At the beginning of the year, many businesses begin implementing their newly created 2010 business and marketing plans. If you haven’t already done so, now is also the perfect time to think about redesigning that tired old website to align it with these new plans.
As you will already be aware, it is important to not neglect your corporate website. Visitors can and generally do make assumptions about your organisation within the first few seconds of landing on your site, and will swiftly decide to stay or leave your website. Statistically, visitors will navigate away from a website that appears dated or receives little attention to updates. Your website makes a statement about your business and projects an image. It reflects on your products/services and if your site does not project an image of high quality standards then it is probably time for some changes.
No matter what your business is, first impressions will always be crucial for visitor retention. Knowing this, do you think your website properly represents you and your current business model?
To help answer this question, we have created the following checklist to assist you in evaluating your website and determine if you should consider a redesign.
My website...
- does not align with my current business goals and strategy.
- does not complement my online and offline marketing efforts.
- is not listed on Google, Yahoo, Bing or other search engines’ result page.
- is not search engine friendly.
- is not displayed properly in the latest web browsers.
- is cluttered with flashing graphics, images, and content.
- has not been updated in years because it’s not easy to do so.
- has outdated information.
- contains mistakes, typos, and broken links.
- is made up of entirely static content.
- has a high bounce rate (visitors find your site and leave immediately).
- is difficult to use and navigate around in.
- is difficult to read (font, size, colour, structure).
- does not generate enough sales or leads.
If any of the above statements are true, it is definitely time to consider an update or even a complete website redesign. To be successful, your website should accurately reflect your current corporate image and provide additional value to your audience.
Once you have decided that a website update/redesign is required, you should also evaluate the benefits of implementing sound SEO tactics. There is little value in having a great website when it’s not ranking well in search engines (not easily found by your target audience). Follow this link to find out more about the importance of SEO.
TIP: Ensure that the website development company you hire has sound knowledge and experience with SEO to avoid costly mistakes. SEO efforts will be more effective when provisions for it are incorporated into the website infrastructure.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for an obligation free discussion regarding your website and SEO requirements and your available options.
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