Your website may have looked impressive when it originally went live, but you also know that web standards and people's online expectations have evolved over the years.Have you noticed that other competitor websites are doing better than yours? Then it may be time to consider a redevelopment. Your website must evolve over time in order to remain effective.Generally, it is advisable to give your website a make-over at least once every three years. If you are not sure if your site is due for a redesign, please feel free to evaluate your current website against the checklist provided below:Is the design out-dated?The look-and-feel of your website may have been cutting edge several years ago, but how does it compare today? Internet trends change quickly, so you need to ensure that your website addresses the expectations of your audience. "Old School" design trends include Flash animations, dark websites with bright contrast colours, gradient effects, cluttered content and fancy (often confusing) navigation. Design has become cleaner, leaner, and responsive - solid, flat colours are favoured and textual content is more powerful than pure visual appeal.Is the content on your website relevant and up to date?Your business has evolved over time, and your products and services may have changed, so the text copy on your website should adapt accordingly. Is your portfolio and/or latest news section up to date or not?Does the website work properly?If your website was developed a long time ago, it may not function properly anymore. This is due to the fact that it is no longer coded in accordance with the latest web standards. Check if your website works/displays correctly on all the popular browsers, not just the one you use. Do the pages load quickly? Are there links on your website that are outdated?Is the website accessible on smart phones and other mobile devices?Mobilization is on the increase, so if your business is not accessible on mobile devices, then you are losing out on an enormous portion of your target audience. Various options have become available that did not even exist several years ago. So, spend some time and look into responsive web design, mobile business apps and separate Mobi sites to determine which option would best suit your business needs.Is your website user friendly?Is the website easy to navigate and is the content well presented?Keep in mind that people who visit your website are not patient. You may love the 5 min animated intro that comes up when your site opens, and funky slide-out menu that pops up afterwards, but I can guarantee you that the novelty wears off extremely fast when someone is looking for something online - especially since there are numerous other websites out there that won't waste their time. You need to keep your site current, workable, and readable.Are there ways for visitors to connect/interact with you and/or your business?Social media networks and Blogs are excellent ways to ensure that people feel that they are connecting to real people and not just a faceless company. People expect to find some sort of interaction on websites nowadays, so make sure that your website offers more than just static text copy.Are you building a list? Newsletter signups or member only content are great ways of building a database.How well are you doing on search engines?Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) techniques that worked well several years ago are not guaranteed to continue doing so. SEO is not a once-off exercise, and changes in algorithms have resulted in top listed websites suddenly falling down to page 10. The bottom line - websites with relevant textual copy that gets updated on a regular basis are outperforming websites that focus on older methods like keyword spamming and over stuffed meta data.SEO techniques are constantly changing, so you need to promote your site armed with the current strategies.Do you get a lot of visitors but few sales?If your website is doing well on search engines, and many people are visiting the site but you're not getting sales, then there could be several problems.Have you showcased your products and/or services in a way that clearly explains the benefits of doing business with you? If so, have you included a clear 'call-to-action' - do people know how to contact you, place an order or book a service?Contact us if you would like to discuss your options
