So, you’re a small to medium business owner wondering why updating your website is so important! You’re working hard to manage the ins and outs of your operation, so website updates can be the last thing on your mind.
Your website is live. People can find it. That’s all you need, right? Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
Your website is the most cost-effective way to generate interest and profit for your business online. It’s pretty important, so it’s essential you give it a little TLC.
With user attention spans shortening, comes the competitiveness to provide a website experience that not only speaks to your brand and purpose, but makes you want to show it off, not hide it away.
Let’s break down why you should be regularly updating your website into four essential areas:
Want to know how your website measures up?
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Security – Keep your website protected
According to Forbes, 30,000 sites around the world are hacked each day. That’s one site every 39 seconds! As consumers, we often come across an outdated website lacking in design and instantly notice an issue, but rarely do we think about security. It’s simply not right in front of us!
If your website isn’t being searched for outdated software regularly, you’re leaving yourself vulnerable and open to cyber-attacks. Keeping up-to-date with the latest versions of your software of choice is key when providing a secure website for your customers to use.
Another element of security is your choice of web hosting and domain name registrar. If you’re using a cheap option, chances are you’re receiving minimal security measures across your site. Yikes!
For this reason, among many, The Marketing GP use WordPress to host all websites. With new updates every few months, and a strong framework, it’s a no-brainer.
We’ve broken down the ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘how’ of website hosting
Learn how you can get the best hosting perks!
Marketing – Enhance your sales funnel
We’re simple creatures. We get bored – fast! Your content and design should keep users excited to come back to your site and interact with your brand time and time again.
If you have a good hold on your target audience and the primary customers of your services or products, you could do some real work here to add value to their time on your site. Think of Apple or Dyson, leaders in their industries because of their buying process and ‘customer-first’ approach. They provide resources, information and messaging that is constantly directed at their consumer’s needs and desires, building trust in their brand and offering. Your buyer journey should constantly be considered and is an evolving approach to ensure it continues to align with your current consumer needs and your services or products.
This includes Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), an often overlooked and vital part of any marketing strategy. If your website isn’t ranking, then how are people finding you? SEO-written content gives your website the opportunity to be front and centre when users are searching for terms on Google. And to really make magic out of your SEO efforts, you need to be coming back to it time and time again.
Design – Usability is key!
It’s normal to jump the gun and think that the look of your website is the necessary element for design. But how does your website FEEL? Not only do we have to focus on design (the looks) and copywriting (the why), but we also need to think about how users feel when they’re on your site.
A happy, well-informed user will return; a frustrated one will not. When updating the design of a website, we want to understand the goals and context of use of potential users or customers. This then allows us to use that understanding to design the perfect site.
We’ve broken down the ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘how’ of website hosting
Learn how you can get the best hosting perks!
Content – Give them a reason to come back
Another important step in keeping your website fresh is to revisit your content regularly. Your business grows and service lines extend, and so too should the content that describes these areas to your customers.
Your target audience wants to be impressed by how well-informed you are about your brand and products. They want to read about the impact you have and differentiate you from your competitors. They want to trust you, by reading new material on your business relevant to your community initiatives, new products, innovations and more.
Don’t let your scrappy notes sit on your website, constantly update them over the lifetime of your business.
Well-written content can be your number one tool in giving you more traffic and a better return on investment. Search engines (like Google) will see your useful information and rank you accordingly.
If your content is old and outdated, Google isn’t going to see your website as a creditable source. Worse, your users won’t find anything of worth and look to your competitors! Content must be relevant, so updating your website’s information regularly is a must.
And the fifth reason for updating your website?
Well, it gives you a chance to speak to us!
You might not have a marketing team to help you with the ongoing website updates, or perhaps your marketing coordinator needs an extra hand. That’s where The Marketing GP comes in.
Our team of specialists cover a range of areas, including everything we’ve spoken about above. Copywriting, hosting services, website design and an endless list of marketing services to elevate your business.
