Five Things You Should Fix On Your Website In 2019
Some businesses get their website built and leave it to sit there for years before they consider updating it and this means many websites have outdated features for many years that could be putting off customers. As a web designer in Ottawa, we want local businesses to have the best website they can possibly have, so we have decided to share the top five issues that need to be resolved for their website to be visually updated.
Flash Introductions
When people first get a website, they often want a flash introduction that includes some sort of animation or video and while this can work well, in most cases it causes more harm than good. They can make your website look unprofessional and affect page loading speeds because they are inefficient and take a while to load, which annoys visitors. You should look into alternative introductions for your website that are less intensive on loading speeds while representing your brand well.
Mobile Search Visibility
Did you know that over 40% of all web traffic in 2018 came from mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets? If your site is hidden on mobile devices or unoptimised, you could be missing out on a huge chunk of visitors you would capture on from those that are searching for your company on mobile devices. Having a responsive design that shows well on mobile will not only please your potential customers but will also comply with Google’s mobile-first indexing which rewards websites that are optimised for mobile devices. This will have a big impact on how your website ranks in local searches.
Slow Page Load Speeds
It is generally considered that websites should load within three seconds to meet the expectation of the internet users otherwise they will turn around and move on to the next best website. To speed up the load time of your website, you need to remove any elements that may be slowing it down. The last thing you want is for your customers to feel like they’re loading your website on an ancient internet connection. Your website should be fast, responsive and versatile for maximum user satisfaction with the experience they have on your website.
Outdated Content
When was the last time you updated the content on your website? Does the copyright line at the bottom still say 2001? Have you updated your blog in the past six months? These are things that should be updated regularly as they can signal to users that you are no longer operating if they are out of date or haven’t been updated in some time. In addition to showing customers you’re still active, they will also help with your ranking as you are updating the content regularly and providing information that is relevant to the search intent of your customers.
Cluttered Design Layout
Website layouts should be simple and easy to navigate so users can find the information they need with minimal fuss and therefore become more likely to spend with you. It is tempting to fill every single piece of blank space with something because it looks bare, but trust us, you’re only making it harder for customers to find the important information they came to your website for. If your website is cluttered, you need to go through it and clean up the design to make it as easy as possible for users to find information and be led on the journey you want them to go on to convert into customers.
