We list 7 signs your website is too old.
Does a website design have a use-by date?
The answer is an overwhelming yes!
Web design evolves just like any other technology, although it may actually happen a lot quicker, most think.
The first website was published in 1991, back when everyone had dial-up internet (ah that magical sound of the Internet connecting) and I was 11 years old playing SEGA games.
We’ve come a long way since then with web design technologies, and developers continue to push forwards each and every day.
By now we all know a website is a necessary part of running any kind of business, but the one question I get from most of my clients is; is my website too old?
I would love to group the answer by saying; if you’re asking, the answer is probably YES!
But I won’t, and I’ll explain seven key points to keep in mind when understanding when your website needs a re-do.
Anything built before 2012
I’m going to start off easy here and tell you that any website built before 2012 needs to be re-done. There are several reasons behind my standpoint, but none more so important than this one: Updating is a nightmare! When website get old and use old technology, web designers who are tasked with updating said old site will have a near impossible time using modern up-to-date programs to update these sites. In some cases (and we’ve seen plenty), updating actually becomes impossible. So, your website can only stay in its current state.
If your website was built before 2012 this email will self-destruct in 10 seconds…
Usability
Fun fact number 65: people don’t love usable websites, they just hate the poorly designed ones. Newer, modern website are built around design and navigation. Poor usability will greatly increase your bounce rate, not to mention those using a mobile device who need to squeeze their screen to enhance the readability of your content.
Is your site ‘Thumb friendly’? Have a guess what that means? Google will now pick up and notify web masters that your ‘Clickable elements are too close together’! That’s right! Their algorithms have picked up Mr Fat-thumb clicked the wrong element on your not-so-mobile website.
If you’ve received one of these emails from Google, your medical website is too old, and you should look at updating.
Security vulnerabilities
Chances are, if your website is over 6-7 years old, it’s been hacked at least once. The simple reason is newer, more modern platforms offer far greater security measures to prevent hacks from occurring.
If your website has been hacked in the last 12 months, you should look at updating.
Visual appeal
Back in 2012 the iPhone 4s was the hottest phone on the market (I still have mine!). But our websites were still playing to catch up to make the site look good on these types of devices. Design simply wasn’t being catered to mobile devices like they are in today’s ‘mobile first world’.
If you need to pinch your screen on your mobile device to view your content, you should look at updating.
Bounce rate is way too high
Let’s face it, you’re a healthcare practice, so if a patient/user finds your website, there’s only a few reasons why they’d bounce from your website. A ‘bounce’ is registered when a user leaves your website without browsing passed your home page. The main reason they’ll leave is because your website stinks and/or the content you have on your home page isn’t relevant. As a rule of thumb, your bounce rate should be between 30-45%.
If your bounce rate is above 50%, you should look at updating.
SPEED!
As I’ve outlined in a previous article, your website speed (the time it takes your browser to fully load your website pages) is absolutely integral to a successful modern website. So much, so it is now a ranking factor for Google. Don’t mess with Google!
If your site speed is slower than 8-10 seconds, you should look at updating.
Design Features
Having the latest and great designs at your disposal makes a big difference. I’m not saying your website needs to represent a high-tech medical device firm (although a lot of those companies leave a lot to be desired). Latest trends for 2019 that I like are; single page design, video backgrounds, engaging minimalism, mobile first.
If and when you decide your website is looking tired, please DO NOT just update the design. The platform almost always needs an update, which means starting fresh with a brand-new site on a brand-new platform. If you are interested in getting a new website, check out how our expert team of healthcare web designers can develop you a unique, modern website.
