Your website has the potential to be your most valuable marketing asset. And site design, in particular, has a significant impact on your marketing metrics and user experience. Slow page load times, a confusing menu, and missing functionality won’t do your small business any favors. If your website design is standing in the way of marketing results, it may be time to refresh your design.

11 reasons to refresh your website design

A fully customized site redesign can be costly. So, take the time to determine whether you need a full redesign or just a few updates. Switching your WordPress.com website theme or adding plugins could be the solution.

1. Your web pages load slowly

Every one-second delay in page load time can reduce customer satisfaction by 16 percent, says The Daily Egg. Test your speed using a free tool like PageSpeedInsights, which can reveal underlying design issues.

2. You can’t perform site updates

Are you struggling to add new pages? Your search engine optimization (SEO) and site traffic could be suffering if your site lacks fresh content. Consider adopting a WordPress.com theme with page templates.

3. Your design is not branded

Does your website design reflect your brand? Color, typography, logos, and images communicate a brand’s values and leave a lasting impression on visitors. Consider switching to a WordPress.com theme that is highly customizable, like Dara or Karuna.

4. You have a high bounce rate

The majority of websites have a bounce rate between 26 percent and 70 percent, according to The Daily Egg. A high bounce rate, meaning above 40 percent, can indicate several site design issues, such as confusing navigation, low-quality content, or poor page load times. WordPress.com web analytics can help you pinpoint any issues.

5. Your site is not optimized for mobile

Over half of global internet traffic now originates from a mobile device, per BroadbandSearch. Thus, a poor or non-existent mobile website could alienate a huge percentage of your visitors. A responsive WordPress.com theme can ensure your site scales seamlessly to smartphone screens.

6. You have SEO issues

Major search engines use hundreds of factors to rank websites, including usability, content, and design. If you aren’t ranking for important search phrases, it may be time for changes. The WordPress.com SEO plugin can help identify design issues on this front.

7. You don’t have a custom home page

Your home page is often website visitors’ first impression. A lackluster home page can decrease your crawl rate or the average number of pages that visitors view. Adopt a business theme with a stunning home page design, like Barnsbury or Maywood, to better engage your audience.

8. You have poor conversion rates

Your website should offer many opportunities to convert visitors into leads, including the following:

Subscribing to emails
Filling out a contact form
Downloading an e-book

Low conversion rates can be a sign that a refresh is needed to strengthen your calls to action or add more conversion pathways.

9. Your site is not secure

If your website isn’t secured with the HTTPs protocol, it may be harming your SEO. Learn more about HTTPS and SSL on WordPress.com websites.

10. You need new functionality

Are you lacking important website functionality, like eCommerce checkout, online appointment scheduling, or custom web forms? A site redesign is an opportunity to add new features with WordPress.com plugins.

11. You have confusing navigation

A high bounce rate or low crawl rate can be indicators that your navigation menu doesn’t make sense to your viewers. You may need to refresh your menu structure or add a mega menu.

Time to refresh?

There are many reasons a website may be struggling, and it doesn’t always call for a total redesign. You can achieve many new capabilities and a stronger WordPress.com website with specific refresh and reset actions, like switching themes or adopting new plugins. Consider your website’s needs and identify what needs an update — your business will thank you.

11 reasons to refresh your website design