Why You Need To Give Your Website Design a Refresh

Is “old really still gold”? While nostalgia marketing can be effective at eliciting a response from your audience by revisiting old trends and memories, sadly this does not apply to website design. Outdated website design has no place in today’s digital landscape - optimisation and personalisation are the ultimate keys to user experience. Nothing screams out to click the close button then a slow-loading or poorly designed website journey.

The ultimate goal of a website is to provide an intuitive experience that allows visitors to access the information they need as easily and quickly as possible. An outdated website design frequently fails to keep up with the ‘signs of the times' to connect and meet the needs of your visitors. Your website should be your partner in crime? - available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.?

Don't be left in the past…….

Reasons Why an Outdated Web Design Fails

A poor or outdated web design can lead to defeat for numerous reasons.

Here are a few major web design issues that you should be aware of and try to avoid:

Poor User Experience

Most outdated website designs also result in poor user experience, making it a difficult task for users to locate the information they are looking for. Some signs to watch out for that might point that your website having a poor user experience are a confusing navigational route, insufficient information, and lack of user-friendliness.

If users can't easily navigate your website, or if the overall design lacks cohesiveness and attractiveness, they may exit out quickly. This increases your bounce rate and decreases your engagement and overall sales.

Want to know the secret to improving your website’s user experience? Simplicity. The first step you need to take for improving user experience is to quickly meet the user’s exact needs without confusing or overwhelming the user.?

Negative Brand Image

Did you know that a potential customer’s first point of contact with your brand is often through your website? This means it is critical that you invest in your brand’s image and understand how to manage your reputational risk. A poor website design may lead to the impression that your products and services are on par.

You also want to ensure that your website is nice and neatly organised. Oh, and don't forget to ensure your design elements are eye-catching. Ensure that through your design elements and content you are staying consistent with your current branding and voice. Place an emphasis on your site’s navigation, organise your web pages in a consecutive manner, and leave enough white space for a less cluttered and minimalistic design. Get creative, but also stick to best design practices!

Mobile Responsiveness

Did you know that according to 73% of web designers, a non-responsive design is a primary reason why people leave a site, and 88% of online shoppers will not return to a site after a bad user experience?

With an increasing number of users accessing websites via mobile devices, you must ensure your website is user-friendly. Otherwise, you may miss out on capturing the attention of prospective customers. The great thing about a “mobile-friendly” website is that it will adjust to the size of the user’s smartphone device - making it easier to navigate through your website. Also, don’t forget to check your loading time for mobile, if it is slow your users may become frustrated and leave.

Slow Load Time

Another thing to keep in mind is that an outdated website design may require optimisation to boost your page loading speed.

Site speed is key to online success, as it directly affects conversion rates, repeat business, and search engine rankings. Google is always making changes to Google Search ranking algorithms which means no one really knows exactly what google wants - but there is one thing for sure, that site speed is a vital metric that Google analyses to determine your SERP ranking. Fast websites have been linked to lower bounce rates and higher conversions, and a one-second site speed improvement can increase mobile conversions by up to 27%.

Slow page loading times are directly linked to poor user experience and can have a negative impact on your search engine ranking. Don’t leave updating your website on your New Year’s resolution list.

Security Vulnerabilities

There are many reasons why it's important to keep your site's resources up to date. Is Adobe Flash out of date? Do you have security holes in your website? Do you have recurring functionality bugs? These flaws can expose your website and CMS plugins to hackers. If your website is hacked, it can result in data breaches, loss of customer data, and damage to your brand reputation.

Poor SEO

SEO is a powerful tool for businesses that want to be found online, but it can directly harm your success if not implemented correctly. Poor SEO can be seen when SEO practices are not correctly implemented or not enough research has been undertaken. This can result in low to no search traffic and low search engine page results. Negative SEO is associated with tactics that attempt to provide a shortcut or a “quick win” by employing dubious and sometimes unethical methods. Poor SEO can have a negative effect on your website's overall performance and success.?

Having an outdated web design can negatively impact your website's search engine optimisation (SEO). If your website isn't optimised for search engines, it can lead to a decrease in visibility, organic traffic, and ultimately, revenue.

Summing it up

A poor or outdated web design can have a number of negative effects on your website and brand, including poor user experience, negative brand image, mobile responsiveness issues, slow load times, security vulnerabilities, and poor SEO. It is essential to keep your website design updated and optimised to ensure that you provide the best possible experience for your visitors and maintain a positive brand image.

Out with the old, in with the new.?

Revamp your outdated website with Elephant in the Boardroom today!