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Are you still contemplating if you really need a new website or if you could revamp your existing website? And if you do, would it be better to DIY it or hire a professional?
In today’s digital era, a website is an asset you cannot afford to underestimate – It is basically the ‘first impression’ of your business.
Making sure your website is upto the mark speaks volumes about you and your business.
Here are five questions you need to ask to understand if your website needs a revamp.
1. Is my website mobile friendly?
The world today is ‘tech savy’. Almost everyone owns a smart phone and its no rocket science to know that more than 50% of online searches take place on mobile devices. This makes it very important to have a mobile-friendly or a ‘responsive’ website for your business.
Simply put, a responsive website is the one which changes its layout automatically based on the device it's being used on. It concentrates on readable text that does not need zooming in, sufficient space for scrolling and auto-resizing of images.
If your current website is not responsive, it’s a sign you need a revamp.
2. Does your website take forever to load?
According to google, the ideal page loading speed should be two seconds or less. Not surprisingly a study showed that 40% of users would prefer leaving a website that takes three or more seconds to load. In addition, slow websites can also affect the search engine rankings.
Test your website speed using Google PageSpeed Insights, and if your website’s taking forever to load, you may need a rethink.
3. Does your website have a high bounce rate?
First of all, let’s understand what bounce rate actually is- It is the percentage of visitors who land on a particular page of your website and leave without looking at any other page on the site.
An ideal bounce rate should be around 40 to 50% and anything beyond 50 or 55 could mean that the visitors are having a tough time navigating through your website, or are finding the content unengaging.
You can check the bounce rate of your website using Google Analytics, and if you find a higher percentage, you may want to consider more engaging content and improved page navigation.
4. Is website in alignment with your brand?
A brand naturally evolves or changes over time – change may be your brand colour or your tag line or even your target audience.
It is a good practice to consider if your website has evolved similarly.
A regular website audit is, in most cases, as important as an annual health check and any signs of misalignment should be attended to immediately.
5. Has your website been redesigned in the last 5 years?
Did you know that 94% of negative website feedback is design related? If your website design is outdated, it can create a negative impression on your users. Afterall, your website is the face of your brand and your company.
Web design trends are ever evolving based on consumer feedback, and therefore, redesigning a website every 4 to 6 years can help better user engagement.
If some time has passed since your last website redesign, you may want to think of a redo.
As the owner of a small, mid or big-size business, getting a website is often seen as a step that can make your business more effective. A website is not a product that can be bought and left on a shelf, rather it is like a plant, that has to be nurtured and cared for.
Make sure you have a look at your website today.
Revisit. Rethink. Revamp. Redo – your website and ensure that you stay ahead in this ever- evolving digital world.
