The development of technology is fast moving, new gadgets, apps and web tools see trends change faster than in almost any other medium. These technological advancements lead to huge changes within the website/e-commerce world. Drop shadows which were vogue three years ago are now obsolete replaced by a near-obsessive love of flatness.
The danger each online business faces is getting left behind. Like it or not, the first thing a visitor judges your business on is the aesthetics of your homepage- Do you appear to be trustworthy? Do you look professional? Can they relate to you? They will then move on to assess your products. If your website is perceived as being dated your potential customer will simply click away from your website within seconds leaving you losing out on business, while they go straight to your competitors.
Here are 5 indications which will tell you if your site is badly in need of an overhaul:
Background Music and Intros:
These features were popular in the 90’s, but in today’s fast paced world where online shoppers make purchases while watching the T.V., on public transport, while listening to music, or while hanging out with friends, background music from a website can be an unwelcome intrusion which will make them quickly click away from the website. Intros are also perceived as an irritating hurdle. Your customer wants speed, ease of use, and simplicity. Intros and background music are nothing but a hindrance.
Browser Incompatibility:
A good sign your website is out of date is if it runs best on obsolete or near-obsolete browsers. At the most-extreme end, this will involve people logging on, only to find a message advising them to download Internet Explorer 6. More commonly it’ll manifest itself as a problem with Chrome – despite it now being one of the most popular browsers. Remember: the internet is always changing, and that means you need to invest money in keeping up with it.
Tablet Incompatibility:
Despite smartphones and tablets becoming big business in the last two or three years, many websites remain stubbornly incompatible with handheld devices. With consumers currently pushing away from browsing on laptops and onto smaller gadgets, you must take the steps to make your website smartphone compatible. More and more consumers are choosing to shop online with their mobile phone due to the convenience of shopping quickly on the move, so make sure your website is prepared or you could see a decline in sales and interest.
Your Brand Has Moved On:
If your brand has grown and altered over recent years, it’s easy to let your website slip behind. Amidst all the hard work of setting up new admin systems, developing products, creating a new brand identity etc, it’s easy to forget that you’re no longer the same company you were, and your website needs to change to reflect this. It might not mean a complete website overhaul, but your content might need updating to reflect the change within your business.
A website is meant to be as much of a reflection of your values and ideals as a logo or promotional campaign – if there’s a disconnection between the two, it means you’re not clearly representing your business.
Technological Developments:
Technology has even significantly altered over the past year. It is therefore important your website stays up to date and offers these features, whether it’s the ability to share something through social media, 360 degree photography, or video features etc. While some of these features can be costly to implement, make sure your website doesn’t appear to be left in the 90’s. Template sites are affordable and contemporary with the latest features, so if your business is small scale with a limited budget, there are affordable options for you to stay on trend.
Running an online business can be costly to maintain, website updates can be expensive depending on your web developer and strong photography eats up business budgets quickly. Competition is rife online with most businesses having some sort of online presence. In order to gain some of the profit, you must make sure your website is up to date and relevant.
