4 Signs Your Small Business Needs a New Website

Is your website failing to win you much business? Has it attracted negative reviews from customers? While your site might have been perfect five or ten years ago, there’s a good chance it’s not doing you any favors in 2018.

If any of the signs below apply to your site, it’s definitely time for an upgrade.

1. Your Website Isn’t Mobile Ready

The percentage of mobile web traffic increases every year, and nearly 60% of searches now come from mobile devices. If a customer reaches your site and then realizes it’s not mobile-ready, they’ll click away instantly. Even sites which are semi-functional on mobile can be clunky, badly-formatted, and difficult to navigate, and that’s more than enough to send your bounce right sky high.

Investing in a fully responsive site that works perfectly and looks beautiful on mobile is one of the best things you can do for your business. Without it, you’ll continue losing valuable traffic online.

2. Your Bounce Rate Is High

Have you checked your bounce rate recently? If not, you need to. This handy stat shows the percentage of people who navigate away from your site after viewing only one page. In other words, the people who see your site and say, “Ugh… no thanks.” A bounce rate higher than 50% is usually a cause for concern, while a bounce rate in the 80s or 90s is a sign that something is seriously wrong.

If your bounce rate is worryingly high, it’s time to invest in a site that people actually want use.

3. You’ve Had Negative Feedback on Your Website  

Ever received a review that said something like, 'Great service, but the website was terrible'? If so, don’t ignore it. A professional, functional website is the first impression many customers will get of your business, and it could form a key part of their interaction with you. Even if everything else about your business is absolutely perfect, a poor website could prevent customers from using you again or recommending you to their friends.

Poor feedback on your current website is a clear sign that you need to make a change. Multiple pieces of negative feedback indicate that the problem needs to be addressed urgently - so don’t delay or make excuses.

4. Your Website Is Difficult to Update

Do you find yourself spending hours trying to update the opening times on your homepage? Is publishing a blog post a traumatic experience spanning several days? A website which is difficult to update is a massive inconvenience that prevents you from fully taking advantage of your online presence.

While older websites might require in-depth knowledge of file transfer systems and coding, most newer sites are easy for beginners to use, with simple publishing tools and drag-and-drop design options. This ease of use lets you publish regular content to drive traffic to your site, update information to help your customers, and keep your site consistent with your brand image.

If you’re sick of struggling to update your website, it’s definitely time for an upgrade.

Whether you’ve got a landscaping website that’s hopelessly dated, a customer portal that’s impossible to use on mobile, or an eCommerce store that nobody can figure out how to navigate, investing in your online presence is 100% worth it. Update your site today for more traffic, increased leads, and better customer feedback.