Thinking About a Website Refresh? 3 Signs It’s Time

Often, people put off website refresh projects because they can be time-consuming and expensive. But would you let your office furniture age until stuffing is spilling from the seams? Would you leave the same merchandise on your store shelves for years to get dusty? Of course not! Then why would you let your website, which is often the first place customers find you, fall into ugly disrepair? Research shows a clear link between the state of your website and your credibility. Don’t turn customers away before they even really consider you. If you answer yes to most of the following questions, it’s time for a website refresh.

Is there a mismatch between your brand and your website?

If your website is very different from the personality of your personnel or physical location, you may be giving your prospective customers whiplash. A consistent brand identity is a key part of establishing credibility and trust.

It’s natural (and even good) for your branding to evolve over time. As your business grows and changes, so does its personality and identity. If your website’s design no longer lines up with your brand, it’s time for a change. The good news is that often, this kind of change can be performed non-invasively and at a relatively low cost to you. Furthermore, it can improve your clients’ impression of your business.

Is your site difficult to use?

Unless your website is attractive and intuitive, people are likely to leave before they even get started. One of the many issues that can inhibit easy usability is that your website may not be optimized for a diverse range of devices and browsers. If your business site is 5+ years old, developers probably created it with desktop users in mind. However, by 2025, 72% of internet users will access the web with their smartphones exclusively. If your content doesn’t display well across all screen sizes and browsers, it’s time for a web refresh. 

There’s another issue that goes beyond attractiveness, and that’s accessibility. People with visual, fine motor, or other impairments may not be able to navigate your site unless it was set up with their needs in mind. Since the CDC reports that 26% of Americans are affected by a disability, making your site accessible is critical. You can read more about web accessibility here. Digital accessibility isn’t a niche need – it’s something every website should have, because it benefits all users.

Does your site load slowly?

Think about the last time you navigated to a website and then, after a few seconds, hit the back button because it wasn’t loading fast enough. If you’re anything like me, it was probably a day or two ago – definitely within the last week. This happens all the time. Nothing dissuades customers faster than a site that doesn’t load rapidly. Often, a website refresh can quickly solve this problem.

A website refresh is an investment. But can your business afford to have a site that drives customers away with its outdated branding, poor user experience, and long wait times? If you’re done fighting with a technologically dated site, contact us today for a quote about upgrading or replacing your site.