How Do I Know if My Website is Outdated?

Is Your Website Out of Date – Is It Performing?

Most businesses, no matter the sector, have a website. For the user, your business’ website serves as a point of contact and a source of information about you and the product and/or service. The health of your website not only affects your business’ growth but can also lend a lasting impression, good or bad, upon the user. Identifying how well or how poorly your website is functioning is pertinent to finding a solution that turns your diminishing statistics into rising successes.

• Is your website under-performing?
• Has your conversion rate decreased?
• Is your business experiencing trouble growing and remaining competitive?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above chances are that your business’ website is due for an upgrade. A website refresh will wake up your website and bring it back to life and in line with the users of today.

10 Warning Signs your Website is Outdated

There are multiple indicators that a website is out of date. Here, I have compiled a list of 10 warning signs to look out for. If you are experiencing any of the listed outdated measures it is likely that your website urgently needs an upgrade.

1. Your Website is Not Mobile Friendly / Not Responsive

A non-responsive website is on that does not load a customized mobile friendly view. The mobile friendly view is one viewed from a mobile device or tablet. A responsive website template will detect the type of device, browser or monitor that your visitor is using and will adjust the format accordingly. This technology comes standard now with almost all newer website building platforms and because of this users will expect a website that is responsive.

2. Your Website is Slow to Load

The ideal website load time is between 2 and 5 seconds; many users report leaving a website after 4 seconds when the home page fails to load. A slow website loses customers and fails to enlist the interest of future customers.  Website page speed is also important because it factors into the ranking of one’s website. This is to be considered very important if your goal is to rank well with Google. According to SEMrush.com, if your site loads in 5 seconds it is considered faster than 25% of the web; in 2.9 seconds rated faster than 50%; in 0.8 seconds rated faster than 94%. The fastest your website loads, the higher it is ranked and the more favoured it becomes among Search Engines. If your website is slow to load it is an indicator that an update is due.

3. Your Website is More Than 3 Years Old

As technology and trends evolve faster and faster, the shelf life of a website becomes increasingly less. Any website that is older than 3 years requires an evaluation and most likely an upgrade. If your website’s information has not been touched in over a year, then adding fresh content is required as is a plan for to refresh again in another three years time.  There are many websites online that are 5+ years old and when you happen upon one it quickly becomes evident. When this happens, keep in mind your experience and how that experience might compare to the experience of your users.

4. Your Website is Not User Friendly

For a website to be deemed user friendly the navigation and flow of information must be clear and unobstructed. If your users find your navigation confusing or if the information flow is unclear you will notice that your bounce rate is high. Has anyone ever told you that they couldn’t find something on your website? If users are unable to find the information they came seeking, they will leave and may not return. A website that is not user friendly is a website that becomes a nuisance and left behind. If your website’s bounce rate is high, perhaps it’s time for an upgrade.

5. Your Website Uses Too Many Fonts or Colours

A strong website boasts a strong branding foundation. Branding foundations ensure that your business’ message and image are aligned with what is relevant and appropriate. The use of particular fonts and colors can date the look of a website just as using too many varieties of fonts and colours can. Current trends are showing website design with clean lines and visually pleasing, easy to navigate layouts. Limiting the number of fonts used in both graphics and copy, in addition to selecting a colour scheme can help to ensure your website (and in turn your brand) is viewed as professional, relevant and up to date.

6. Your Website Has a Hit Counter from 1998

No really…….if your website has a Hit Counter installed it is out of date. Full Stop. Thankfully, I have a solution! Give me a call. I would be happy to discuss what can be done to ensure that your website is fully operational, up to date and a pleasure to navigate.

7. Your Website Has Stale Content

Stale Content refers to content that no longer directs traffic to your website. Search engine optimization relies on fresh content, among other things, to rank websites. Stale content can negatively impact your website’s ranking.  This issue can go hand-in-hand with your website’s age. A website needs a consistent and steady flow of new content to benefit your users and intice them to return. A website is more than just a business directory or static pages of information and images. Adding fresh content on a regular basis also benefits better Search Engine Optimization (SEO) results.

8. Your Website Has Broken Links and 404 Errors

Broken Links and 404 Errors can negativity impact your website’s SEO ranking, not to mention add frustration to the user experience. There are some instances that errors and broken links are not reported and go unseen, if you are wondering if there are any errors on your website, Dufferin Media currently offers a FREE website audit and would be happy to take a look.

9. Your Website Has Sound That Plays Automatically

Another indicator of an outdate website practice is that of the automatic soundtrack activated when a user first lands on a website. In the words of my teenage daughter, this practice is just “cringy.” There was a brief period of time when it was acceptable to have audio and video set to autoplay. That time has long since passed. If your website plays any sort of audio or video automatically it is a sure sign that your website is out of date. This type of feature can serve as a deterrent with a negative impact.

10. Your Website Has No Social Media Links

Lastly, there is no getting away from Social Media. It is a key part of your online business foundations, and to use it in conjunction with your website is a necessary piece of successfully doing business today. If your website is not integrated or does not indicate any sort of direction to your Social Media Links and Sharing Options then your website needs some love and attention.