The Hidden Cost of an Outdated Website

Kristina Stubblefield: [00:00:00] Is your website secretly driving customers away? You might be investing time and money into your marketing, social media, ads, videos, but if your website is outdated, unresponsive or hard to navigate, you're losing potential clients before they even get to know you.

Today, I'm sharing the real cost of an outdated website and why keeping it updated isn't just nice to have. It's crucial for your business's success. 

Welcome to Simplified Solutions, your go to resource for small business owners and entrepreneurs seeking practical advice, innovative strategies, and simple solutions for business, marketing, and technology. I'm your host, Kristina Stubblefield. If you're eager to take your business to greater heights, then you're in the right place.

We're here to help you unleash your business's untapped potential, boost your visibility, and [00:01:00] maximize your investments. Let's dive into the world of Simplified Solutions. Stay tuned, and let's simplify success together. 

Today, we're discussing something that might be silently undermining your business, an outdated website. Maybe you're pouring energy into social media posts, running ads, or creating engaging videos, but still not getting the results you want.

If that sounds familiar, your website might be the missing link. So let's talk about the cost of an outdated website. Let's dive into why an old, unresponsive site isn't just an inconvenience. It's actually hurting your business. From lost credibility and poor SEO to missed sales opportunities, it's I want to explore what an outdated website might be costing you.

 Let's start with the first cost. Credibility. People are making judgments about your business within [00:02:00] seconds of landing on your website. Think about it. What do you think when you go to a business and it has a broken sign and peeling paint?

Think about it. or outdated marketing material in their window. What do you think if you walk into a restaurant and it has dirty windows and a messy entrance? First impressions matter and the same goes for your website. If it feels outdated or neglected, potential customers might assume your business is the same way.

The same goes for a website. If it's outdated, hard to navigate, or looks like it's from 2015, visitors might question whether your business is still active, relevant, or professional.

And I know this might not be the easiest to hear, but I've seen it over and over again with clients. You might be the absolute best [00:03:00] in your field, but if your website doesn't reflect that, people won't stick around long enough to find out. It's all about perception. Your website is your digital storefront.

And if it doesn't look credible, potential customers might move on to your competitors. Now let's talk about the second cost. Poor SEO performance. This one is huge because even if you're actively creating content and driving traffic through social media or ads, Google will rank you lower if your site is out of date or not optimized.

That means all your efforts could be in vain if people aren't finding you in the first place. Things like slow loading speeds. Missing meta descriptions or outdated security protocols can make Google deprioritize your site. Search engines favor websites that are [00:04:00] regularly updated and optimized for both desktop and mobile.

An old, unoptimized site is basically telling Google, I'm not relevant anymore. And you know what? That's going to hurt your visibility. So here's a quick win. If you can't do a full overhaul. Start small, update your service or product pages, tweak your titles and make sure your site speed is solid. Even those little changes can help boost your rankings. Now, I want to share two real life examples that perfectly illustrate how an outdated or broken website can lead to missed opportunities.

The first one, we had a client who came to us and they were consistently posting on social media and even creating videos where they were speaking directly to their audience. They felt like they were doing everything right, but nothing seemed to be translating [00:05:00] into actual leads or sales.

After analyzing their site, we found it was outdated. It was hard to navigate and it was not user friendly. Visitors were landing on the site, taking a look, and then leaving. The content was the same as it had been for three years. So all that effort that they were putting into social media was falling flat because the site itself wasn't supporting their efforts.

But it gets worse. We had another client come to us and they were running expensive TV and radio ads and seemed to be driving a decent amount of traffic to their website. But they weren't seeing hardly any conversions. When we took a closer look, we discovered that several of their pages and forms weren't working.

Visitors were trying to contact them through a broken form. The client had no idea this was happening [00:06:00] and it had been losing potential leads for well over a year. Imagine paying good money to send people to a broken site, missing out on leads and opportunities without even knowing it. 

Another thing to add to this story is this in particular client had worked with a website company to design and set up their website. And yet pages and components. We're not working correctly. These stories show how an outdated or broken website can undo all the time, money and effort you're putting into other marketing channels.

If your website isn't supporting your strategy, it's acting as a barrier instead of a bridge. 

Finally, let's talk about your brand image. In today's digital age, people [00:07:00] expect clean, easy to navigate websites that work seamlessly on mobile and desktop. When your website looks outdated, it sends the wrong message.

It suggests that maybe you're not investing in your business, or worse, you're behind the curve. This can be especially damaging if you're in a competitive industry. The fix? You don't always need a complete overhaul. Sometimes just updating your color scheme, refreshing your images, and making small tweaks to your navigation can make a world of difference.

So, you may be wondering, what can you do today? Well, Here's a quick checklist to get you started. Update your images and branding. Swap out any old low quality photos with fresh high resolution images. 

Make sure your site is mobile [00:08:00] friendly. Nearly 80 percent of all website traffic is from mobile devices. I cannot emphasize that enough. 

Refresh your content Take a look at your about page Is it updated with the most recent about information for your business? 

Take a look at your services page or pages. Do you still offer those services? Take a look at your product pages. Are you still offering the products that you have listed? Are there any services or products that are missing?

Next, check for broken links. Test your site's functionality and make sure everything's working as it should. This is very important. Take the time to visit every one of your pages in the navigation and Also, if you have any calls to action, any forms or links, make sure they are working correctly. [00:09:00] And remember, it's not about doing everything at once.

It's about making small, consistent updates. Your website is more than just an online presence. It's a reflection of your business. Don't let an outdated site silently undermine your success. Take a few minutes today to review your site and see where you can make some quick improvements. 

If you're not sure where to start, I have a free checklist available on my website to help you audit your site and prioritize what needs updating. Head over and download it to get started. 

 Thank you for joining us today on Simplified Solutions. If you found value in this episode and want to dive deeper into topics like this, here's how you can stay connected. Join our vibrant Facebook group, Simplified Solutions with Kristina Stubblefield to connect with fellow entrepreneurs and continue the conversation.

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Until next time, remember there are always simplified solutions for your business.