There is a good chance that your website will be the first point of contact prospects will have with your business. If prospects are impressed by your online presence, they will feel a sense of trust and be more willing to do business with you. On the other hand, if your website is shoddy, visitors may not trust your products and/or services and will most likely not want to buy from you.

If your website is not bringing in new customers and achieving the goals you set out, perhaps it needs to be redesigned. Below are 7 signs that will help you determine if your website is in need of a redesign!

1. Is your website responsive?

Responsiveness refers to the ability of a website to adapt to different display screens. How well does your site display on mobile devices? If your website was designed only for desktop users, then you are losing out on potential customers. Mobile is becoming more and more popular as 50 percent of mobile phone users, use mobile as their primary Internet source. You need to ensure your website is accessible to this quickly growing market.

2. Is your website slow?

Does your website take more than four seconds to load? If so, your visitors may be going to your competition. Online prospects are not a patient bunch and like everything to work in a snap. Do not give the visitor an excuse to leave your site. If your site is slow, maybe it’s time to drop the heavy images or use pre-loading scripts to speed it up.

3. Is your website up-to-date?

What is the first thing visitors see when they come to your site? Is it a piece of content that was last updated a year ago? Have you changed addresses but your website still indicates your old location? If so, your visitors might assume the website is no longer active. The content may also be misleading as it is not current with your business. It’s extremely important that your website is updated with fresh content.

4. Have you rebranded or launched a new product?

If you have rebranded, the change needs to be reflected on your website as well. Your offline business and online presence need to be in tandem. If you have launched a new product, your website should have an announcement to that effect.

5. Are you on the first page of search results?

Most visitors will reach your website through search engines. Statistics indicate that most people pay attention to the top 3 entries on search results. If your competitor’s website ranks higher than yours on search engines, then it might be a good idea to redesign your site with search engine optimization as a priority.

6. Is your website taking advantage of social media?

You probably have a presence on social media sites, but is your website linking to these accounts? You need to tie your website with your business’ social media accounts. Visitors will probably want to get updates from your business and may also want a medium through which they can get immediate response to queries. Many prospects prefer connecting with businesses on social media.

7. Was your last redesign more than three years ago?

Is your website design the same as it was three years ago? Lots of changes have happened in the recent past on the internet sphere. New technologies and design methodologies have been developed. Take advantage of these developments to capture more visitors.

The web design industry is constantly changing and it may be difficult to keep up with all the changes. However, some changes are essential for your business to succeed online. This is why you should assess your website and determine if it is effective and helping you achieve your business goals. If any of the above scenarios apply to you, it may be time you considered a redesign!

Are there any other signs you look for when considering a website redesign? Share them below!