Finally, I have the time to look for that summer day camp for my kids. My calendar and credit card are in hand. Pretty specific search so I go to a local “mom” site and have quite a few choices to choose from. Ooh, indoor soccer camp. No sunscreen (Yay!) Click. Ugh – outdated camp information from 2022. Nope. Back. Reading on and on and on.
How many times does this happen when you’re searching for information? More importantly, has this ever happened to someone who landed on your website? A valuable customer chose your link to click on…only to get served up outdated or confusing information. Maybe the information just needed better positioning for engagement. Or maybe, your customer was viewing it from a smartphone and the mobile site was a hot mess. Unfortunately, it will be difficult to win this customer back.
Let’s look at the top 5 reasons you should update your website regularly so that this scenario never happens to your customers.
1. Mobile is key for website design
Originally, websites were designed for desktop viewing, but life was forever changed the day our cell phones could access the internet. It’s important to remain relevant and modern for today’s consumer. According to Google, 74% of users are more likely to return to a mobile-friendly site.
Most websites need tweaking for the mobile user. These edits could include enlarging CTA buttons, centering text, minimizing pop-ups, and prioritizing content. With over 60% of searches in the United States taking place on a mobile phone, now’s the time to update your website for the mobile user and provide the best experience.
What do your mobile customers experience when they land on your page?
2. Unclutter your website
Customers should be able to find the information they seek quickly. Websites tend to get overloaded after years and years of adding content, often resulting in unorganized pages and menus. The current design trend for websites is a cleaner look with a straightforward delivery. Is your website streamlined for success?
Cleaning up your website might feel daunting – like looking at your junk drawer in the kitchen and wishing you had a magic wand to put it in order. If your time is stretched thin, partner with us. We’ll be glad to take this task off your list.
3. Rebranding with website in mind
Your website should be a representation of your brand. If you’ve made recent strategic business decisions or rebranded your logo and colors, every page on your website should reflect those updates.
You might have just launched a social media campaign with updated images and content – with hopes that this traffic eventually lands on your site. It’s important for your website to be in sync with your social media channels so that customers don’t go “bye, bye, bye.”
If you’ve recently rebranded, or plan to rebrand soon, you’ll want to set a strategic plan for a successful launch.
4. Quality content across your website
Website content should be relevant and trustworthy to attract the right audience and improve SEO efforts. Engaging content can guide customers through a positive journey on your website and increase conversions. Your website provides a chance to reinforce positive brand impression and customer retention.
The frequency for updating this content depends on your industry. For example, due to recurrent news and research updates, the health and wellness industry requires frequent audits and revisions to website content. This goes for all of your webpages. Don't limit updates to just your home page. Setting a website audit schedule should be a part of your marketing strategy.
5. Technology and website speed
Technology is ever-changing with rapid developments to make websites more secure, simpler, and faster. Your website should be able to keep up with these technologies – on both desktop and mobile. Using old or outdated website themes and images could contribute to a slower page load and result in customers bouncing. If your website was built many years ago and you really haven’t “messed” with it since, then it’s time you audited your website. Updating websites can improve your page load speed and your Google ranking.
We know that time is precious for both you and your customers. If you’re ready to make some updates but just don’t have the bandwidth, we’ll be happy to help – Let’s Jabble!