The internet is the first place people go when they are looking for services. Having a website that is optimized, signals to search engines, like Google, that you’re a business worth being found. It is your 24/7 salesperson and though it can be an investment, it’s definitely one of the most powerful marketing tools your company has.
6 Reasons You Need a New Website in 2022
There are many reasons that you might need a new website, but if your goal is to grow and thrive in this climate, you need to consider the following factors:
1. You Don’t Have a Website
If you don’t currently have a website, your first step is to connect with me so we can get you started with creating one. Almost all of your potential customers are looking for services online, and without a website, you are seriously hurting your business by handing your customers over to your competitors who already have an online presence. You might have survived for this long on word of mouth marketing, which is amazing, but if your name is being shared and people can’t find you on Google, they’ll likely search elsewhere! You’re also hurting your credibility by not having a website for potential customers to learn more about your services, and how they can best acquire them.
2. Your Website Wasn’t Built to be Mobile-Friendly
Your customers are living on their phones, especially these days. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re missing out on a majority of your market, and again, handing your customers over to your competitors. Your site users are researching online and 70% of them are on their phones. Don’t let so many potential customers slip through your fingers by having a website that’s not optimized for mobile.
3. Your Site Loads in More Than 3 Seconds
Did you know that 53% of users will leave a website if it takes more than 3 seconds to load? Not only does a slow site aggravate your potential customers, but it also negatively impacts how you rank on Google. Check out Google Test My Site to see how your site is performing from a speed perspective.
4. Your Website is Not User Friendly
This is crucial. Your customer must know what they should do when they end up on your website. It should be clear what services you provide and how they can obtain them. The homepage of your website is the first impression of your company for the majority of potential customers. Therefore you want to be sure your messaging is crystal clear, in both the design and the user experience of the site. In the same vein, if your company has evolved or grown over the last few years, you’ve likely added some additional services, products, or even employees which means that your website doesn’t represent your company accurately anymore. Having everything up to date and accurate, lets your clients know exactly who they’re working with and what services they’ll be getting.
5. Your Site is Not SEO Friendly
Your website needs to be maximized for search engine optimization and that doesn’t mean useless tactics to get your website to: “number 1 on Google” because even Google says this isn’t possible. This is the long game – creating a website that can be crawled or visited efficiently and content that is easy for Google to interpret. Google analyzes both the text and non-text content, as well as the overall visual layout to decide where it should appear in the search results. This essentially means that if Google can properly understand your site, you’re more likely to be matched with people who are looking for your services.
6. Your Website is Not Secure
This is another important piece for building trust with your customers, in addition to improving your Google ranking. If you have a contact form on your website and you’re gathering names, emails, or phone numbers on your site, by not having a secure website, you’re putting all of that customer data at risk. If you depend on leads or sales inquiries, your site needs to be secure so that users don’t leave your site before giving you their contact details. If they see that “not secure” warning, the odds are they’re not going to give you their information.
