9 signs your homepage needs a complete facelift

Do you think your homepage lacks something when it comes to engaging visitors? Then you really need to read this article.

by Natko Radmilovic - Art Director
9 signs your homepage needs a complete facelift

9 signs your homepage needs a complete facelift

They say diamonds are forever, but what about a website? Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about it. Back in the day, having a business website was quite enough to stay ahead of the game. Today, you don’t just need a website but a well-designed, functional, easily navigable and engaging website to meet the needs of your customers.
Since your visitors notice and make judgements based on how your homepage looks like, it’s your paramount priority to make it as impressive as possible. You should know when is the right time to give it the makeover it deserves. After all, your homepage is your front door; it’s where most visitors are going to appear. Below are the top reasons why your homepage needs a complete facelift.

1. Your homepage doesn’t make sense to visitors

When visitors (especially new visitors) land on your homepage, they are trying to find the answers to their questions as quickly as possible. They want to enjoy hassle-free navigation. If they don’t know what to do next, they will most likely click away.
The best approach is prioritising the most relevant and important information on your website. You can perform the 8-second test to ensure your homepage grabs the attention of visitors immediately. To simplify your homepage, start talking to your sales team and hire an experienced Web Design Company.

2. It just looks outdated

You know, web design trends are changing every year. If your web design is old and outdated, it may just look unattractive. In fact, 75% of people judge the credibility of a website based solely on its design. If they don’t get that trustworthy feeling, they’re likely to abandon your homepage. So, it’s important that your potential customers trust you, which is why a strong redesign is crucial for your homepage.

Although there is no set expiration date for any web design, a good rule of thumb would be three to five years. If your homepage design is more than five years old, maybe it’s time to redesign with an experienced Web Design company.

3. Your branding and homepage don’t work together

To differentiate your company from the competition, you need to align your website and brand together. This will give you a great opportunity to create that consistent brand experience. However, if your homepage is failing to deliver your brand’s message, then you need to redesign it with the help of a creative web design company .

4. It doesn’t work well on mobile

Did you know that the mobile market share is over 56% worldwide? This simply means that the world has gone mobile. If your web pages (especially homepage) aren’t mobile-friendly, it’s officially time for overhauling them. Otherwise, mobile users will leave without converting. To provide users with a consistent and optimised experience regardless of their device, consider hiring a website designer.

5. It doesn’t load fast

No one likes waiting, especially when it comes to website loading. Even search engines use page loading speed in their algorithms to determine rankings. Consider performing the Google speed test for desktops as well as mobile devices. Diagnose what factors affect your page loading speed. Is it the image size, software bloat or server speed? Keep in mind that your homepage not only helps customers stick around, but also delivers a great user experience. Make sure it loads within 2 seconds or less.

6. It has a high bounce rate

Your homepage’s bounce rate matters a lot. You pour an array of resources into marketing to drive traffic to your website yet the second visitors land on your homepage, they just bounce off. This is an indication that you’re doing something wrong and your homepage needs a redesign. Though the value may vary depending on your industry, use Google Analytics to check your bounce rate. On average, your bounce rate should be between 40-60%.

7. It doesn’t reflect your current marketing strategy

You want to build authority through blogging and email subscriptions, but your homepage lacks something. It isn’t able to strengthen your current marketing strategy. Maybe it’s a dated CMS (Content Management System) or poorly designed CTA (call-to-action). Make sure nothing hinders your marketing efforts. Also, if your current strategy is drastically different from when you created your homepage, it is only natural that you redesign it to align with your goals.

8. Your search engine ranking isn’t good enough

Search engine algorithms are constantly changing. I mean, just look at Google’s recent Hummingbird update, which is all about having authentic and quality content on your website. When you create a website with SEO in mind, you are most likely to attract more visitors online. However, if your website content isn’t SEO-friendly, your organic search engine ranking will most likely be low. This is when your homepage needs an update.

9. You find it difficult to make minor updates

Websites are dynamic these days. They are never really finished. To turn your website into a high-powered lead-generating machine, you need to constantly make changes based on your user data. If you find it hard to make minor changes to your homepage, such as adding a blog post or updating a link, then maybe it’s time to build a new homepage using a new CMS.

The bottom line: Don’t ignore your homepage

Having an intuitive homepage is key to online success. While there isn’t a need to redesign it every year, taking an objective look would help you understand whether you need a redesign to hit your business goals. If you notice the above-mentioned signs, it’s likely time to consider a complete facelift as soon as you can.

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