5 Ways to Know When to Update Website Content
A website that’s served you well for many years can gradually turn from a dazzling online representation of your business to the main reason people searching for what you have to offer are increasingly choosing your competitors. It isn’t always obvious that a reduction in calls, conversions, positive feedback, or in-person visits is linked to the content on your website. If you aren’t sure if your website’s content is due for an overhaul, consider the signs discussed below by the experts from Saba SEO, one of the best marketing companies in San Diego.
1. Your Content Isn’t Inspiring Interactions with Your Brand
People naturally tend to share content they love with others. Content that’s serving your brand well will inspire your site’s visitors to interact with your brand in other ways by following you on social media, checking out your blog, or signing up for your newsletters. If you’re not seeing this type of interaction, it may be because your content is coming off as stale or uninspiring.
2. Your Site Has “Content Clutter”
Things like 404 errors and broken or outdated links that deter visitors from getting to or staying on your website can be corrected. However, content that comes off as crowded, distracting, or confusing is a larger problem. This type of “content clutter” might include:
- Too much variation in font and text size
- Odd mixes of text or background colors
- Excessive use of pulled-out quotes, boxes, lines, or bolded/highlighted text
- Large blocks of text or little or no white space on pages
3. You’re Seeing High Home Page Bounce Rates
Most people go to your website’s home page to get a general overview of your business and what you have to offer. If your home page has a high rate of visitors who arrive and then quickly leave without doing anything (bounce rate), it’s a sign your content probably isn’t cutting it anymore. Possible issues could be too little content or too much content presented in a way that’s not easy to digest.
4. You’re Not Getting Any Love from Google These Days
At one time, the most effective way to get more attention from search engines was to use certain keywords as many times as possible, but that’s no longer true. If your content is still stuffed with awkwardly used or excessive keywords, it’s probably not getting as much love from Google as it used to. This is because Google’s algorithms and procedures for evaluating website content have become increasingly complex. If you’re no longer seeing acceptable ranking results, you’ll likely benefit from a website infused with fresh, relevant content that’s in line with today’s acceptable SEO standards.
5. You Have a “Frankenstein” Website
A website that’s been around a while can become a hodgepodge of old, new, and updated content. If your site has layers of submenus and content buried under hyperlinks or hidden in strange places, it may gradually become more difficult for both searchers and search engines to find your content. If you have content that’s been updated here and there over the years—possibly by many different people associated with your business—potential issues might include:
- Multiple redundancies within your content
- Lack of organization in how content is presented
- Conflicting writing styles
Before starting to update your website’s content, use your Google Analytics stats to get a report of your site’s current performance. This report will give you a starting reference point to compare to future stats to determine how well your new content is performing.
One of the smartest things you can do for your business is make sure your website’s content keeps visitors engaged and interested in what you have to offer. Check your site to see if you recognize any of the signs we’ve talked about. Even if your site doesn’t need a major content overhaul just yet, your brand will be better served if you’re constantly on the lookout for opportunities to present fresh, relevant content.
If you need help updating your website, call on a San Diego web development company
with more than ten years of experience in all aspects of online marketing. Saba SEO offers SEO, PPC, web development, content marketing, and social media management services. Call us at 858-277-1717 to talk to one of our experienced professionals.
