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5 Reasons Your Website Needs Updating

Published: 09-28-2022
Author: Milly Welsh

5 Reasons Your Website Needs Updating

Websites need a complete update every 4 - 5 years.

If you use any technology (and who doesn't?!), you know that the digital world is constantly changing and developing. Your website is no exception. If your website doesn't keep your audience engaged and have desirable content, it simply isn't doing your business any good. Equally important, a website these days must perform fast and look good on all devices. A website that is over 4 - 5 years old likely doesn't include the latest advancements in website design and performance. If you are missing the mark on the expectations of Internet users, you risk appearing outdated and irrelevant.

It's Not Mobile-First

Most people spend at least two hours online on smartphones or devices every day. Responsive, or mobile-first design is a collection of techniques that allow a website to conform and adapt to the size of the screen that it is being viewed on (and still look good). That is twice as long as laptops and desktops. Google is about to update to mobile-first indexing. This all means that ignoring the mobile market is not smart business.

Mobile devices generate 59% of all organic search engine visits.

It's really considered common practice to have a website that is responsive in design and a mobile-friendly format. If you haven't updated your website in a while, chances are very good that it is NOT a mobile-first design.

The Design is Outdated

The visual appeal of your website is the first impression you give a visitor. It's a reflection of your enterprise. If it looks professional and current, loaded with accurate and useful information, a visitor will see you as an authority in your industry. On the other hand, if it looks outdated and poorly designed and organized, they will assume your business performs the same.

You have about 8 seconds to capture a website visitor's attention.

People are searching the Internet constantly for information they need so they know the difference between a good website and a poor one. Make sure you stand out in a way that makes you proud!

It's Not User Friendly

A poor user experience is a leading reason people leave websites. If the navigation of your website is clunky, there are broken links, or content is out of date (or missing), you are not offering a good user experience. Your website is much more than just how it looks. People expect websites today to be easy to use and navigate. They want to move through pages quickly, and find the information they are looking for right away. If using your website to complete whatever action a visitor is trying to complete is difficult, you have lost a customer.

You Haven't Updated the Content Since It Launch

Content is crucial to a website's effectiveness. After all, that is why someone is coming to your site - for a resource. It is so important that your content communicates the benefits of your products and services to your target audience effectively. Useful content demonstrates that your business is knowledgeable, and that builds trust in the marketplace. Out of date, missing or inaccurate content on your website sets a tone that you don't care. Why would anyone want to buy your products or services if you can't get your website information right?  

Another important impact of website content is its influence on SEO and keyword targeting. Your website is far more likely to show up in someone's search when you have site pages that talk about the products and services that are being searched for. Content can also help build local SEO by including geographic-specific and local keywording pages.

There is No SEO Strategy

If you haven't updated your website in a few years, it's sure to have fallen into the black hole of search engine rankings. Search engines consider websites with the most recent content as the most relevant to Internet users. Your content might be very good, but if it's the same content as five years ago then search engine bot likely don't consider it relevant anymore.

68% of online experiences begin with a search engine.

So much goes into an effective SEO strategy, but older sites are difficult to optimize for search engines. If your website doesn't have a snowballs chance of coming up in someone's search, it isn't doing much for your business. Issues such as website speed, bounce rate, keyword ranking, backlinks and meta data are just some of the SEO metrics that a new website can improve greatly upon.

If you haven't ever thought about an SEO strategy, or you are rethinking keyword targeting and your overall SEO strategy - it's a very good idea to update your website. Giving your website a thorough assessment and updating gives you a chance to think about your business priorities, your target market, and how you want to reach your customers today.

At Zebralove Web Solutions, we offer a full array of website packages and website updating options to suit all businesses and industries. We build both custom WordPress websites and do custom web development, programming and coding.

Go from OUTDATED to UPDATED with Zebralove!

Whatever you need - we can do! Reach out to us to discuss how we can take your site from outdated to outstanding!


Milly Welsh - post author

Milly Welsh

Owner
Zebralove Web Solutions

Milly has 18 years experience in designing and developing websites, developing apps, and online marketing. She is an expert at driving traffic to websites utilizing SEO strategies and custom digital marketing efforts. Her company, Zebralove Web Solutions offers full service digital marketing and website development. Comprehensive Search Engine Optimization services, and secure web hosting services.

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