After a while everything gets old, worn out or beyond repair.
This weekend my son asked me, “Dad, why did you throw away your drill?”
Now I love to tinker and build things. And I love using my drill. It’s got over 20 years of paint stains, scratches and dents – each reminding me of a project.
But a couple weeks ago the motor went out. It died just as I was driving the last screw on a dollhouse I was putting together for my girls. A few turns with a screwdriver and the screw was set.
But there I stood pushing the trigger over and over again. I fiddled with batteries, even banged it a few times on the workbench. But it was dead.
Everything wears out and needs replacing
That’s true of my drill just as it’s true of websites.
Websites wear out too. They get old, unserviceable and often beyond repair. Old websites can be difficult to work on or update. They can cause problems in modern browsers. And they can give the appearance that you’re not in business anymore.
Do you know a website like that?
Now my drill lasted 20 years. But a website usually lasts 2 to 3 years. And that’s mainly because the internet is changing so rapidly.
Here’s 3 signs that your website needs an urgent update:
1. Your website isn’t mobile friendly.
This is a REALLY BIG DEAL!!. A website today must be easy to use, view and read on mobile devices. There’s no other way to put it. More than 1/2 of all website usage is on a tablet or phone now. People are leaving aside their laptops to use their mobile device. Here’s what you need to know – 50% of all web traffic AND 60%+ of all search queries are being done on mobile devices.
Not having a mobile-frriendly website says a few things about you and your business:
- You don’t care about the potential clients that will use your site on their phones
- You don’t care that the user experience for more than 1/2 of your visitors is poor, at best.
- You don’t mind if people have to pinch and swipe and drag sideways as they try to read your site
- You’re fine if people leave your site to find a competitor who does provide a good mobile experience
- You don’t really care about being found in mobile search – since Google now only indexes sites that are mobile-friendly.
These are but a few things you’re telling your website visitors and potential clients if your website isn’t mobile-friendly. A mobile-friendly website is no longer a luxury. It’s a necessity of the modern web.
2. You can’t update or add new content to your website yourself
Sure, your website can be nothing more than a fancy online brochure.
But that’s selling it short for what it really is. Your website is actually your own personal online publishing platform. In other words, your website can give you a platform to share your knowledge, expertise and problem solving skills with the people who are ripe to become clients.
To do so, you must be able to make updates and add new content whenever you want. That way you can publish and share valuable content whenever you want. It’s your content that will get people interested in your work and ultimately hire you.
Being able to add new content to your website is a must today. And there are software options like WordPress that makes it really easy to do.
So if you can’t easily edit your website yourself or if your website isn’t built on WordPress yet, now would be the time to update your website.
3. Your current website design is tired and dated
This may seem trivial, but if your website doesn’t look modern people assume you’re not in business anymore.
I can’t emphasis this enough. Old looking websites simply don’t garner the same response as sites more modern sites do. They’re slower. Obviously they’re not mobile-friendly. And they send the wrong message about your business.
It’s not about having the latest trendy design. Rather it’s showing potential clients that your website is important to you, which means it should be important to them.
Think about what you’d think of a bakery that never washes it windows or sweeps its entry way. Or a day-care that never pulls weeds, mows the grass, or fixes leaky pipes. Are you likely to shop or drop your kids off? Right!
You don’t need the latest and greatest website design. What you do need is a site that falls inline with what your potential clients expect. And that’s a modern-looking, clean and easy-to-use site where they feel like you care.
If your website is older than 2 or 3 years, it’s likely time to give it update. And yes, I can help you not only update your site, but get more out of it. It’s what I do!!!
Whether you want to focus on it for not, your website is either doing goof for your business or not. If you feel it’s neutral, know it’s hurting your business far more than helping it. And if your site isn’t mobile-friendly, isn’t a publishing platform or is old and tired – OR ALL THREE – it’s time to update it.
Let’s talk. I’m happy to answer any of your questions, look over your site for you and give you recommendations. I’m here to help you any way I can.
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