Is your website from 2015? Signs you need to change it

The cheapest test there is

You have a website. You pay for it. But do you know if it works? There's a test that only costs you a minute: open it on your phone, with the wifi switched off, and watch what happens. If you can't be bothered to use it, imagine what a customer who doesn't know you at all feels.

In 2015 the digital world was different: most people visited websites from a computer, phones were slower and Google was much more tolerant of outdated websites. If your website was designed back then, it's very likely costing you customers without you noticing. These are the signs.

Sign 1: On mobile it looks like a mess

Most local business searches happen on a phone. If your website forces you to zoom, if the text runs off the screen or if the buttons are tiny, the visitor leaves in five seconds. Not because they're not interested in your business, but because the website is uncomfortable to use.

Today websites are designed "mobile first": first for the phone screen and then for the computer. If yours was designed the other way round, that's exactly the problem.

Sign 2: It takes too long to load

When a website takes a while to load, the visitor gets impatient, leaves and often doesn't come back. Old websites are usually slow because of heavy images, decade-old code and servers that don't keep up.

A modern website loads almost instantly. And that's not just a matter of convenience: Google gives more visibility to fast websites, and mobile users are the least patient of all.

Sign 3: Only the people who already know you find it

Your website has a job that goes beyond showing your business: finding new people for you. If the only ones visiting it are those who already know you, the website isn't doing its part.

Why does this happen? Because old websites don't have the structure Google needs to understand what your page is about: descriptive titles, texts with the keywords your customers search, a site map, clear contact details. They are "invisible" websites: they exist, but nobody finds them.

Sign 4: It hasn't been touched for years

A live website shows: photos from last season, news from three years ago, a blog that died in 2019. The customer perceives it as neglect, and wonders: if the business is neglected on its website, what else is neglected?

Besides, a website that isn't touched is more vulnerable: old systems accumulate security flaws. Renewing the content and the technology isn't decoration, it's keeping the door of your business in good condition.

Comparison: 2015 website vs current website

A website from 2015 usually has this:

• A design made for desktop, with narrow columns and small text.
• Heavy images that take a while to load.
• A contact form and little else.
• Nothing connecting it to Google Maps or to reviews.

A current website has this:

• It looks perfect on mobile, tablet and desktop.
• It loads in seconds and the images adapt to every screen.
• WhatsApp button, online booking or direct reservation.
• Google Maps listing connected and reviews visible.
• Texts optimised so Google finds you.
• A blog with content that attracts new visits every month.

Migrating without losing SEO: what nobody tells you

Changing website is a bit scary, and rightly so: a migration done carelessly can make your website disappear from Google for weeks or months. But migrating well is very simple if a few rules are respected:

• Keep the old URLs or redirect each one with a 301 redirect to its new version.
• Keep the titles and texts that already work; don't reinvent a page that already ranks.
• Register the new website in Search Console and request the change of address if you change domain.
• Keep the Google Business listing linked to the new address.
• Review the site map and the descriptive texts of the images.

With this, the migration becomes an improvement and not a risk: the new website inherits the good from the old one and gains speed, security and up-to-date SEO.

Conclusion: an old website isn't repaired, it's changed

Every month that goes by with the 2015 website, you're still paying for a tool that doesn't bring you new customers. The good news is that today it's easier than ever to have a fast, modern, visible website.

At pedroaren.com they dedicate themselves to migrating local businesses to current websites without losing what you've already gained. If these signs sound familiar, you can request your free website with no obligation and check the state of yours.