7 Signs you Need a New Website Design

Your business’s website plays many roles. It’s the initial contact — your first impression — of your company for many visitors and potential customers. In an instant, your website provides information that tells people if they have (or have not) landed on the site that will meet their needs. If you suspect your website isn’t meeting its potential ROI for your company, consider the following seven warning signs and the solutions for effective website design.

Your Website Isn’t Responsive

One of the most important elements of a successful website design is embracing mobile devices. This year, Google announced that more than half of their 100-billion monthly searches were conducted using mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets.

Responsive website design is the answer. Responsive websites automatically manipulate and move content, such as text, images and videos, to best fit the screen of the device being used. This enhances the user experience, which is more mobile these days, and gives you a better shot of turning visitors on your website into customers.

Poor Search Engine Rankings

Another warning sign that you need a new website design or redesign is low organic search engine rankings. Search engine algorithms have evolved a lot through the years. Today, search engine optimization (SEO) is all about high-quality, original content on your website, which is why websites with frequently updated blog or news pages rank so well.

Additionally, Google’s most recent change to their search engine algorithm rewards responsive website design that is search-engine friendly on mobile devices.

“As more people use mobile devices to access the internet, our algorithms have to adapt to these usage patterns…This change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and will have a significant impact in our search results.” -Google

High Bounce, Low Conversion

Are visitors to your website staying a while? Are you generating the conversion ROI you expect? If your analytics show a high bounce rate and low page visits or time, your website (i.e. your message) isn’t resonating with visitors. Your website’s content should convey your message and capture the attention of your visitors in a matter of seconds. Are conversion opportunities set up clearly (don’t forget mobile screens)?

Slow Loading Time

Slow website loading time is a double-edged sword. Firstly, it annoys visitors to your website, which statistically isn’t good for business. In fact, KISSmetrics says, “40% of people abandon a website that takes more than 3 seconds to load.”

Secondly, slow-loading pages hurt your search engine rankings. To ensure a positive user experience for your visitors and to maximize your search engine ranking, it may be time for a website overhaul.

You’ve Outgrown It

If your business has outgrown its website or has simply evolved in its message, your website should be right there stride for stride. What worked well five years ago may not be cutting it anymore with today’s website design best practices.

You Don’t Update Content

Keeping your content fresh and relevant is vital to having a successful website. Your company should be using a Content Management Systems (CMS) to keep your website up to date, or outsource the job. It’s that important! If your website is on a platform that may not be updated very easily, it’s time for a new website design.

Your Website Design Looks Outdated

Website design technology and trends change rapidly. If your website is more than a few years old or if it isn’t a responsive design, it probably looks and is outdated. Today, website design is all about easy navigation and clean design. That makes sense considering the number of people using mobile devices with small screens.