As I go through the process of re-designing the Bauerhaus Design website, I got to thinking: what are the signs that you need a new website?
It’s been over 3 years since you created your website
Technology is moving so fast, that a website from 3 years ago isn’t going to have the same benefits as now. With the popularity of smart phones, websites are now are built so they are “responsive” which means the size of your website adjusts based on your browser size. That way phone, tablet and desktop users all see a website that is clean and organized.
You have changed your positioning or niche
As a business owner you are constantly trying out new things. What sells best? Which type of customer spends the most money? Because of this, what worked for you 3 years ago, may not be who you are targeting now. By re-designing your website specifically for your targeted niche, you can create specific calls to action and convert more visitors to clients. For more on the benefits on a niche, read 4 ways to get more customers.
You need to add a blog
A blog is your opportunity to add new content specifically targeting your niche. For example, do you know that many of your clients are also avid golfers? Write to that audience. In “A Website that Works” Mark O’Brien shared this tip – if you add a minimum of 2,000 words per month to your website, Google will automatically place you higher than your competitor that has a static website that never changes. While creating content does take a lot of work, O’Brien estimates that you can easily get 20% of your leads through your website. For more reasons on why you should add a blog, read How to be number 1 on Google. Also, read Why your business should use content marketing.
You want to make daily or weekly updates to your website
By using a Content Management System(CMS), like WordPress, you can easily update your website without having to hire a web designer each time you want to add a photo or change some text. This gives you more control than past websites and also lets you play around with the order of things. For example, do you get more email newsletter sign ups when the sign up button is first in the sidebar? Or when it is at the end of each blog post? With a CMS like WordPress, you can constantly tweak your website.
Why I’m ready for a new website
While my own website is created in WordPress and I actively blog, its been over 3 years since it was first created. Since then I’ve refined my niche and want to create a website with more specific calls to action. Just like print ads should always include a call to action, so should your website. No longer can you rely on “if you build it, they will come mentality.” Instead you need to have set steps you want your customer to take to ultimately become a customer.
Do you have a sales funnel set up on your website? Do you know what plan of action you want potential customers to take on your website? If not, contact me at [email protected] for a free 30 minute phone call.