In my last blog entry I made a point that apparently touched a few nerves. I stated:

 

“While it may not seem all that harmful on the surface, an out of date website can sometimes be almost more detrimental than having no website at all!”

 

Apparently that statement ruffled a few feathers with a couple folks out there that beg to differ with that statement. So I figured that I would take that opportunity to expand more upon my statement.

 

A while back I was asked to review a website for a friend. They were looking at possibly redesigning their site, but were hung up on the fact that it had worked for them for years. Did it really need to be redone they asked? After a few minutes of browsing through their site, I could pick out countless issues that served as exclamation points for why the site needed to be redone.

 

First, the overall appearance was very outdated. The site used a variety of Java applets/animations that were common on websites in the late 90’s or shortly thereafter. In addition, many of the graphics were of a much larger in size, but yet of lower quality than what is typically found online today. Lastly, when browsing some of the pages, they actually had ‘Last Updated’ dates included right on the pages. My jaw dropped when I saw dates that actually read 1997!

 

Switching perspectives a bit, I encouraged my friend to look at the website as if they were a customer coming to the site for information. Most novice Internet users would be able to see that the site was outdated. The fact that there were “Last Updated” dates over a decade old underscored that fact! A customer could very easily wonder if my friend’s company was still in business. In addition, a customer could end up wondering if they’ll receive quality service. Or, they may be left wondering if the lack of attention to detail that the website received will carry over into the services provided to them. First perceptions can often times be a lasting perception…

 

After a few weeks of talking about the website, my friend finally decided to go ahead with a redesign. It’s always tough saying goodbye to an old website, especially one that has served you well. But the technology available today is amazing and cutting edge. Websites can now be edited and updated within minutes from anywhere in the world, even by novice computer users. So rather than sitting on an old website that might be marginally working for you, now’s a great time to step up to the plate and look at launching a new website for your business or organization!

 

Cold weather and even snow have snuck up on us here in the Midwest over the past week! It seems as if summer flew by. But in all reality, fall is in full swing! And as scary as it is to think about it, winter and the holidays are not too far away!

 

Over the course of summer, it’s easy to let some things slide. Workweeks get shorter as people scramble to get out of the office early on Friday afternoons. Vacations sometimes take people away from their office & computers for days (or even weeks if you’re lucky!) at a time.

 

But while people are off enjoying themselves, websites are often times the first thing to be neglected. Regular updates sometimes get skipped. Planned upgrades get postponed. Redesigns get shelved due to the lack of time. As a result, many websites find themselves sitting stagnant and free falling through the search engine rankings. While it may not seem all that harmful on the surface, an out of date website can sometimes be almost more detrimental than having no website at all!

 

With that in mind, fall is a perfect time to catch up on all of those website projects! Maybe it’s as simple as updating some content, writing a blog entry, or posting some new photos.  Or possibly it’s as complex as moving forward with a complete redesign or new website. Either way… Now is the time to do it! Take advantage of the time between now and the holidays to make sure your business or organization is well represented on the Internet!

 

If you find that it’s time to tackle a major fall project on your website, contact us today to find out how we can help! Whether it’s simply adding new content, reworking your current design, or coming up with a completely new website, we have a solution for you!