A website is like clothing. What was trendy 5 years ago looks terrible now. Here’s how to tell if your website is outdated:
1. The site looks “old”
It’s hard to explain, but you feel it. Fonts from 2015, acid colors, buttons with gradients and shadows. Users see it too. And subconsciously they think: “If the site is old, then the services are probably outdated too.”.
2. Everything falls apart on mobile
The text goes off the screen, the buttons are not clickable, you have to zoom in with your fingers. This is not just inconvenient – it is a signal: “We don’t care about our customers.”.
3. Conversion is falling
There is traffic, but fewer orders? Maybe the design just doesn't sell. People come in, look, and go to competitors with a more modern site.
4. You are embarrassed to show the site
Seriously. If you send a client a link and think “if only they would pay attention to the site” – that’s a diagnosis. Your site should be a calling card, not an embarrassment.
5. Competitors look better
Visit 3-5 competitors’ websites. If yours looks worse, you’ll lose before you even start talking to the client.
The good news is that updating your design is easier than you think. Often, all you need to do is change the colors, fonts, and structure and your site will look brand new.
The bad news: every day with the old design is lost customers.
How old is your site?
When exactly is the time to update:
If the site is more than 3 years old, check it with a critical eye. Technology changes quickly, and what was the norm in 2022 now looks outdated.
If your site is more than 5 years old, updating is no longer a choice, but a necessity. During this time, standards, user expectations, and search engine requirements have changed.
What to do?
You don't have to do everything from scratch. Sometimes it's enough to:
- Refresh the main page
- Rework the color scheme
- Adapt to mobile devices
- Remove unnecessary elements
But if your site has 3+ signs from the list above, it’s better to start over. It will be faster and cheaper than patching the old one.
Reality:
Your competitors have already updated their sites. Or are updating right now. The question is not “should you”, but “when will you do it”.
Because every day of delay means customers who have gone to those who look more modern.
Are we ready for change? Or should we wait a little longer?
