This year seems to be the year of website redesigns. Indeed, several companies are putting a new version of their website online and several start-ups are presenting absolutely fantastic sites. They take advantage of the latest technologies, the latest design trends and social media.
But carrying out a site redesign does not only involve a change of design. New technologies and new browsers bring their share of complications and possibilities. It is therefore necessary to work as much on the design as on the programming.
This is the first part of a series of articles on why your site might need a refresh so it doesn’t get left behind.
1. It’s not easy to keep your site up to date
The information on your site is not up to date and it is difficult for you or your colleagues/employees to update or add to it, the exact reasons must be determined. Remember that a site with renewed content attracts and retains visitors!
Lack of time
If you lack the time or resources to add content or keep it up to date, you may want to consider using the services of a web writer. A web writer could help you keep your site active and make it more attractive to potential customers.
Lack of knowledge
If you need to know HTML to update your site, it might be time to consider using a content manager. Indeed, modern content managers make it easy for anyone to keep a site’s content up to date, without technical knowledge. In addition, they allow you to easily publish a blog, news, photo galleries, etc.
Maybe it will only be enough to install a content manager, or maybe you will have to revise the entire site, or you just need a little help. One thing is certain, these will be investments!
2. Do we go beyond the home page?
In order to determine if people are going past your landing page, you need access to analytics or statistics about your visitors. If you don’t have one, Google Analytics is a free and easy solution to add to your site.
If you have access to statistics on your visitors and they do not go beyond your home page, several reasons can explain this behavior:
Poor content structure
Content placement plays a very important role for your visitor. If the information on your site’s home page is difficult to locate, either visually or by its location on the page, the visitor will not find the information they are looking for and will leave your site.
Too much content on your homepage
Too much is like not enough! If you have too much content on your homepage, it may confuse your visitor. It’s important to keep the content of your website’s home page clear and simple. This will make it easier for the visitor to navigate to other pages on your site.
Reviewing the structure of your content and its placement on the pages of your site can greatly improve the performance of your website and thus improve your chances of obtaining potential customers, especially if they go further than your home page.
3. The copyright date at the bottom of your site
If the date at the bottom of your site is 2014, it may mean that you haven’t updated your site for at least 11 months, so your content is outdated. If the date is 2013 or earlier, this tells your visitors that your site is definitely out of date and they will leave your site. This is a very clear sign that you need to redesign your site, especially if the date is 2010 or earlier!
Don’t miss the second part of this series of articles, focusing on technology.