Imagine a grocery store with half empty shelves, broken lights, and no signs on top of the aisles telling you where to find “Cereal” and “Pasta.” On top of that, the automatic sliding doors won’t open all the way, the shopping carts all have one broken wheel, and you can’t find any employees to point you in the right direction.

That’s the effect a bad business website has on new leads.

In the same way that the manager of a brick and mortar store would make sure the premises are clean, safe, and well lit, your business’s website needs to reflect the quality of your brand. If your website is in desperate need of an upgrade, redesign, or total renovation, then working with computer software companies will help you improve the look, feel, and functionality of your website to stand out against your competitors.

But how do you know when it’s time to work with a trusted web development software company?Keep reading for our new business website checklist and ask yourself these six simple questions.

Does each web page load within a reasonable time?
When your website — or even a single page — doesn’t load quickly enough, chances are the users aren’t going to wait around. On the Internet, five seconds feels much, much longer. That means your potential customers will take their time and their money elsewhere, most likely to one of your competitors. A reasonable amount of time doesn’t mean within the first 30 seconds, either, but much faster than that. Roughly 47% of online users expect a web page to load within two seconds.

Try your website on several different computers and locations, or run tests to measure the exact loading time. If you don’t like what you find, experienced computer software companies can help improve the response time.

Is my company’s website optimized?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is an essential part of running a business in 2017. In addition to the look and functionality of your website, it’s important that users can easily find your listing on a search engine results page. That means your website must be optimized for search engines as well as people.

Is my business capturing as many leads as it can?
If you feel like your website isn’t bringing in or converting enough leads, it might be time to change some aspects of your digital presence. Business software professionals can help find creative and innovative ways to improve the way your website generates leads and converts customers.

If you don’t know how to gather this information, examine your analytics to keep an eye on your bounce rate. This metric measures the number of people that come to your website but immediately leave. Don’t be intimidated by this number; depending on your industry, a 50% bounce rate isn’t abnormal. However, a 75% bounce rate could be a major red flag that your business web site is in dire need of a refresh (click here to see average bounce rates by industry). If that’s the case, talk to business computer software companies to get started.

Does my company look out of touch because of its website design?
If your website looks like it was created in the late 1990s or early 2000s, it’s obviously time to upgrade. Unfortunately, because the internet evolves so fast, if your business looks like it was created in 2014, it’s probably time to upgrade, too. Working with business web design professionals can help improve your company’s website and will provide you with a much more modern design.

Does my website look too similar to competitor businesses?
Having a custom designed website will not only help give your site a more modern look, but can also help your business stand out from your competitors. If your website is too much like your competitors, it might be difficult for your customers to distinguish between the two, resulting in a potential loss of clients.

Can my customers easily maneuver through my company’s website?
Your business’s website can be the fastest, best looking site in the world, but if it’s too difficult for your average customer to find what they’re looking for, your business is going to suffer as a result.

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you may need professional website development.

To speak with trusted computer software companies, contact Facet Web Tech today.