When considering a new website, it’s often useful to know how long it’s likely to last. The average lifespan of a website can vary depending on a few things such as the platform it was built on, the quality of the build, the needs of the business, and so on.
However, generally speaking, most websites have a typical lifespan of around three to five years.
There are a few reasons why a website might be considered old at this point.
Firstly, the software used to create and run the website may no longer be supported or updated. This can lead to security vulnerabilities and other issues which can impact how well the website performs.
Secondly, the website may no longer be optimized for modern browsers or devices. This can make it difficult for users to find and navigate around the site and could lead to a decline in traffic and conversions.
Finally, the website may simply not look or feel up-to-date anymore. This can give a website a tired or dated feel that can be off-putting for users and affect the reputation of the website.
So, how do you know if your website is considered old?
If any of these reasons might apply to your website then it would be worth considering whether it’s time for an update:
- The software used to create and run the website is no longer supported or updated
- The website isn’t optimized for modern browsers or devices
- The website looks or feels out of date
Let’s look at each of these individually:
1. The software used to create and run the website is no longer supported or updated
If this is the case, you’ll need to update your website with a new platform or upgrade to the latest version. If you put it off for too long, you could find that your site fails to perform optimally, becomes hard to manage, or worse, becomes susceptible to hacking attempts.
2. The website isn’t optimized for modern browsers or devices
To do this, look at how your website performs on different platforms and screen sizes using tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights. If there are significant issues identified by these reports then consider having your website redesigned or redeveloped by a professional website design agency.
It is crucial that your website works properly across all devices if you want it to be successful. You’ll lose a lot of potential customers if it doesn’t. Today, mobile devices make up the majority of global web traffic, which is incredible when you consider that just a few years ago it was much less. It’s important that websites are responsive and accessible from mobile devices. Especially for business sites, this is essential.
3. The website looks or feels out of date
If the website no longer looks in line with current design trends and your competitors do, it might be time to have a redesign so that it appeals more to audience expectations. This can help increase traffic and conversions too!
Appearance matters more than anything else in the online world. There’s a good chance you won’t get much engagement from visitors if your website looks outdated. Regardless of how good the content of your website is, the design of your website is what people will notice first. When a design is outdated, it can put visitors off. Your website should make your visitors feel like they’re in a place that cares, and design makes a big difference in creating a positive first impression.
To sum up, a website will usually last around three to five years before it’s considered old. If you’re worried that your website might fall into this category, take a look at the reasons why and see if there’s anything you can do about it. Updating or redesigning your website is a great way to give it a new lease of life.
Some tips to consider when upgrading your website
If your website falls into the above points we highlighted, then here are some tips to consider when upgrading your website:
The best time to upgrade your website is when traffic and conversions are the lowest. This means fewer users will be affected by website downtime, which can keep revenue loss as low as possible. Also, if any changes need to be made after the update it shouldn’t have too much of a negative impact on the website’s traffic.
Be sure to keep an eye on how well your website is performing post-upgrade by regularly checking analytics and using website performance monitoring tools. This will help you identify any potential issues early on before they have a chance to cause too much damage.
You’ve finally launched your website! What now? A simple way to ensure your site is optimized for your audience is to send an email to your customers. This will inform them of an upcoming feature or update you will make to your site. Depending on their feedback, you can make changes to the website.
It is important to ensure that your SEO is maintained through the upgrade to avoid an SEO disaster. When you upgrade your website, be sure to plan for a site migration to ensure the new URLs, SEO tags, content, and structure of your site are implemented correctly.
When upgrading your website, always aim to improve its performance. This could be anything from reducing website load time to increasing the number of concurrent users your website can support. These small improvements will have a big impact on the overall user experience and could lead to an increase in traffic and conversions.
A website upgrade goes beyond changing the theme or adding new features. It involves updating all aspects, including usability, design, functionality, and content. To avoid any potential loss of revenue or customers, a website redesign has to be done properly.
Upgrading your website can seem like a daunting task, but by following these tips you’ll make sure that the website upgrade is a success and will help it to run smoothly for years to come.
About the Author
Ewan is the managing director at Web Integrations, a web design, and development company based in Scotland and working with clients around the UK and Europe.
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