Every website needs a facelift from time to time. They can be as minor or extreme as you see fit. Your website is the first impression a potential client has of your firm. Because of this, having an attractive and functional website is more important than ever. There can often be some telltale signs that it’s time to give your firm’s site an update, such as the ones below.
It’s Been a While
If you haven’t updated your firm’s site in years, then it is time to give it a fresh coat of paint. A site that looks outdated may turn away potential clients. With so many people likely finding your firm online, you want to present an up-to-date website. If your site looks like it’s stuck in a past decade, then it may give the wrong impression of your firm. Some may even think your firm is no longer in practice as your site looks too old. Look at competing firm’s websites or the websites you regularly visit and look for any trends or improvements you can make to bring your site up to date. For example, pages cluttered with elements, like pictures and links, were once popular. Now, sites tend to look more sleek, ditching the overwhelming amounts of elements.
Low Conversions
If your site has never performed well or generated many inbound leads, this may be a sign to update your site. Having a functional site that also looks good may be the difference between someone reaching out to your firm and someone leaving your site to reach out to a competitor. Though you don’t always need the trendiest website, having one that is visually appealing is important. Look at the colors used, size of your fonts, and the navigation while keeping your target clients in mind. What kind of first impression are you giving visitors? Is your site hard to navigate? Does your contact form look difficult to fill out? If users have a difficult time finding your contact form or struggle filling it out, then your conversions will suffer.
Algorithm Update
Google updates its algorithm every day. Sometimes these are minor changes while others can have large impacts on a site. In the past, there have been updates pertaining to a website’s visual appearance. If your firm still has Ads or links above the fold on your site, then your firm may find that your site is not preforming well on the Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs). Making sure the visual elements of your firm’s site are complaint with past algorithm updates can help you perform better on organic search. In addition, come spring 2021, Google will be launching a larger user experience update. Updating your site to be compliant with the coming update can help save from the future headache.
Client Feedback
If you’re still not sure if you firm’s site needs an update, ask your clients for feedback. Ask what elements of the site they find that need improvement. It may be that your font or color scheme make it difficult to read the content or that it is difficult to navigate. You may discover that there are issues you never thought of. If you are a disability lawyer, you may want to consider asking those with visual impairments to review your site to make sure you have the proper visual adaptations in place.
Consider reviewing your firm’s site every 2-3 years. By taking the time to make sure everything is still functioning properly on your site every few years, you may find that you need to make less larger changes as you do waiting 5+ years. Keeping your site up to date can help increase your firm’s leads and organic performance.