Is your outdated website deterring customers? How upgrading your website impacts your business.
Is your outdated website deterring customers? How upgrading your website impacts your business.
The beginning of a new year marks a new cycle for most businesses and is typically a time when companies examine their marketing strategies.
The past two years have been game-changing for many business owners, with the sudden onset of the Covid 19 pandemic forcing businesses to make rapid changes to their digital strategies.
As high streets emptied and clients began favouring digital showrooms, the need to keep an updated and functional digital presence became of crucial importance: The marketplace has changed and these changes are here to stay.
The United Kingdom has the most advanced e-commerce market in Europe with 2019 figures from the Office of National Statistics (UK) tallying the UK’s e-commerce revenue at 693 billion GBP before the market changes instigated by the pandemic. This already huge market has grown exponentially since then.
What does an outdated website mean for your business?
Now more than ever, your company's website is the face of your business. Each and every one of us relies on digital technology to source the products and services we consume on a daily basis. The digital marketplace has become the primary shop front for the majority of businesses, with even large retailers shutting emblematic high street shops to focus on their digital shop windows.
The internet is no longer the dwelling of niche businesses; using the internet to source products and services has become the norm.
In addition, most businesses are no longer merely competing against others in the local area; advances in technology and logistical services mean that many industries now face competition on a national or even global level. This results in the companies with the best digital marketing strategies taking the lion’s share of the business.
How can I tell that my website is outdated?
Whether you're a small restaurant, a local plant hire company or a national institution, your digital presence and presentation is your image and reflects your business’ status, professionalism and values.
Outdated website design sparks an immediate sense of distrust in users, equivalent to passing a shop window with the same display year-in, year-out. Outdated website features include static formats, poor use of fonts and colour schemes, non-organic placement of text or photographs and outdated information.
But perhaps one of the most important signs that it’s time to redesign your website is poor performance on different devices, with the site struggling to adapt to the screen or parts of the site’s information being hidden or lost.
“Responsive websites are designed to resize and adapt to phone and tablet screen sizes, allowing for smooth and seamless navigation. A non-responsive site is a red flag to many clients, suggesting that your business is stuck in the past and may not even be operative.”- Deborah Lake, Head of Website Design - Vooba
With an increasing number of searches and transactions being carried out on mobile devices, having a responsive website has become the primary digital marketing concern of our time.
What are the most important web design trends for 2022?
In the same way that advertising in traditional mediums changes on a regular basis, adapting to clients’ demands and desires, so does website design. Whether you’re a small restaurant, a plant hire company or a multinational corporation, your website represents the status, professionalism and values of your business.
“It’s critically important to stay ahead of the times with website design. It’s not as simple as designing one once and leaving it be; when clients interact with a website they are interacting with the essence of your business. An up to date website suggests the latest products, services and prices.” - D. Lake
Technology changes rapidly and businesses must be seen to react accordingly. Some website features considered cutting edge design two years ago have become impractical and unfashionable. Working with designers who are abreast of the changing tendencies can make all the difference to your business.
“Big sliders which were all the rage a couple of years ago are completely outmoded. Big ‘call-to-actions’ at the top of the site are in. Current web design trends are seeing a move towards intuitive ‘user-experience’ design formats, with users tiring of traditional menus and preferring the ‘Burger menu’ already in use in many apps. Designs are becoming increasingly minimalist and direct, and asymmetrical designs are in.”- Andrew Morris, Senior Web Designer, Vooba
“We’re also seeing greater importance given to the use of ‘whitespace’ in web design, which gives users the chance to absorb key information without being bombarded with text and images. And, of course, we can’t understate the importance of good images, good typography and well placed social media links.” - D. Lake
How can a new website benefit my business?
In short: by bringing in more business. With online presence well and truly entrenched as the leading medium by which to reach consumers, the savviest companies are already battling it out for their websites to appear within the first few results of a Google search whilst staying abreast of current website trends. Good search engine optimisation can get you to the top of Google, but a well-designed website will inspire trust and lead to sales conversions: you need both. As digital marketing becomes increasingly competitive, it's time to reflect on whether your business is making the best use of digital media to reach your customers.
If you are concerned that your outdated website may not be doing all it could to entice customers, get in touch with Vooba. We are digital marketing specialists providing cutting edge website design, SEO, content creation, PPC and social media marketing services. Speak to our experts and let them inform you about what we can do for your business. Get in touch on [email protected] or call 01798 684915.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I redesign my business website?
Most businesses benefit from a significant website refresh every three to five years, though ongoing improvements to content, speed, and user experience should be continuous rather than periodic.
What makes a website good for SEO?
An SEO-friendly website combines fast loading times, mobile responsiveness, clear site structure, well-optimised content, and technical elements like proper heading hierarchy and meta tags. All of these help search engines understand and rank your pages.
How long does it take to build a professional website?
A well-built business website typically takes four to twelve weeks from initial brief to launch, depending on complexity. Rushing the process often leads to quality issues that cost more to fix later.
What should a business website include?
At a minimum, a business website should include a clear homepage, an about page, service or product pages, contact information, and a blog or news section. Trust signals like testimonials, accreditations, and case studies are also highly valuable.
Conclusion
A well-executed web design and development strategy can be transformative for your business — improving visibility, building trust with your audience, and generating a consistent pipeline of enquiries and new customers.
The key is having a clear plan, the right expertise, and the consistency to see it through. Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to strengthen what you already have, the right support makes all the difference.
At Vooba, we help businesses of all sizes get more from their web design and development. Get in touch with our team today to find out how we can help you achieve real, measurable results.