Your website is the first touchpoint many customers have with your business and making a great first impression matters. If you're not sure that the impression your website gives is in line with your brand's values, amazing products, and hard-working team, it's probably time to give your web presence a refresh.
Here are some of the key signs that your business needs a brand new or re-designed website.
You're Not Proud of Your Website
Take a critical look at your website's design. Does it reflect your brand accurately? Do you want to show it off to everyone you meet? If your feelings about your website are anything other than 100% happy, just imagine how your customers probably feel! Unfortunately, feeling bored or uninspired by your website probably means that all the potential customers who visit it feel the same way.
Your Design and Functionality Are Outdated
An outdated website design can give off the impression that your business is behind the times or unprofessional. Similarly, if your website is non-responsive and doesn't adapt well to different screen sizes or devices, it can lead to a poor user experience. With more and more people accessing websites from mobile devices, having a mobile-friendly and responsive website is crucial for engaging potential customers.
Your Information Architecture is a Problem
Information architecture refers to the organisation and structure of content on your website. If your website's information architecture is flawed, it can lead to confusion and frustration for both you and your visitors.
Signs of a problematic information architecture include difficulty in finding specific information, a cluttered or disorganised navigation menu, and an overwhelming amount of content without clear categorisation. When your information architecture is lacking, visitors may struggle to locate the information they need, resulting in a poor user experience and potentially driving them away from your site.
A new website can address this issue by implementing a well-thought-out information architecture that prioritises simplicity, logical categorisation, and easy navigation. With a clear and intuitive structure, your website can provide a seamless browsing experience, allowing visitors to find the information they seek efficiently and enhancing their overall satisfaction.
Your Search Engine Visibility is Poor
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is vital for driving organic traffic to your website. If your website is not optimised for search engines, it will struggle to appear in relevant search results. This means you're missing out on valuable opportunities to attract potential customers. A new website with SEO-friendly architecture, optimised content, and proper on-page SEO techniques can significantly improve your search engine rankings and increase your online visibility.
Your Conversion Rates are Low
Your website should be a powerful marketing tool, converting visitors into customers. If you notice a decline in your conversion rates or your website fails to generate leads and sales, it's a clear sign that something needs to change. A new website can incorporate effective call-to-action elements, intuitive navigation, and easy-to-use forms, improving the user experience and encouraging visitors to take action.
Your Pages Load at a Snail's Pace
In today's fast-paced digital world, speed matters. If your website takes too long to load, visitors will become impatient and abandon it. Additionally, search engines like Google consider page speed as a ranking factor, which means a slow website can negatively impact your search engine rankings. A new website built with optimised code, streamlined design, and efficient hosting can drastically improve your page speed, keeping visitors engaged and improving your SEO.
You Struggle to Use Your Own Site
As a business owner or administrator, your website should be intuitive and easy to use, allowing you to manage and update content effortlessly. If you encounter constant difficulties in adding or editing information, uploading images, or maintaining the overall structure of your site, it's a strong indication that your website is not user-friendly.
Investing in a new website can provide you with an easy-to-use content management system (CMS) such as ExpressionEngine or Wordpress that empowers you to take control of your site without technical hurdles. Plus, updating your website so your team can use and update it more easily can save you a significant amount of time in the long-run.
You Can't Integrate With Social Media and Other Marketing Channels
Social media has become an integral part of any business's marketing strategy. If your current website lacks integration with social media platforms, you're missing out on opportunities to engage with your audience and drive traffic to your website.
A new website can seamlessly integrate social media buttons, enabling visitors to share your content and expand your online reach. It can also incorporate other marketing channels, such as email marketing or pay-per-click advertising, to help you achieve your business goals.
Web Development vs Web Design: Which is Best For You?
Okay, so it's clear you need to do something about your website. The next question is: what should you do?
Here at Ryde, we offer both web development and web design services. Which is most suited to your business? Let's take a closer look at the differences between the two and when each option is most appropriate.
Web development
Web development refers to the process of creating and maintaining websites. It involves various technical aspects, such as coding, programming, and database management, to build the functionality and interactivity of a website. Web developers work behind the scenes to bring the design and content of a website to life, ensuring that it operates smoothly and delivers a seamless user experience.
Is web development right for me?
Web development is essential for businesses that require custom website features, complex functionality, or specific integrations. If your business needs a website that goes beyond a simple online presence and requires advanced features such as eCommerce capabilities, user account management, or interactive forms, then web development is the right choice for you. It allows you to create a unique and tailored online platform that meets your specific business requirements.
In short, the key signs that you need a web developer to overhaul new website are:
- Your website's functionalities don't do what you need them to
- You want to incorporate features for eCommerce, bookings forms, or user accounts and user generated content
- Your current CMS isn't intuitive and your team can't use it effectively; you're thinking about moving to a new CMS such as ExpressionEngine or Wordpress
What are the downsides?
Building a whole new website from scratch or making substantial changes to your current site can be more costly and time-consuming than giving it a new design. However, if your current website is holding your business back, you're likely costing your brand customers and sales every day. Hiring a web development agency to turn your website vision into a reality can be the best decision for your ROI.
Web design
Website design focuses on the visual aesthetics and user experience of a website. It involves the creation of the interface's layout, graphical elements, colour schemes, typography, and overall visual appeal of a website. Web designers use their creative skills and knowledge of user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) principles to design visually engaging and intuitive websites that effectively communicate the brand's message and engage visitors.
Is web design right for me?
Web design is crucial for any business that wants to make a strong visual impact and provide a seamless user experience. If you are looking to enhance the visual appeal of your website, improve navigation and ease of use, and create a consistent brand identity across your online presence, then web design is the right choice for you. A well-designed website can attract and retain visitors, increase their engagement with your content, and ultimately drive conversions and business growth. It's also less time-consuming and costly than a complete redevelopment of your website.
In short, the key signs you may need a web design agency are:
- Your website is functional and does what you need it to but looks outdated or boring; you want to update its look and feel
- Your CTR and bounce rates suggest that user experience and navigation problems may be holding your business back
- You've recently undergone a rebrand or brand refresh and want a website that reflects this updated branding
What are the downsides?
One downside of web design is that it primarily focuses on the visual aspects of a website and may not address complex functionality or custom requirements. While web design can greatly enhance the user experience, it may not be sufficient if your business needs advanced features or integrations. In such cases, web development may be necessary to complement the design work.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if your website displays any of the signs mentioned above, it's time to seriously consider investing in a new website. A well-designed, SEO-friendly, and user-centric website is essential for the success of your business in the digital landscape.
When considering a new website for your business, it's important to choose a reliable web design and development agency that understands your needs. Ryde web design and development agency offers full-service solutions, from web design to web development, ensuring your website is tailored to meet your business requirements.
With our expertise and in-house team of web designers and developers, we can create a visually appealing, user-friendly, and SEO-optimised website that aligns with your brand and helps you attract new customers.
Get in touch for a quote or check out examples of our work to inspire your new website.