The saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
But what if you don’t know it’s broken? This is often the case with websites — most of the time they don’t look broken. A site may seem cluttered, or you may not like the design, but if it loads and you can click around, it works. Right?
But unless you’re watching you can’t see the hesitation over a menu item, or the multiple keyword searches, or repeated use of the back button. You also can’t see what traffic isn’t there – those who chose not to click your site from search results, or what sales might have been. There are other tell-tale signs like high bounce rates and shopping cart abandonment. But we all know what happens to analytics reports when they land on someone’s desk. With no one paying attention, organizations often don’t realize their sites need fixing.
A broken site is a liability
You could be the best in your industry. However, consumers may never find out if your website acts as an obstacle course between them and your products and services.
Unfortunately websites continue to deteriorate if left unchecked. Even if they functionally don’t change, everything else around them does: browser versions, devices, and consumers’ expectations.
Regular website tune-ups improve your bottom line
Websites should come with mandated inspections every 2 years, like we have for motor vehicles. Add in regular washing and waxing, tune-ups every 3-6 months. This will keep you from having to replace an old clunker every few years. It’s less expensive over the long run — and that doesn’t even account for the ‘found’ business when consumers have a smooth ride to what they are looking for.
Are you in need of a website inspection?
