An outdated and tricky to navigate website does little to enhance your reputation, let alone attract new visitors or customers.
And if your website performs poorly and is generally not up to the job, your business could suffer considerably.
So if the tell-tale signs that it’s time to upgrade have managed to pass you by, here are a few things that you might need to consider before it’s too late.
Help visitors along their journey
Navigation is a single most important aspect of any website as users must be able to get where they want to go without getting lost in the process.
That’s why things like menus are so important as there is nothing more frustrating for a customer wanting to make an online purchase than not being able to seal the deal and actually complete that all important transaction.
You could be offering the very best in your field at a price that blows your competition out of the water – but what use is it to you or your customers if people are unable to find it?
It’s all about Speed
In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re all obsessed with how fast things are these days; from how long it takes to download a movie to the speed in which your Uber Eats order arrives at your door.
And it’s the same with websites. If it’s not there, ready to browse within a second or two of clicking the link, we tend to look elsewhere.
High bounce rates are especially bad for your Search Engine rankings and your Search Engine Optimisation, so from reducing image sizes to limiting the number of videos on your platform – make sure your site is loading as quickly as possible – before it’s too late.
Ensure your links are clear and obvious
The goal of every website is to get the user to take some action and hyperlinks are a tried-and-tested method when it comes to achieving this.
But links will only be clicked if they are easily identifiable and visitors to your website know that they are there, that’s why they should be differentiated by underlined and blue coloured texts
It’s also good practice to have links that are longer as compared to one or two words – making them obvious and easily differentiable and ultimately, more clickable.
Use content to tell a story
Often, visitors want more than simply a purchase; they want an experience and a great way to achieve this is by adopting an engaging content strategy.
Effective content strategies focus on telling a brand’s story with the aim of establishing a connection between a business and its client.
With the right strategy, content can come in any format such as a blog post, vlog, or even a separate website in order to establish a brand identity and help ensure that potential clients know more about what you can offer them.
Make it mobile
More than half of online activity is taking place on smartphones and tablets, and this number is bound to grow in the coming years – making it absolutely essential that your website can be accessed on the go.
People tend to search for the services they need when they are out and about, so if your website is not visible on phones or tablets, or is difficult to navigate, just think of all the business you could be losing.
Poor visibility, links that are difficult to open and distorted images are all valid reasons why someone might take their business elsewhere, so make sure your website is up to the challenge.
Need advice on how to improve user experience?
A website should be at the heart of your brand and at Studio Coact, we can help you achieve this thanks to our bespoke web design service.
Studio Coact are web and design experts who provide thoughtful, engaging and clear marketing solutions that resonate with people around the world.
A Liverpool web design agency, we are passionate about businesses fulfilling their online potential, supporting companies from the outset or working with those looking to grow.
So there’s no need to ask Alexa, “where is a web design agency near me,” talk to us instead and see how we can make that all important improvement or maybe it’s time to embrace change and think about that brand new website that you and your business deserve.