As the digital world becomes increasingly cluttered, small-to-medium enterprises and entrepreneurs are having to pull out all the stops to remain competitive. From social media strategies to email marketing and CRM technology, there’s no shortage of avenues to pursue in the quest for more reach and engagement.
But those all sound rather complex, don’t they? For the budget-conscious, they may also be too expensive. Thankfully, there are simpler solutions that are just as effective. One of which is a website refresh.
Here’s are a few reasons you should implement a website refresh on a regular basis:
A website refresh puts you in the shoes of the consumer
At the top of your priority list should be customer experience. When people visit your website, they should — almost instinctively — know where to click. A critical, honest audit puts you in the shoes of the user and gives you new eyes with which to view your website (so to speak!) By taking an analytical step back, you can identify areas of improvement, as well as whether your USPs (unique selling points) and brand differentiators are communicated clearly and concisely.
Other considerations include:
- Are your call-to-actions (CTAs) bold and legible?
- Can a user easily navigate the website with clearly defined tabs or buttons?
- Do all of your links still work across different browsers?
- Does your messaging still align with your brand?
A contemporary, on-trend brand is an appealing one
The digital world is in constant flux. Technology that was once considered cutting-edge is probably on its way out, making way for exciting updates or new solutions to make our lives easier. And don’t expect audience tastes to remain the same, either. As with technology, what we consider aesthetically pleasing or intuitive is always evolving.
This is why it’s crucial for businesses to refresh their website’s visual treatment regularly. Users are more likely to be interested in a business that’s kept up with contemporary trends and aesthetics, than one whose seemingly gone the way of the dinosaurs, digitally speaking.
Your website theme plays a pivotal role in how your digital hub appeals to users. Discover how it can also stimulate business growth by reading this article.
Be responsive to the power of mobile devices
In 2018, 52.2 percent of all website global traffic was thanks to mobile devices — and that statistic continues to rise as we enter 2020. Today, it’s virtually unforgivable to launch a website that isn’t responsive across all mobile devices. It’s not an exaggeration to say that you’re turning customers away if your site is not optimized for mobile!
But just a few years ago, this wasn’t the case. Many older websites were developed before mobile devices rose to prevalence, infiltrating every facet of our daily lives. If your website forms part of the old guard, it’s definitely time for a refresh to ensure it loads smoothly on all mobile devices.
Be found more easily online
As with technology, imagery and language, keyword targeting and search engine optimization (SEO) are not immune to the inexorable march of time. This means that your search engine ranking may have fallen a few rungs down the ladder. People are looking for things online differently, and with voice-activated search and long-tail keywords coming to the fore, it’s necessary to update your keywords and audience targeting. A website refresh allows you to optimize for new search technology and terms, thus making it easier for people to find your website. For SEO tips, tricks and more information, we recommend reading:
Update your content for a new decade
A website refresh encompasses the whole nine yards — back-end, front-end, and your digital content too. Take a look at your imagery, then go through the copy and your video and picture galleries. Do they feel a bit outdated to you? Are the images blurry/pixelated; is the writing no longer aligned with your brand’s tone of voice?
Even digital collateral loses fidelity over time, which is why it’s crucial you tweak, optimize, and — if necessary — overhaul your content regularly. Remember, first impressions do still last, so put your best digital foot forward to ensure new and returning clients like what they see.
Shore up your website’s security
If you don’t update your plugins, integrations and themes regularly, you run the risk of security breaches, system crashes, and cyber attacks. Obviously, a privacy breach or operational breakdown can cause significant damage to your business. Reinforcing your website’s security and addressing any areas of concern are persuasive reasons to audit and refresh your website as soon as possible. Your business — and your clients — will thank you for it!
The need for speed
Your website’s bounce rate plays a crucial role in business growth and customer conversion. If people are leaving in droves, that’s a problem. 40% of users leave a website if it takes more than 3 seconds to load the page. Is yours one of them? Head over to Google Page Speed Insights and find out.
A website audit and refresh puts loading issues under a microscope, giving you the information you need to remove the obstacles that are slowing your website down. We recommend reading this article for a comprehensive breakdown of how to make your website faster:
Conclusion:
Audit before you commit to a full-on refresh
It’s a good idea to enlist the help of a professional before committing to an in-depth website refresh. With an experienced eye that’s informed by industry best practice, a specialist will be able to pinpoint exactly what needs to be improved, saving you time and money in the long-term.
Kaira specialises in WordPress themes and plugins that empower business owners and entrepreneurs with the high-performing functionality they need to be competitive in the digital marketplace.
If you’re looking for an honest, constructive website audit and refresh (based on our findings and your feedback) please get in touch with us.
To see an example of what your website could look like, check out our latest theme, Overlay. There’s a free version for you to download and play around with, and a paid version that offers even more depth of customisation and functionality. Enjoy!
