Internet users don't tend to have a lot of patience. For example, 79 percent of users will search for another site to complete a task if your website is not optimized, according to an ExperienceDynamics' study. A broken link or even the slightest delay could be enough to get them to move on.
A great website can help draw more business to you; a bad one could be costing you business. Better Homes and Garden Real Estate's blog, Clean Slate, recently featured some of following tips on knowing when your website could use an overhaul.
1. Your site isn't responsive.
Make sure your site is optimized to be viewed on other devices, like a tablet and phone, not just made to view on a desktop computer. Mobile usage of the Internet now outranks desktops -- 51 percent to 42 percent, according to SmartInsights. If a site is not rendering correctly on a mobile device, users are 5 times more likely to move on, according to ExperienceDynamics.
Google offers a quick test to see how mobile-friendly your site is.
2. Your site is too complex.
Don't get too fancy with your site design. Simplicity reigns today in website design. Pages that contain Flash content are likely outdated, since many devices no longer support Flash. That can hamper your SEO rankings. For example, try a smaller menu on your site (like just three lines of icons that then expand when clicked on to show more navigation choices).
3. Your site is slow to load.
Forty percent of Internet users will leave a website if it takes more than 3 seconds to load. You don't have a lot of time to grab them. A slow website can also worsen your Google search engine rankings. Keep your site simple to improve load times.
4. You don't have ROI.
Make sure you are able to pull metrics from your site to see what is working and not working. If you do have high traffic but a low conversion rate, revisit your web design as the culprit. If your visitors spend a short amount of time at your site, revisit your content offerings. Scrutinize the following metrics at your site for insight into how well your site is performing: returning users, unique visitors, time spent on site, page views, bounce rate, and conversion rate.
5. You fail performance tests.
Many tools online can tell you how your website is doing and spot any broken links, slow loading times, bad SEO, etc. Here are a few tests to run:
Source: "6 Signs Your Website May Need an Update," Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Clean Slate blog (Jan. 28, 2017)
