Nine reasons to update or rebuild your website

1. Updating content on your site is slow and expensive

Paying a provider for every single site change is costly and slow — which can put you off making changes in the first place. With so many easy-to-use and accessible content management systems (CMSs) out there, all users should be able to manage their own content. If your developer or agency says your website is hardcoded, find out what’s required to make the change to a CMS. In the long run, it’s more cost-effective and will give you more control over your content.

2. Your website is difficult to navigate

Mazes can be fun...but not when your website feels like one. Information architecture is key. A clean and clear navigation is essential for all websites. A simple rule of thumb is to avoid having more than three levels of sub-navigation and avoid pages within a page. If you need help, find an experienced user experience (UX) guru.

3. Your website is dull

Have you ever lost interest in a website because it’s too text-heavy? Websites should be rich with meaningful pictures and short and snappy content. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. If you can’t reduce the amount of content, then think about redesigning your content structure to improve readability. Remember, less is always more.

4. You don’t have a mobile site

Reference: http://www.smartinsights.com/mobile-marketing/mobile-marketing-analytics/mobile-marketing-statistics/

Reference: http://www.acma.gov.au/theACMA/Library/Corporate-library/Corporate-publications/australia-mobile-digital-economy

Today, people spend more time on their smartphones than on computers. In June 2013, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) reported that 7.5 million Australians accessed the internet via their mobile phones — a 33% increase from the previous year. And for the six months to May 2014, 12.5 million Aussies accessed the internet via their mobile phones (from page 10 of ACMA’s Communication Report 2013-2014).

5. Your website is built in Flash

It’s simple: Flash is old school. It also has limitations for all iOS and most Android devices, which means a large portion of your users can’t see your site.

6. You can’t upgrade your CMS anymore

Has your system reached its limits? Still using Joomla 1.5 or Wordpress 3.0? Here are some concerning factors to consider:

• Maintaining an old system is expensive and often exposes your site to various vulnerabilities.
• Older systems often don’t release security updates.
• An older CMS can also be restrictive, with no plugins available.

7. Your website is targeted by hackers

Websites can become vulnerable to hackers for a few reasons, such as:

• The CMS has reached its limit for upgrades (a common issue with Joomla).
• Your website doesn’t have the latest security patch.
• You’re in a shared hosting environment where another website has been hacked.

8. Your hosting fee is killing you

Sometimes you need to cut the excess fat. Imagine switching on all the lights in your house when you’re sitting in one room...a waste of electricity and money, right? Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers on-demand charges so you only pay for what you use. Check out AWS to see if its services can meet your site’s needs. Alternatively, get some advice from your current hosting company on reducing your hosting fee.

9. Your website always goes down

These are the four common reasons why your site will go down:

1. Your server capacity isn’t strong enough.
2. You’ve been targeted by hackers.
3. Your web service configuration is vulnerable.
4. Your domain name or SSL has expired.

If any of the above nine factors apply to you, it’s time to look at upgrading or rebuilding your site.