How to tell if you need a new business website

Years ago, the question on the minds of many small business owners was: Do I really need a website? Today this question sounds silly, but a new concern has taken its place: Do I need a new website?

If your website is performing the way you want it to, converting website visitors into leads and leads into new customers or clients, then probably not. But if website visitors are clicking on your site then just as quickly clicking away, you might need to make some improvements to your small business website to make it work for you.

Here are just a few ways to tell if you need a new business website:

  • You have little to no website traffic

As we mentioned in a previous blog post on how to get more website traffic, sometimes traffic is a good thing! In addition to offsite marketing activities such as advertising and social media, one of the most basic ways to improve traffic to your website is by targeting your site’s content for on-page search engine optimization (SEO). When we create new websites on our platform, we ensure the very structure of each site is carefully crafted for SEO. This involves tactics such as tagging photos for key terms, including targeted keywords in the website copy, and even something as simple as writing enough content for each page. Websites with at least 300-500 words per page will fare better on search engines than those with little content.

  • Website visitors click away without converting

Perhaps you need to rework your small business website structure to make it easier for potential customers to navigate, or maybe that particular shade of neon green on a black background is a little harsh on the eyes. While there are many reasons why visitors may be clicking away from your website in droves, it probably means your site is difficult to navigate, has slow loading times, or just doesn’t have the information your target market is looking for. Needless to say, this is a major warning sign that you’re in need of a new website! If your business’s website is dated or takes forever to load, a simple update to the overall design, new hosting, and a bit of freshening up of the website copy can make a world of difference.

  • What does your business do, anyway?

Your small business website is the most essential tool you have to provide information to potential and current customers or clients, so it’s vital that it is accurate and up to date. If your website copy doesn’t clearly convey your brand’s messaging, or if your company details are outdated—for example, if you’ve moved locations, won awards, changed staff, changed your policies, etc—it’s time for a new website. Also, if you’re going through a rebranding or are offering new products or services, launching a new website is a great way to let people know. A fresh new website goes hand-in-hand with re-imagining your small business, and announcing a new website also presents a nice opportunity for PR and sharing on social media.

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Have some other ideas about how to get more website traffic? Share your ideas in the comments! For more small business website tips, follow HubRunner on Twitter or like us on Facebook. If you need a new business website, get in touch with one of our business website specialists today at (512) 703-0503.