How An Out of Date Website Can Hurt Your Business

Refreshing or redesigning a website that is past its prime is an important way to ensure that your business meets its online marketing goals and takes advantage of the best internet marketing solutions currently at your disposal.

But many businesses will hold off on updating their websites. Whether it’s for budgetary reasons. Or a lack of manpower or resources to actually manage the project. Or the belief that there are more important things to concentrate on. The website can wait until we have x, y, z done.

Putting off a redesign for any reason can have some pretty serious consequences. Consider these negative repercussions of having an out of date website representing your business online.

Credibility

Like it or not, potential customers will make very quick decisions about whether or not they can trust a company based on what the website is like. If it’s clearly outdated, not maintained, not easy to use, visually unappealing – this is sending a message to your site visitors.

Some might see it as a sign that the company does not value their business enough to have a solid online foundation or enlist the help of an internet marketing agency. Others will see the website’s quality as a reflection of the quality of the product or service being offered. A poor website undermines your business’ credibility in the eyes of your customer.

Lost sales

Older, outdated websites lack what is currently accepted as basic standards in web user experience.

Whether it’s a lack of compelling content. Poor usability. Unappealing visuals and graphics. Difficult navigation. A lack of updating information.

If your visitors are frustrated or displeased by their experience on your site, they will leave without buying or converting.

If you miss the opportunity to engage your site visitors and entice them with your offering, you will lose out on sales.

Perception in the marketplace

If you find yourself in the lucky position of having no direct competitors and being the only company to offer what you do, a bad website might not be as damaging (although it certainly will still be a missed opportunity). However, if your competition is fierce, and you are fighting to capture your target market, your website can become a deciding factor.

If your competitors offer a more pleasant, engaging, easy website experience than your business does, a good number of your potential customers will decide that the competition is a better option. A poor website affects your perception in the marketplace and gives potential customers an easy reason for choosing to go with the “other guys”.

Your website is the foundation of all your sales and marketing efforts. It speaks volumes about your business and your product. Make sure it’s saying sending the right message.