Everyone knows the common conversion from human years to dog years. For every one of our years, a dog ages seven years. What about website and technology? It has become very evident that websites and technology changes on a monthly basis. It seems like every month there is a new update to Firefox, or a new trend in the web world. So the question out there is… how many web years is equal to one calendar year?
After looking at trends over the last year, how often web browsers are updated, and how often businesses are updating their websites; I have concluded that one calendar year is equal to about five web years.
Every two to three months there seems to be a new trend in design, a change in programming, and of course a change in Google’s SEO tactics. This is how I was able to conclude that one calendar year is equal to five web years. So the question to ask yourself… how old is your website in web years?
This is a question that more businesses need to be asking themselves. We are in a world where more and more are looking to the web to find the products and services that they need on an ongoing basis. More often than not you hear people ask a question followed by the ever so popular term, “Google It!” If businesses do not adapt to this new way of decision making, they could be left out of the decision all together.
So what do you need to do to help get your website current and future proof your website? Here are a few tips that can help you out:
#1 Bring your website up to date with a redesign
Design trends have changed drastically within the last 18 months, and have completely changed in the last 24-36 months. If you have not refreshed your website recently, it is time to find a good web design and internet marketing agency to help you out. Images, videos, and info graphics are king in today’s web world. Nice clean websites with limited text is what viewers are looking for. Prevent people from getting to your website and leaving right away; update your site to invite viewers in. Would you go to a hotel that looked like it was ready to fall down?
#2 Update your capabilities by adding a CMS
One major issue is website neglect. Businesses have their websites developed by an out of date company, or even worse, an internal employee, and these people do not incorporate a content management system or CMS. Then when you want to update your website you either pay a web company, or you are forced to use Dreamweaver or some other HTML program. When this happens businesses push off changing items on their site because it’s too hard, or takes too much time. Then you end up with a website that is stale, and no longer relevant. Incorporating a CMS gives you easy access to update features of your website, and they are easy enough to use that limited training is required. CMS systems help enable you to consistently change key features of your website making your users feel like the site is relevant, and fresh.
#3 Incorporate advanced features to engage visitors
Users want to feel involved when surfing the web. Incorporating features that engage users helps to keep their attention as they are navigating your website. These features can be informational slider graphics that slide as you click the different topics. They can include advanced social media integration that incorporates information from your Facebook page on your website. They can even include functions that change out pieces of your website based on the user. With some of the new programming technology the sky is the limit with user interaction.
These are just a few major items that businesses need to recognize and attend to sooner than later. Every year you do nothing five years go by, and five years in technology is the difference between a bulky old desktop and a supercharged tablet PC.