Knowing When to Update Your Website: Part I

When it’s more than five years old.

Chances are, if your website is more than five years old, it’s visual styling and coding are outdated. And truth be told, it could take even less than five years for your website to start showing its age.

The digital world is constantly evolving—web standards shift, new tools and technologies are developed, trends come and go. What worked when your website first launched—in terms of both appearance and functionality—may not work anymore. Perhaps your clients’ tastes have changed or your site’s code isn’t compatible with all browsers. Issues like these are good indicators that your site is out of date.

Modern looks and functionality are key to a successful website. You should always ensure that your UI/UX are optimized, and that means updating your website every few years.

When it no longer reflects your brand.

Whether your business experiences a significant rebranding or simply evolves and grows into something more, your website should always be updated to reflect your brand. It may seem obvious to redo your website after a company rebrand, but some not so obvious times when you should consider making changes to your website include:

• If your brand messaging has evolved. (“Our brand mission has expanded.”)
• If your visual style has evolved. (“We want to appear more modern and edgy.”)
• If your photography style has evolved. (“We’ve shifted from an editorial style to a more informal style.”)
• If you’re offering new products/services. (“We now have and online store in addition to our brick-and-mortar store.”)

When it's not mobile-friendly.

Today’s world is dominated by smartphones, and the likelihood that a user will visit your website from a mobile device is decidedly high. That said, your website needs to be responsive. If users can’t easily navigate your website from their phone, they can become frustrated and potentially leave the site—taking their business elsewhere.

Mobile-optimized design not only makes for better UI/UX, but it also helps your Google search ranking. Mobile users make up over 50% of online traffic, and so your website’s ranking is in part based on how much traffic is being generated from its mobile version.

Check your stats via your Google Analytics account, and see what devices your website is being accessed from.

When it’s difficult to navigate.

A clear and concise navigation structure makes for a simple and stress-free user experience. A confusing and convoluted navigation structure can create an unpleasant and frustrating experience.

Consider how easy it is to find information or complete a task on your website—especially for first-time users. A positive user experience relies heavily on the structural integrity of a website.

Ready for an upgrade?

If your website has one or more of these characteristics, it’s time for an update.

Our Ingenious team is eager to assist you in defining your brand’s online presence. Get the conversation started by emailing us at info@ingenious.org or by calling 716-855-8550.

Stay tuned for Part II...