Is Your Website Outdated? 5 Signs You Need an Upgrade

In the contemporary business landscape, having a website is not just a luxury—it's a non-negotiable cornerstone of your marketing toolkit.

However, we often stumble into the pitfall of treating it as a one-time endeavor. You might get the website up and running initially, only to overlook the necessity of periodic updates. The design, akin to any tangible entity, undergoes the natural erosion of time. It becomes imperative to stay attuned to industry trends and the evolving needs of your clientele.

Have you ever pondered why, five years down the line, your website seems to have vanished from everyone's RSS feed?

If you find yourself contemplating whether your website requires a touch-up to align with the contemporary landscape, here are a few unmistakable signs to be mindful of:

1. Outdated website design

Is your website starting to look a bit old-fashioned? You're not alone! Outdated designs can make users uneasy and even question the safety of your site. It's crucial to keep up with the times to maintain trust and engagement.

If your website isn't visually appealing, it's time for a makeover. Think of it like giving your online space a fresh coat of paint to entice visitors and encourage interaction.

Take mobile-friendliness, for instance – it's a big deal these days. Older designs may not cut it on smaller screens, so if your site hasn't had a facelift in the last three years, it could be falling behind for mobile users.

Don't let your audience think you're stuck in the past. Compare your site with ones you enjoy browsing, and if it's falling short, consider enlisting the help of a web design agency to bring it up to speed. It's like giving your digital home a stylish renovation!

2. Poor user experience on your website

Is your website feeling clunky, tough to navigate, or just not visually appealing? It might be time for a refresh to bring in a breath of fresh air.

Think of your website as the face of your business—it's often the first thing potential customers encounter, like your storefront. Does that thought fill you with confidence about your website?

Ask yourself these questions:

• How many pages does a visitor need to go through to find what they're looking for?

• Is your navigation bar easy to use and not overcrowded?

• Is your text easy to read, or is it in large, daunting chunks?

3. Not optimized for mobile

Close to 60% of website traffic originates from mobile devices, and it's highly likely that a significant portion of your potential customers falls within this percentage.

As per BrightEdge, mobile optimization entails tailoring your website content to offer a personalized experience for mobile users. This involves automatic adjustment of content to fit the mobile device screen, ensuring that features such as videos, images, and buttons are appropriately sized for easy viewing and interaction. Mobile-optimized sites often promote seamless scrolling and feature an easily navigable menu.

While a satisfactory user experience stands as a pivotal aspect of a mobile website, it doesn't conclude there. Notably, Google assigns lower search rankings to websites that lack mobile optimization.

To ascertain the mobile-friendliness of your site, leverage Google's Mobile-Friendly Test. This tool not only provides a snapshot of how your site loads on mobile but also highlights potential issues like small text, unloadable resources, or content width.

4. Not performing well in search

When it comes to being noticed online, organic search is your go-to—those unpaid results on a Google search page. It's like a free ticket to beat your competitors and have potential customers find your business first.

To ace organic search, you need content—like web pages, videos, blogs, and case studies—that's tailored to what people are searching for. Your content should answer their questions, educate them, and build trust, setting the stage for informed sales talks.

But it's not just about tossing out a few random blog posts. Google checks other things, like how users experience your site, bounce rate, search intent, broken links, and more.

If your site isn't ranking well on Google, it's a sign that it's time for an update. And don't worry, you don't always need a complete website makeover. Here are some quick fixes:

• Plan your content based on keyword research.

• Keep a regular schedule for posting new content—every six months won't do the trick.

• Get a Google Search Console account and share your sitemap. It helps spot which pages are doing well, any crawlability issues, and more.

• Use Google PageSpeed Insights to check on things like page load speed and SEO best practices.

These steps include simple actions, from adjusting images to improving blog posts, and can make a big difference in how your site shows up in search results.

5. When content management system is a nightmare 

The backbone of a website lies in its Content Management System (CMS). This is where you make updates to your design, add or remove content, and create new pages. If your CMS is cumbersome, necessitates constant designer or developer involvement for minor adjustments, or lacks a comprehensive set of features, it will inevitably be reflected in the user experience of your site.

When contemplating a new CMS, you have several options for updating your website. This could involve migrating your existing site to a new platform or opting for a complete redesign and relaunch on a new solution. Many businesses see a new CMS as an opportunity for the letter—a chance to revamp their entire digital presence.

With numerous options available, HubSpot's CMS Hub stands out for its backend flexibility and the provision of a personalized, secure user experience. It boasts a user-friendly drag-and-drop website builder that doesn't require custom code. Beyond simplicity, it offers features like mobile optimization, built-in SEO tools, robust security, and detailed analytics—all without the complications of messy integrations or plugins.