In today’s business world, it’s virtually impossible not to have a website. It’s the fastest way to relay information to your clients and customers, and is one of the easiest ways to keep your company’s projects, changes, and new additions up to date. If your web designer set you up with a CMS, you’ve probably been using it to keep information on your site current and relevant. But what about the website design itself?
If it’s been a while since you’ve given your website a make-over, it might be time to consider a new face for your site. Whether your site just needs a slightly sleeker, more modern tweak on its present design, or a total overhaul varies on several factors. So, is it time for your site to freshen up? Read on to find out if your business’s website is late for the powder room.
1. Check the Efficiency of Your Content
Basically, is your website doing all it can do to bring more new users (and potential customers) to your business? If the hit count to your website is nothing to brag about, it might be time to look into hiring a content manager – particularly one who knows the ins and outs of search engine optimization (SEO). A content manager with experience in SEO knows how to keep your website text rich in content – while still using keywords and keyword phrases to your advantage.
If you’re finding that the keywords people are using to get to your site aren’t exactly drawing your target crowd, now’s the time to revamp your keyword usage to get the results you want.
You might also want to consider hiring a good copywriter to give your content (and particularly your front page) that “it” factor, that shows visitors how your company is unique, and speaks clearly about what products or services you provide.
2. Signs of a Dowdy Design
You want a website that’s attractive and modern – interesting, but easy to navigate. A solid web designer has a fresh set of eyes and knows what to look for, so if you’re not sure about your website’s look (or know it needs a make-over, but aren’t sure where to start), a web designer can work wonders. Some little things you can look for:
- Poor Marketing – Your website may be beautiful, but if no one’s calling you for your services, you’ve got a marketing problem. Talk to your web designer about placing advertisements and specials your running in a clear, eye-catching place.
- Utility – Have you got broken links, duplicate title pages, and similar little glitches littering your site? It’s time to tidy the place up! The same search engine crawlers that scour your site for keywords and phrases also look for signs of an unkempt site – and rank them lower on search engine results pages. If your website’s hoarding these little problem areas, talk to your web designer about the best way to cut your losses and keep your site running smoothly.
- Bad Flow – If your website’s pages look kind of thrown together, you need to talk to your web designer about CSS and Web 2.0. These programs control the formatting, so that every web page is set up and flows the same way, while allowing you to change the content on each page. A smooth, repeated format will make your website easy to navigate, and your customers will thank you.
- It’s Head(er)less – If customers have to scroll down past some flashing animation or an advertisement to get to your website’s information, enough is enough. A strong, bold header tells visitors exactly who you are what you’re about – and there’s no confusion about which site they landed on.
3. Don’t be so Humble
Whenever you update your resume, you know the importance of self-promotion and good references, so why would you leave this crucial information off of your site?
Customer testimonials are a credible way to show visitors that you do quality work, so ask some of your faithful customers if they’d be willing to write a testimonial for you.
If they’re comfortable with it, post contact information (something simple, like their e-mail addresses) so that new visitors can talk to them directly, if they would like to.
4. Stay Ahead of the Pack
Don’t forget to check out your competitors’ sites. You want your website to be a cut above, so take a good look at what your competitors are doing – and what’s working well for them. Talk to your web designer about their sites and see what you can do to give your site that little extra “oomph.”
