You’ve spent months perfecting your website to get it right. You’ve picked the perfect fonts, designed an eye-catching logo that speaks to your next client’s soul, and created a brand message that fits your company to a “T”. You proudly give out your website info to all of your clients, handing out your business cards right and left… And then you don’t touch your website again for six months, okay, a year. Well, truthfully… it’s been so long that you forgot your login and password. But you’re paying for the hosting and domain, so there’s no harm, right? The address and contact info are still the same, so there is no harm there. Right? Only if you don’t mind losing clients and potential income.
Here are 4 Reasons it Pays to Update Your Website:
- Search Engines Like New Content: The more you update your site with quality content about your business, the easier it is to find. Gone are the days when you could use the same keyword 20 times, all over an article or web page, and call it a day. Search engines like new content because it gives them reasons to crawl (scan) your sites. The more times they crawl, the better chance you have of being found because it increases your search engine rank over your competitors. (This is why updating your content by posting blogs or news and events about your business on a consistent basis can help create new traffic on your site!) If you spend all of this time creating your perfect website, it only works if people can find you.
- As Your Business Evolves, So Should Your Website: For many new business owners, when they create their business, they have big ideas about who their customers will be and what products or services they think will sell, like hotcakes. And they create a site that showcases those things. Then, they run their business for a year or so and realize their number one product is something they didn’t even think about until six months after the site was built. Or the ideal client they hoped to attract is too limited (or too broad) in scope (or revenue!), and they need to adjust their aim to bring in the clients they really want. If your website reflects a client you no longer want or a service you no longer enjoy providing, then it will attract all of the wrong people. Your website is supposed to work for you, not against you. Don’t be afraid to adjust your message accordingly.
- Your Website Looks Out of Style or Is Hard to Navigate: When you created your site, it was on trend for the times. But maybe social media wasn’t the big deal then that it is now. Or maybe you’re using a platform that makes it hard to update your site or add blog posts without calling your website designer. Or maybe it isn’t easy to read on the latest mobile device. These things are signs that it’s time to update your website. Even if you love the content, if it’s not easy to navigate, then your potential clients will just go to another site that is.
- Your Website Isn’t Keeping Up with Your Competitors: When you search for a service or article online, we all know more than one result comes up. So I recommend that you check out your competitors in your market to see how you compare online. I believe everyone should research competitors at least annually to compare user experiences, design aesthetics, website features, and services. Technology and trends move fast. If your website looks dated compared to your competitors, it will hold your business back from new visitors even if you provide the best service.
Not too long ago, it was considered enough if you just had a web presence. But now you know differently. If you want to attract your ideal client and give them an easier way to find you, then updating your website consistently pays for itself. Do you have a website that isn’t performing how you’d like, but you’re overwhelmed by where to start? Contact Diane for a Website Audit here: http://tinyurl.com/2s457ju5