It’s a new year and those timely New Year’s resolutions aren’t just for your exercise routine! Now is the perfect time to plan out your business goals for the year too. And an updated website is the perfect place to start those resolutions—here’s why:
Accessibility
This year will show an increased push for website accessibility. Differently-abled people account for nearly 15% of all those using the Internet. So if you had 1,000 visitors to your website, 150 of those would be differently-abled individuals. Being able to accommodate those needing accommodations such as larger font, non-moving objects on the screen, no flashing lights, or audible text is important for several reasons. First, ensuring that your site functions optimally for all visitors is key to converting visitors to customers. Second, accommodating the differently abled is ethically responsible. And third, an accessible website can help to prevent discrimination.
Speed
If your website has slowed with time or isn’t able to keep up with your current customer demand it’s time for some updating. Areas that can cause your site to load slowly are:
- Bulky code from a templated website
- Lagging updates
- Busy host server
- Large, uncompressed images
- Disabled cache
The average user won’t wait more than 3 seconds for a website to load before leaving the site, so anything that can improve load time is a win.
Dated Design
If your site design is out of date, it could be doing more damage than you realize. Having an out-of-date design not only makes it challenging for visitors to navigate your site, it could also be hurting your business’s credibility. Internet users are far savvier than they used to be, and with prevalent scams, users are more likely to judge a book by its cover—or a business by its site. Out-of-date design can give the impression that your business is outdated or even dishonest.
Poor Functionality
While website functionality covers a lot of topics, it’s still relatively simple: if your site can’t be navigated easily to a clear end point (i.e., a purchase or even a sign-up), then it doesn’t function correctly. It’s important to look at your site’s menus, check for broken links, and the overall content on your site, including blogs, contact information, and copyright date as well.
Missing Mobile
If your current website isn’t mobile-optimized, it’s time to update. Mobile traffic accounts for approximately half of web traffic worldwide. A mobile-optimized site has all of the most important information visible and available on mobile. Without that mobile structure, important information may be lost, load time may exceed user’s attention span, or the site may not be visible at all to mobile users.
Expansion
If your site has all of the above covered, maybe it’s time to expand on the current offerings. This could include:
- Adding a blog page
- Creating an email sign-up
- Utilizing a lead magnet
- Adding an e-commerce page
- Creating a portfolio for images or videos
We’re Here to Help
Our team works with companies big and small and provides them with resources typically only available at larger web agencies, except we provide them with a much more personal and accessible touch. We want to discuss any challenges and how our services can help solve your business website headaches. Our comprehensive redesign and rebuild services as well as our ongoing monthly maintenance packages will make managing your website a dream for you and your team. Schedule your complimentary 30-minute consultation, and let’s talk through your questions.