If you have a business website, it is very important (especially in today’s digital world) that your site is being updated regularly in order to remain relevant. Today, we will discuss several factors that should be considered to determine if your website is keeping up with the times or if it is outdated and needs improvement.
Is your home page captivating? Does it draw people in to want to know more about your business from the get-go?
The home page of your website is oftentimes the first impression your business has on potential clients and customers. If it is dull, unimpressionable, or unoriginal, that’s the way your entire business will come across to many people. On the other end of the spectrum, if your website is overly flashy, too busy, or crammed with content and images, you will very likely overwhelm the viewer and they will leave your page, not knowing how to navigate the site and find what they are looking for. You want your website to build your brand and identity, acting as an interactive extension of your business. It is your 24/7 employee, constantly working to share valuable knowledge of your company’s products and services with prospective customers. Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab did a study to evaluate how website credibility is determined. Out of the 2,440 participants in the study, 46.1% said that a website’s design is the number one criterion for discerning the credibility of the information presented on a website. With this being said, there are several things to consider to assure that your website is working as effectively as possible to capture a visitor’s attention in a positive way.
Your home page should:
- Prominently display your logo
- Integrate your brand’s color scheme
- Clearly show what your company does (products or services offered)
- Display clear navigation that links to other pages of your site
- Contain contact Info
- Contain quality images that represent your brand and what you do
- Have social media links (if relevant)
Does your website work well on mobile devices?
This is a big one in this day and age when almost EVERYONE has a smart phone or tablet that can be used to research products and services with the snap of a finger. If you are part of this majority, take out your phone right now and look up your website. Is it clearly mobile-friendly? Is it easy to navigate and read content from your phone? Responsive website design is a must these days. If your website has not yet adapted to this trend, it is behind the times.
Are any of your links or buttons broken/outdated?
When was the last time you went through your website, clicking on and checking out all of the links? Broken links can happen for silly reasons sometimes, but to visitors, it can make a bad impression. It will lower the quality and credibility of your site and, therefore, negatively influence the way your company is viewed by others.
Are you still using Flash?
If your site was created using Flash or any components utilize Flash in any way, it is out of date. Flash doesn’t work on many mobile devices and it sucks the battery life out of the devices it does work on. If you are using Flash on your site, it is time to think about either redesigning your website or replacing any components that incorporate this program.
These are just a few of the many ways you can tell that your website is outdated. Be sure to check out Part 2 next week to learn about other ways you can determine whether or not your website needs improvement. Blue Frog Marketing in Des Moines offers a wide range of services to assist businesses in their marketing efforts. If you don’t have a business website or need to upgrade your current website, give us a call at 515-221-2214 or contact us online by clicking on the link below!
