Websites are arguably a business’s most important asset. Your business website is like a billboard for your company. It’s the very first place customers will go to learn about your products and services. Keeping your website up to date is one of the most important actions you can take to ensure that your first impression makes an impact. Here are our top reasons why you should plan to update your website this year:
Security
Security should always be a top priority for your business, regardless of how big or how small you are. It seems like more and more these days, we see headlines about large companies getting hacked and compromising client information or security. Do you want to lose your customer’s trust? One of the biggest reasons a website gets hacked is because of the vulnerability in the framework and platform on which the website is built. Do you know what your website uses? Here at Three Ring Focus, we strongly recommend using WordPress for its simplicity, security and constant updates.
Technology
“Old school is cool” does not apply when it comes to website functionality. The Internet and digital world is constantly changing and evolving. Web standards shift each year. Your potential clients’ preferences and tastes shift even faster. What was trendy yesterday, may not be tomorrow and if you want your business to succeed, you need to be agile in your approach to your website. If it was built more than two years ago, it’s likely far behind in terms of looks and functionality. It probably has outdated code that can slow down its loading speed or the way it responds to various devices. It might not be compatible with some of the latest popular web browsers anymore, and technology-wise, we can promise you that in 2-3 years time, website providers have significantly improved their platforms and offer better tools for you to both build and manage your website on.
Content
Keeping your company’s content fresh means more traffic. In addition to more traffic, keeping your website content up to date and active builds customer trust. The last thing you want is for a potential customer to see outdated information, old blog posts or not modern technology that leads them to doubt your credibility. Keeping your website fresh is your best bet!
Conversions
While it is important to focus on your website’s content and internet marketing, don’t forget about the importance of the design and navigation. Does your website have boring colors or design? Is it difficult to navigate through? Are there unnecessary aspects like too many pages or long contact forms? All of these aspects steer customers away even if your content is top notch. You want a website that’s visually appealing, easy to navigate and mobile-friendly in hopes of leading you to happier customers and increased conversions.
Mobile-Friendly
No ifs, ands, or buts about it… if your website is not mobile-friendly, it NEEDS to be! If you’re not convinced, let us remind you that over 60% of allwebsite traffic is now conducted through mobile devices. It is very likely that your users are going to view your website on a mobile device at some point and and even more likely that it could be a user’s first interaction so you will want to make a good first impression.
SEO
Let’s start with the basics. Do you have a blog? Because you should. It’s a powerful marketing tool to drive more traffic and users to your website through keywords, internal links and back links. You should also understand that search engines love fresh content. Every time you make an update to your site, Google and other search engines crawl and index your pages, thus your website rankings get recalculated. If you maintain good quality on your website with update content consistently, you drastically increase your chances of getting noticed. Pair SEO with a brand new, kickass website, and you’re guaranteed more attention, social shares and inquiries.
In today’s age, our country and lives are driven by having the latest and greatest. We like for things to be new, refreshing and up to date. With all of the tools and resources available today, why would you let your website fall behind? Be memorable, stand out and stay ahead of the competition. Resolve to update your website this year!