquiries from people who aren’t able to afford your membership prices? This might not be a coincidence; some of your website’s imagery, messaging and other aspects might be luring in your negative buyer personas instead of the ones you want. If you’re getting more interest from people who aren’t a good fit than you are from those who are a good fit, it’s time to revamp your site.

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7. Your current clients, and/or ideal prospects, have expressed confusion or frustration

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Finally, a website should clarify who you are and what you do. And it should simplify the information-gathering and product/service-purchasing process. If you hear from clients or prospects that they’re confused by your website, or frustrated by it, it’s not doing you any favors. An update is in order - right away.

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So, where do you stand? Is it time to update your website? If you’d like a third-party opinion, please contact us any time. We’d love to help you set your digital marketing agency.