The digital environment never stands still, and neither should your website. In fact, regular updates to your online presence ensure that your design and content continues to match audience expectations, and helps you grow your business.
Of course, the time and monetary investment required in this refresh may lead you to be hesitant in making the choice to retouch a website that already functions. In that case, consider the top 5 benefits of a website refresh in detail below.
1) Adding Fresh Content
The time for your website as little more than an online billboard are over. Today’s digital audiences expect and need regularly updated content designed to answer their questions and address their pain points.
This content allows you to always make sure your business information is accurately represented online. But in addition, you can also add more dynamic content, such as news items, current images and video, or a business blog. Fresh content both improves your search engine optimization, and keeps visitors coming back on a regular basis to check for more.
2) Updating the Design
As the internet and online behaviors continue to evolve, so do audience expectations. Just a few years ago, for example, a ‘hamburger’ style menu that only lists your individual pages after clicking on the three stripes would have been unthinkable. In 2014, web experts actively argued against it.
Fast-forward a couple of years, and mobile usage is dominating online browsing. The hamburger menu continues to gain popularity, especially among younger audiences. As web design trends change, a website refresh can help you keep up with changing engagement opportunities and audience expectations.
3) Adding New SEO Tools and Tricks
Like web design, the world of search engine optimization does not stand still. Google continually updates its search algorithms, looking to place website relevance and user friendliness above all on search results pages. A website refresh is the perfect opportunity to update and enhance your current SEO efforts.
That refresh may include updates to make sure that your website adheres to the coming Mobile First update. Of course, it may also simply include an audit of your current SEO success, complete with suggested changes to improve your search rankings. Either way, it’s an opportunity to add new SEO tricks to your toolbox.
4) Updating Your Calls to Action
How effectively are you offering your audience ‘next steps’ after they first land on your website and read your content? Even a simple update of your website allows you to streamline and improve that focus.
Research has found that while on average, 4% of web visitors convert to leads, industries and even individual companies range drastically in their success rate. Simply improving your call to action buttons and text can make the difference in gently nudging your visitors toward becoming customers.
5) Improve Your Branding Efforts
Finally, don’t underestimate the potential of an updated website to improve your branding effort. As your business grows, your audience will adjust and grow with it. Your competition and the external environment will change just as much. Your brand should reflect these changes and trends, allowing you to present yourself as relevant, unique, and beneficial for the current moods and attitudes of your audience.
Sometimes, these changes are as simple as updating your logo to better reflect your value proposition. Other times, they require a more comprehensive approach, including a more comprehensive overhaul of your entire website. A brand audit can help you understand your current standing, as well as potentially necessary updates.
Does your website accurately reflect your business, value proposition, and audience expectations? If not, it’s time for an update. And even if it does, the benefits that come with fresh content, better calls to action, and improved SEO can be immense. Over time, the investment you make in a website refresh will result in significant, positive ROI for your business.
To learn more about how to improve your marketing strategies and grow your business, give us a call at 661-702-1310 or visit www.SmallDogCreative.com!
