Websites, like most other functional tools, need to be maintained to stay useful. In some of our previous entries, we’ve looked at reasons to update specific parts or aspects of your website (search engine optimization, local SEO, etc.), but it’s also important to be able to recognize when a more generalized overhaul might be necessary. Luckily, there are a few easy-to-monitor metrics that you can use to guide your evaluations on that front.
The Symptoms of an Outdated/Underutilized Website
In some cases, the need for updates will be relatively obvious. If your website looks and functions exactly the same way it did a year ago, then updates are almost certainly required; search engines (especially Google) prioritize frequently refreshed websites in their results. In other words, even great design and content become “outdated” for SEO purposes if crawlers aren’t prompted to freshly index your site from time to time. In the same vein, the keywords that are relevant to your business will almost certainly change/evolve over time; regularly updating the elements of your website means you have a better chance of staying current. If you notice new verbiage popping up consistently in your competitors’ websites or marketing materials, it’s likely that you’re falling behind the curve in that regard.
On the other hand, some indicators aren’t as cut-and-dried. Maybe your traffic is increasing but your conversions are staying flat or falling (either the real number or the total share of conversions). You might not think your website is the issue in that case since you’re gaining new, unique visitors, but some outdated or off-putting element (old content, use of antiquated or otherwise depreciated terminology, hard-to-navigate design) might be stopping them from buying/signing up/subscribing/whatever. Or it could be nothing to do with your website at all. In those cases, consulting an expert may be the best course of action.
In short, if your website hasn’t been refreshed in months or you find that the number of responding to your calls to action has trailed off, some kind of work is probably necessary. If you can identify one glaring cause, fixing that may be enough. But if you can’t point to any one issue causing the pain, a more comprehensive update is probably warranted.
IDMI.Net’s Services
We offer a slate of design and content services that will bring just about any website out of the dark ages and into the modern era. Our graphics design services—which can include logo work—are perfect for websites with a dated aesthetic or functionality. Whether your business needs to establish consistent, visually appealing branding or reinforce/revamp a successful professional identity, the team at IDMI.Net can help. And our web designers are second to none whether you need a visual overhaul or not; the websites that we build work as intended across the most prevalent platforms of today, whether they’re composed of simple text and images or complex, searchable databases (which we also work on). Whatever you need in terms of functionality and aesthetics, we can deliver.
Of course, we don’t just stop with those basic (and less basic) design elements. We also offer one-stop ecommerce solutions that make selling online incredibly easy. From revamped item descriptions to complete storefront overhauls, the team at IDMI.Net can help you make your storefront one that’s secure and comfortable for users to shop. Whether you’re interested in a minimalist storefront to sell a few artisan products with flair or an e-commerce giant, we can bring your vision to life. And we’ll make sure that you have the control you need over your own store; every e-commerce site includes a slate of administrative capabilities so that you can keep your product listings up-to-date and accurate.
Not Sure Where to Start?
Keeping and maintaining a website isn’t an easy task, but it’s necessary labor if you want to succeed in our increasingly digital world. Our qualified professionals can help make almost every facet of the equation easier. Even if you aren’t certain about what, exactly, needs done, if you have the feeling that your website is underperforming then don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Our business is helping our clients build their business—contact us to find out what we can do for you.