The average lifespan of a website is 2 years and 4 months. In the financial industry, it’s only 2 years and 2 months. If you’re surprised, don’t feel bad. That feels short to me too.
In fact, I believe too many people jump into redesigns when they aren’t needed. Instead, they should be conducting an audit and/or usability testing and making improvements to their existing site.
Unfortunately, there are circumstances when a new website is a necessity. If you can relate to any of these statements, it’s time for a new site.
Your website isn’t responsive
As of February 2022, 51% of total web visits are coming from mobile devices. And that number is climbing. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re missing out on HALF of your potential customers/clients! And if that isn’t enough of a reason, Google gives preference to mobile-friendly sites in search results.
Your website hasn’t grown with your company
Oftentimes businesses change as they grow. Perhaps you’re working in a new niche, have a new target market, or are offering a different type of product. If your website no longer aligns with your business, you could be sending the wrong message.
Your website is no longer useful
When you built your site, you may not have realized exactly how you would be using it. Now that you’re up and running, you may find that your current site is lacking features or capabilities you (or your customers) need. If your website is no longer serving you, or you find yourself directing your customers to external sites to get the job done, it’s time to consider creating something that will actually work for you.
Your website looks dated and unprofessional
If you’ve been too busy to keep your site updated, that’s nothing to be ashamed of. But, if it looks like your site was designed ten years ago, you may be hurting your brand. It may not seem that important. But consider these statistics:
- 75% of people base the credibility of a business on how their website looks
- 94% of people say web design is the reason they mistrust a website
- 94% of first impressions are design-related on websites
- 89% of consumers shop with a competitor after a poor website user experience
Credibility and trust are EXTREMELY valuable. If your website is poorly designed or outdated, you could be turning potential customers away.
Your site is impossible to update without a designer or developer
If your site is built on a complex system or hand-coded, it probably runs like a champ. But, it’s probably impossible to update. Think of the time and energy you could save if you didn’t have to involve an outside professional every time you wanted to post something new. Creating a new site on a content management platform like WordPress will allow you and your team to easily update your site yourself.
Don’t let your website hold your business back. If you’re facing one or more of these issues, it may be time to think about a new site.
If you’re ready to make the leap, and would enjoy an easy expedited process driven by a digital marketing pro, please reach out to connect on LinkedIn — I’d love to help you!
