NORTH CANTON, OHIO— Your company’s online image is one of its most valuable assets. That’s why it’s important to consider a website makeover every few years. Have you really looked at your website lately? Does it project the image you want? Is it mobile friendly?
Today we consume information from numerous devices in all different sizes—from smart phones to notebooks to larger desktop computers. Have you taken the time to see how well your website renders on other media? Has a customer complained about your website?
Have your website analytics shown trends that may be undesirable? A quick look at your website’s Google Analytics will tell you the number of users, whether they are new or recurring, how long they stay on your site, what type of device they are using, what pages they are visiting, and many other useful data.
A website makeover can be as simple as increasing the font size and changing font color. You may consider adding functionality to your website, such as shopping cart or a search function.
Does your business use forms? If so, how are they made available and what is the return method? This can be accomplished by having online forms that can be submitted electronically or downloaded. Also, your catalogs can be converted to flip books that can be viewed electronically like an online magazine.
The quality of your photos, graphics, charts, diagrams and videos cannot be overstressed. Quality of presentation can include the subtle touches such as rules, rounded corners and shadows. All of these should complement the content, not overwhelm it.
Navigation should be reviewed. Change is the constant of every business, and your website navigation should reflect those changes.
Last but not least, your website’s text content is very important to searchability and should be reviewed and updated regularly in light of keywords that customers and prospects are using to find you. In addition to having relevant text content, don’t forget to include metadata and alt tags to increase your searchability.
Of course, a full-blown website re-design is always an option. Sometimes, given the age of a website, that course is the only option.
An important consideration is whether you outsource or do the work in-house. Before you undertake the task yourself, you should determine if the time you spend on the project could better be used to manage and grow your business. If you spend some time researching website developers in your area, you can probably find one that can work within your budget.
Your website is a living entity and is one of the many ways the public views your company. It needs to be nurtured, honed and studied. By updating your website, you are updating your image. Perhaps it’s time to update your website, or to review it and ascertain that it’s okay after all.