How long has it been since you last updated your website?
It might not seem like a big issue at first glance: So what if your e-commerce website was built in 2015? You’re constantly updating your product listings; isn’t that enough?
Well, it isn’t. Not in today’s highly competitive online market. All the more so due to the Coronavirus pandemic, which causes explosive sales growth for Asian ecommerce retailers. The time people spend online is increasing — and it’s no passing trend. Therefore, whether you have a big corporate website or a blog for your personal brand, to stay competitive, your site needs to keep up with the times in terms of both looks and functionality.
In this post, we’ll list the top 4 reasons to update your website:
Why you should update your website
1. Stay up to date with design trends
The appearance of your website is a direct reflection of your business. You need to position yourself and your company as an authority in your field. First impressions are vital to portraying this vision, so it is critical that you redesign your website regularly to stay on top of the latest design trends.
Likewise, if your site looks outdated and structured poorly, potential clients may subconsciously think that your business is outdated and structured poorly as well. Your website should highlight your products and/or services in a positive light that encourages visitors to find out more about you, which potentially leads them to hire you or purchase your products.
Your website should also be designed to look nice and be easy to navigate on multiple device types. Regardless of whether visitors view your website from a desktop computer, laptop, tablet or mobile phone, it should dynamically adjust for each of these devices. You don’t want to alienate any potential clients, so it’s imperative that you maintain a responsive design that accommodates all modern devices.
2. Make sure it’s always up to speed
One of the main problems in our everyday lives is that we don’t have enough time to do everything. No one will hang out on a website that takes too long to load. In fact, slow loading speed is the number one reason for a high bounce rate.
A number of things affect website loading speed. One of them is, of course, the way the site is made. If you check out the latest trends in web development technology, you’ll see that a great number of them are aimed at making pages load faster. Applying new technologies can lower your website’s bounce rate and improve your Google ranking.
But technology isn’t the only thing that can make your website slow. Old themes are one of the main causes of slow websites. Other causes include cluttered UIs, and heavy image and video files.
3. Improve its security
If you are using a content management system (and you really should be) or any web-based software, then it is vitally important to keep it updated with the latest security patches and bug fixes. You don’t have to be running an e-commerce site for hackers to want to break into your website. Often times, hackers will break into a website and upload Trojan and malware for use in their other attack schemes.
One of the primary ways hackers gain access to a site is through outdated software. As security patches become available, hackers will try to take advantage of websites that are not pro-active in updating the software on their sites. The last thing you want is for your visitors to get infected by software downloaded from your site. If Google detects malware on your website, they will likewise delist your site until you get it fixed.
4. Update your content regularly
Last but not least, you have to make sure that your website is always updated with relevant content — which will keep visitors there and make them visit again.
First impressions may be mostly controlled by the overall design of your website, but that is only the beginning. Once you’ve grabbed their attention, you need to further interest them with great content. Your written words should be interesting while also providing important information about the products and/or services you offer.
When updating or redesigning your website, this is a great opportunity to fine-tune your content. Be sure to write copy that is simple, on-target, and effective. Remember, you only have 2 to 4 seconds to engage your visitors and hopefully convert them into customers — this isn’t just about wowing them with graphics — you have to use keywords and phrases that grab their interest.
Key Takeaways
The benefits of updating your website are huge. Regularly updated quality content can bring you to the top of organic search rankings, and a modern look shows your customers you’re keeping up with the times. Using the latest technology keeps your website safe and earns trust among users and search engines alike.
So how often should you redesign your website? Experts say that 2 to 3 years is the maximum lifetime for a website design-wise. Longer than that and it faces the danger of falling into oblivion. Using new technologies can bring many benefits to your website and your business, help you attract new customers, and eventually increase your profits.
Need help with updating your website? Get in touch with our Web Xperts now!
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