Like all other areas of your business, your website requires time, attention, and continued investment in order to drive growth and opportunity for you and your customers. If you don’t invest time and money in your website, your business will ultimately suffer. Your website could get hacked if your plugins don’t stay up-to-date. Your website could break if you wait too long and the coding tools have changed dramatically. Here are some tips to minimize the risk by protecting your website and upgrading incrementally over time.

Top 10 reasons why you should continue to invest in your website with suggestions on how to do so:

1. Technology is always changing.

Remember how there used to be a world without internet and email? Well, here we are decades later blazing through technology updates at record breaking speed. The web space is no different. New code libraries are being published all the time, and new programming languages come and go like the breeze on a windy day. Because of this, there is a plethora of new web features available to you at any time. Right now we are seeing a big investment in video components, as well as animations and interactive user experiences. Think virtual reality, for your website. So, if your site is using the same tired features and components it was a couple years ago, you are probably missing out on some great new opportunities to showcase content and engage your users.

2. Your content needs to stay fresh.

Whether you are trying to attract new visitors to your site, or keep returning visitors, it is important to keep your content fresh and new. Have you been using the same headline on your homepage for longer than you can remember? Does your site make a clear statement about what you offer or what problem you solve for your clients? What about that dated photo that could be improved to better align with your current market? If you haven’t given much thought to any of these ideas, it’s likely time for a content strategy review so that you can reassess who your target audience is and how you are wanting to message them.

3. The market, and your customers, are evolving.

Who are you trying to market to? It is important to continually evaluate your web audience. As markets shift and consumers age, your web strategy will need to evolve and change as well. There are always new tools available to track consumer behavior and user interactions on your site, as well as your social media accounts, and if you aren’t taking advantage of them you may be missing out on opportunities to attract and convert customers.

4. Your business is evolving too.

Maybe your mission statement and sense of purpose have evolved or become more clear to your business and you want to share the updates with your customers. Maybe you are launching a new product or opening a new location in a new state. Whatever growth you are experiencing, your website is a great place to share news and updates with your customers. Take advantage of change by using it as a reason to update your website.

5. Consumers enjoy new technology.

While change can sometimes be hard, nothing satisfies more than coming back to a website you use all the time, and seeing that there is some new feature or that the content is organized in a new and better way. Adding new features to your site will give your customers something new and exciting to engage with. Who doesn’t love something new and exciting?

6. The competitive landscape is always changing.

Like any business, you probably deal with new competitors arriving on the scene. Maybe they have a shiny new website that makes yours look like that old couch in your grandma’s house – plastic wrap and all. So, take time to stay up-to-date and ahead of the curve! Your website is a great opportunity to offer something new and fresh to your customers so that you can continue to stay at the top of your industry.

7. Google is constantly updating their search algorithms.

Let’s face it: your website isn’t going to get much traffic without the help of our good old friends at Google. They are almost always reinventing the wheel – meaning that rules around search results and rankings are always changing too.

Is your website mobile-friendly? Is it behind an SSL? If not, these things are hurting your rankings. (By the way, mobile-friendly didn’t even use to be a thing. Now being ‘mobile-friendly’ can make a big difference for how high your website is ranked in search results.)

8. Browsers and Operating Systems are reinventing themselves – all the time.

How many times have you bought a new phone or computer only to have a new version come out the next month? This happens on the web too. Browsers like Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Firefox are constantly putting out new versions and new updates. Microsoft and Apple Operating systems are also evolving both for desktop and mobile.

What does this mean for your website? The technologies that powered your website 5 years ago will not always work well with today’s modern browsers and phones. This is why everything may seem “broken” when you visit an older website. Web standards change often to help allow for new technologies like touch screens that include the ability to swipe and use gestures that weren’t previously needed. So, stay ahead of the curve by knowing what and when to update. (PS – we can help with ongoing website maintenance!)

9. It’s never too late to make a first impression.

Every day, there may be one or several or even thousands of new first-time visitors to your site. This means that you always have an opportunity to make a great first impression on potential customers. What you see on your website today does not have to be what your customers see tomorrow. You always have the potential to improve your brand and your messaging as your business evolves.

10. We live in a digital age.

The human drive for information and new forms of communication will continue to grow at an accelerated rate with no signs of slowing down. It’s important that you become an active participant in staying up to date with your clients’ needs to enable you to attract more business quickly.

Don’t let your business suffer, keep your website up to date.

The biggest reason to continually invest in your website is that your website is one of the most important parts of your business. It is where you communicate your brand and it is how you engage with your customers. Nowadays it is nearly impossible to imagine running a business without a website. So, take advantage of this platform!

Does your website currently put your best foot forward to your customers?

If your website is not an accurate reflection of your brand, your messaging is not up to date, and you are not using the most up-to-date technologies, your business is bound to suffer. If you don’t have the time or expertise, let White Lion help manage the website maintenance your site needs. We have been around for 20+ years and know a lot about various code libraries, user experience, and digital marketing. With White Lion, we’ve got you covered with all your website needs.

Take action and contact us to learn more about how we can make your business a success.