As a web developer, it can come as a surprise when a client doesn’t recognize when their website begins to look outdated. I suppose, if you aren’t working in this industry and regularly utilizing technology, it can go unnoticed. However, it should not and business owners should know that when their website is lacking in usability and design, customers will notice. It can even be a deciding factor for a potential client or customer so it is crucial that businesses stay current with how they elect to represent their business. With how fast technology is changing, it is imperative that business owners commit to updating their websites once they begin to look or feel dated.
In reality, a solid website that proves to represent a company well, should be constantly changing in some manner. For instance, an e-commerce website should be keeping their inventory up-to-date while an event planner or photographer, should be utilizing their portfolio to show the most recent samples of their work. As mentioned in this informative post titled – 8 Ways to Tell if Your Website Needs to Be Updated, written by Emily Carter of business2community.com, many business owners do act on the belief that if it isn’t broken, there is no need to fix it. Others, may just opt out of redesigning their website every few years because yes, it does cost money and it can be time consuming. The easiest way to deal with something that isn’t broken is to essentially, not deal with it at all but business owners should beware. An archaic website will turn-off potential customers and the money you save in not investing in an updated website, you will inevitably lose in your failure to acquire new customers. Unfortunately, for those that aren’t technology buffs, this is the harsh reality that comes with running a successful business in a society that is so technologically savvy.
For website owners that struggle with making regular design updates, the article I referenced earlier, does a great job at outlining deciding factors indicating it is time to update your site. It is probably a good idea to take a look at the article because even if your website is relatively new, as of April 2015, search engines place a strong emphasis on websites being mobile friendly when it comes to rankings.
