A functional website differs from a performing website. A website might contain nice designs and great content; however, is it generating traffics and high conversation rates? It is one thing for a website to look good; it is another thing to be productive. If you want your website to support your business and improve your sales, then you should update your website routinely in the following key aspects:
- Bad responsiveness (Mobile-friendly)
Here is arguably the most crucial aspect of every website. It is pointless to spend hundreds of dollars on marketing if your website is not responsive. A site needs to be mobile-friendly as 17% of every web traffic comes from mobile devices. Besides, the search engine gives higher priority to mobile-friendliness of content. Hence, having a responsive website on the mobile phone is non-negotiable. Most customers approach businesses, companies, and conduct research through their phones. When your website gives users problems while navigating through the pages on their smartphones, they are likely to visit your competitions. Advisably, you should always assess your website from mobile phones and see whether it is highly responsive.
- Poorly arranged or malfunctioning features
Many website owners use plug-ins and modules designed by a third-party. If you fall into this category, routine feature management is necessary. It is important to check the features such as cart widgets, pop up widgets, contact forms, and quizzes, among others. Functional features are crucial to have a well-optimized website. Furthermore, it is highly recommendable to put yourself in the position of guests and see whether the arrangement of features is convenient. A clumsy website is never a good idea. Once potential clients start having difficulties surfing your page, it will reduce your traffic and lead generation. Consequently, conversation rates will be affected.
- Outdated website design
A trendy website design in 2015 is less likely to attract guests in 2020. People are getting more creative daily, and the best designs will always attract more clients. This is because website designs usually give the first impressions to visitors. Even people who are not a website developer or designer can easily recognize an outdated or poor design. Besides, bear in mind that the website reflects your business personality. So, you’ll be doing your business more harm than good by keeping a poor website design. If your website design has been existing for at least three years, endeavor to change it, most especially if you are a small-scale business owner.
- Slow speed
Here is one of the most common sources of frustration for most users. No one wants to waste time waiting for a website when there are similar other brands online. For this reason, the website’s speed is a crucial attribute that must always be assessed and improved. Sometimes, content such as built theme, poor plug-ins, improper caching, incorrectly sized images, or misconfigured server resources can slow down your website performance. If you notice that your website is loading slower than before, endeavor to reach out to your website developer for assessment and upgrade.
- Poor website content and messaging
A relevant, up-to-date, and thoughtful content is always an effective effort to gain high search engine visibility. Considering the continual search engine algorithm changes, meaningful and beneficial content that showcase your brand accurately is pertinent. Ensure that you update your website with an engaging web copy that will keep your audience coming. Otherwise, poor website content and messaging will only send them away, which is bad for business.
Final note
By assessing your website, you’ll be able to notice any faults in the key areas explained herein. Once you recognize such lapses, endeavor to fix up as soon as possible. This will help keep your website on the first page and, consequently, maintain regular high conversation rates