If you own a business then you most likely own a website. It is an essential marketing tool for your business to be found and to give information on what you do. Many people however only see this as just a must-have and don’t really think of it as a powerful marketing platform to both attract new customers and to get more leads. Let’s discuss why your website might need a refresh.
Change in Technology
A lot of small businesses would have built their website when they first started. It just sat in the corner like a good little website. Occasionally you would hear from it when someone would send you an email or called you to find out more information, but other than that it really doesn’t bring much return on your investment. Your website is now 5,6,7 or even close to 10 years old now and when comparing yourself to the market you see it could use an update but have no idea where to start. Your business has grown and it is time to think about letting your website help you grow even further.
Let’s talk about some of the advancements in website technology that could help bring your website into the future.
Content Management System (CMS)
If your website is old, then one of the biggest things that might be wrong with it, is that your information has changed, ie opening hours have changed, you don’t offer that product anymore and so on. As you are most likely not a web developer, you may not have an idea on how to update all this code. This is where a CMS comes in. This allows you to log in to a portal and select the page you want to quickly, easily and without hassle update what you need to without being a coder and without spending heaps of money to get info changed. The most popular CMS on the market is WordPress because of a number of reasons. Check out another article we wrote about why WordPress is the best.
Mobile Devices
As you should be aware mobile devices are extremely popular for consumers as it is the connection to the rest of the world in the palm of our hands. As a business owner, you need to be aware that this is 100% the best way to connect to your customers. If you don’t have a website that is mobile optimised a couple of things will happen.
1. You don’t look like a trusted source of information and your customers struggle to connect with you because they find it really hard to read your website;
2. And, most importantly a website that is not optimised for mobile means that Google the biggest search platform in the world will punish you for not having a site that meets up with today’s standards. They do this by pushing your listing down the page and make room for a website that is mobile optimised.
Change in Design Trend
Like anything, a website will go through design trends. However, these trends may not last very long in the digital space because of the rapid growth of technology and internet speed. Having a website that just looks outdated really does not make you look like a trusted and reliable source of information. Now, I know what you are thinking, it is all about the information and not how it looks which for the most part that is true. But it is all about capturing a customer in the first 15 seconds they enter your site. Here is a great article about the 15-second rule. Once you have their attention you need to focus them in the right direction quickly to get that potential lead. This can’t just happen if your site looks outdated and does not stack up against your competition. You need a website that is bold and attention-grabbing.
With all the advancements in technology, it is a simple click of a button to update your website – with a user-friendly CMS. Always updating your content, pictures and site layout help to keep your customers engaged and Google happy.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
If your website does not have SEO then your website is pointless. No one can find you without having the right guidance and signs to point customers in the right direction. This is were having SEO and a modern website come in. There are many factors that lead to having a website that can be seen on a search engine. Some of these include site speed, website looks and user flow, keywords and key phrase, being mobile-optimised, having the right code markup to allow search engines to crawl your site and the list goes on. If you have an out-dated website or a website that was not built correctly to start then there is going to be a lot of problems to try and make your website be seen. This is why sometimes it is a good idea just to start again.
External Tools to Boost your Ranking
When you are building a new website it is also a good idea to think about what other tools you can use to help build an online presence and get your name heard. One way to do this is to think of your website as the home base of information about your business, the leading marketing tool to get more customers. We need to also utilise today’s tools to help us get the best return. Some of these tools are. Google tools such as; Google Analytics, Google My Business, Google Tag Manager, Google Ads and social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and so on. Having the right website that can utilise and be optimised for each one of these tools is really important when it comes to building a website that meets today’s standards.
The world of websites is ever-changing and you need to have a platform that allows for growth without being a money pit that keeps sucking your marketing dollars dry. A website that has a solid base that can be built on by you and not locked to a developer is a website that will allow for design changes without having to break the bank to get it done.
Patorama is a full-service digital design agency that understands that power of what a website is and what it can do to grow you a larger customer base. We are not just a hired developer. We take the time to understand your business goals and make ways for those goals to align with your website. Using it not as just a must-have for any business but a really strong marketing tool that will allow your company to grow. We do all this while educating you and making sure you stay in control throughout the process.
Contact us today to see how we can help you take your website from drab to a kick-ass marketing tool for the future.