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4 Signs Your Website Needs a Checkup
By Sarunas Budrikas
Business.com / Entrepreneurship / Last Modified: January 12, 2018
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Business owners should assess their website periodically. Don't wait until you hear negative feedback from customers. Here are four signs it's time to re-evaluate your website.
Does your website need a health checkup?
Just as we visit a doctor for an annual checkup, why not give your business website the same care?
Website trends are always changing, and visitors have become accustomed to an experience standard that simply wasn't there a few years ago, and you can thank mobile for much of that.
Do you feel confident in how your website ranks in design, usability and performance compared to your competitors?
Your business might fall under the "old school" philosophy, and we can respect that. However, you can't steal second without one foot off the base. Chances are, your top three competitors are making strides by evaluating and improving their online channels.
Below are four signs that it's time to re-evaluate your website.
Sign No. 1: You don't have a website at all.
Although some (albeit fewer and fewer) businesses have managed without a website throughout the years, this is due to superior management of your business, expertise and/or word-of-mouth referrals, which are all great things. But try thinking of it this way: A website is like a name badge in a room crowded full of strangers, but much, much more.
Websites are an avenue for businesses to be seen and acknowledged for the products and services it delivers. They serve as the authority for your company on the internet. Plus, if your business has a loyal following of happy customers, why not make it easy for them give positive reviews and refer your business to others?
Health analogy: The health of your site is alright now, but, if it were a person, they would hope that they never get sick or injured. Good luck with that.
Sign. No. 2: Your website exists, but it may as well not.
The results are in, and they're far from good. Maybe your site was created five years ago using a free do-it-yourself builder service that often results in limited design options, slow loading times, a site that is not mobile friendly, etc.
These factors lower your credibility among potential customers.
Even if your site was created on a more reputable platform, such as Wordpress, if it doesn't reflect current trends in the business model, or customers struggle to find the information they came to your site for. To quote the famous line from the movie "Jaws": "You're gonna need a bigger boat."
Health analogy: They've been in bed with a fever for over a week with no sign of improvement, yet refuse to call a doctor or go to urgent care.
Sign No. 3: You feel like your website is OK, but it's not bringing in the revenue that you expected.
A lot of business owners fall in into this category, as it pretty much follows the law of averages. This is where the ability and willingness to analyze key metrics come into play.
This includes traffic sources (paid, organic, referral, direct, or social, for example) and actual conversion rates (sales, subscribers, social shares).
I know "key metrics" may sound terribly boring, but they really are the meat and potatoes of making improvements to and generating revenue with your online presence. It's also the "face reality" stage of website performance. Although it can be difficult to initially take action, many business owners feel nearly instant relief when they do.
Healthy analogy: They have an irritating cold, and it's making them lethargic, but they won't purchase an over-the-counter remedy.
Sign No. 4: Your website is attractive, easy to use, and performs, but you feel that more is out there.
Does this sound familiar? "I look and feel good for my age, but I wouldn't mind having a bit more energy." Yeah? Me too.
Here's where I introduce them to my good friend "website optimization," otherwise known as SEO (search engine optimization).
SEO pays for itself. When done correctly and consistently, it leverages the investments you've made into your business's website and contributes to your bottom line, i.e., exposure and sales. SEO is a fairly easy (but continuous) way to not only maintain good site results but to increase both visibility and relevancy in today's online marketplace.
Health analogy: Invest in vitamins for more vitality!
While I am clearly not a medical expert, I can easily recognize a sick or struggling website when I see one. I also understand the temptation to keep one's head buried under the covers until the problem goes away, but you and I both know it won't. Hopefully, this article has pointed out where you can begin to make changes to see improved health and performance both with your website and your business.
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Sarunas Budrikas
http://www.angle180.com
Sarunas Budrikas is the CEO of Angle180, B2B marketing company delivering results through high performance web design and traffic generation.
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