Rethink Your Online Presence

So now, according to very precise stats that I got from my research, there is a total of 897 gazillion of stuff that exists, spread around 991.098.563 websites, built and maintained by 11.155.987 pro and 7.653.918 hobbyist developers, and used by 3.191.986.867 internet users.

But what I actually want to point out is that everything I wrote above changed from the moment I wrote it by the rate of 5 new websites, 1 new developer and 10 new internet users per second. Yes, it is growing, and even more importantly – it is changing rapidly.

As a one of 11 million pros who are trying to make the World Wide Web a better place, I’m familiar with the dynamics and progression of technologies on the network. It is kind of a bummer to see some of my hard earned skills becoming obsolete, but that’s just how it goes. 11 million of us need something to do, so if you’re not able to invent something new, there is stuff others have just invented for you to learn and use. And boy is that stuff useful… So there’s no time to grieve over fallen competence, there is a new one that will help you get over it.

Your website is certainly not wine

As a matter of fact, if it’s not already gone bad, it will soon. Hey, don’t shoot the messenger, it’s not me who’s making the rules.

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Here’s some advice on what you should follow up in order to prevent your website from turning outdated:

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Visual Factor : Appearance describes integrity

It probably happened to you to stumble upon website that in fact might have contained the info you were after, but it looked so 2011, and you were like: «Naah, I’m gonna try somewhere else». Even though it might sound shallow, the visual effect is really important factor to the quality of your web existence. Appropriate and appealing looks will make the first step in convincing your visitor that there is a good apparatus behind it and that your website is the right choice. Just make it pretty, or hire a professional to do it for you.

User Experience : Make it easy

New trends in UX design mostly come from bringing possibilities of new technologies closer to end users, as well as adapting to internet users’ habits as they develop and as we acknowledge them. Also, there are tons of websites out there that are lagging behind businesses they represent, so their owners are forced to conform to their outdated structures making the whole thing rather confusing. Think about the style and structure of your navigation. Think about mobile users and different screen sizes, about accessibility for people with disabilities (it is a nice thing to do, but it is also a law now in Norway). Think about integration with social networks and other useful online services. Think about what you can do to make your website more efficient and easy to use, or hire a professional to do it for you.

Functionality : Make it do the actual job

For some businesses, it is possible to let website do a great deal, or even the whole job. Wouldn’t it be nice if the only thing you need to do is to count the money? Think about what your website can do to make your business more productive or less expensive (or both), or hire a professional to do it for you.

Promotion : Improve your chances to be found

Marketing: you need it to wrap up all the good work you’ve done on your website. Analyze your potential visitors and what key phrases they use to find someone like you and use that knowledge to optimize your website for search engines. Then build Google’s trust in you by convincing other relevant websites to link to you. Have good content – the more the better, localize your presence, create a strategy for paid promotion, use social media wisely… or hire a professional to do it for you.

In conclusion, if your website is old, let’s be frank: you’ll probably need to either give up the fight or hire a set of professionals. I know some.