In order to succeed in business today you need a website. Period. There are a number of uses such as drawing in potential clients, giving information for current clients, and providing a resource for pet care information. You may think everything is golden since you currently have a page. But the big question remains… is your website is doing its job?
Take a look at your current website while reading through the following questions. This will help you determine if it is time to make a change and get a brand new page!
1. Does Your Site Look Outdated?
Try to look at your website as if you were a first time visitor. Does this business have a modern, smart, engaging feel? Is your first impression that the business provides top-notch care from friendly staff with high-grade technology? Or does it look like your pages, and in conjunction your business, have been the same for 10 years?
Website design has evolved over the years and the difference between a page made today and a page made in 1995, 2005, or even 2010 can be huge. The best sites today have a clean design that is easy to navigate. We all judge a book by its cover, so make sure yours is fresh and easy.
2. Is Your Website Mobile-Friendly?
In July 2015 Google updated their local search algorithm to make a mobile-friendly website even more important. Since 65% of all internet traffic now comes from a mobile device, Google changed how businesses appear in the search results. If you do not have a mobile-friendly website your business will not appear on a mobile search. You want new, and existing, clients to easily find you. If you do not appear in search results then you are missing out on actual business!
Not sure if your website is mobile friendly? Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
3. Is Your Website Cookie-Cutter?
Many companies only provide template designs that utilize the same formatting and images for multiple businesses. You obviously want to look different, and better, than your competitors. Check out their websites and if yours looks the same or similar, then it is time to make a change! You can also use good ideas of formatting or available resources you’ve seen on other websites.
4. Is All Content Correct?
You website should show updated contact information, open hours, useful links for clients like forms, background informations on the doctors or staff, and the ability to request an appointment. But hours can change, doctors and staff can move away, and even your services list can change quickly. Make sure the information you are presenting to the world is correct and that clients are not left wondering about something important (ex. the doctor’s full names, if your business offers boarding, how to request appointments, if the practice is open weekends, if you take exotic pets, etc).
5. Is All Content Available From The Homepage?
You are busy and your clients are busy. They do not want to, or have time to, search all over your website to find what they are looking for. Make sure that a website visitor can find all content when they are sitting on the homepage. Using drop down menus and links to other pages can help simplify the look while keeping information handy!
6. Is Your Website Difficult to Update?
We’ve given you some ideas of things to change and spice up on your website. But this does not do much good if it is hard to make changes. Your website should be both easy for users to navigate and for you to manage. Waiting days to hear back from website support is ridiculous and you should feel confident about making updates and changes with them or on your own.
Having a website at all just 10 or 20 years ago would have put your business ahead of the game. With tablets and smartphones taking over these days your website needs to look great, work efficiently, and engage clients both from their desktops and mobile devices. If you are starting to think a new website sounds like a good idea then we can help!