2019 is finally here and everyone is talking about resolutions, fresh starts, and new improvements. Aside from personal goals like eating healthier, learning not to take things personally, and flossing at least 3 times a week, business goals should be at the forefront of your resolutions.

Specifically, your digital marketing presence and whether it’s improving it or actually developing one. And since the Internet is this evolving entity that grows and improves, shouldn’t your website keep up? This month, our Napa-based team at WSI NextGenMarketing is looking at website design and development to make sure your business stays on top of the Internet’s changes. If you’re considering a new website, the beginning of a new year is the perfect time to do it before the busy season starts!

When it Comes to Websites, People Will Judge a Book by its Cover

Looks matter and if your website looks dated, people will assume your product or service is too. 80% of the customer journey happens online, so before a customer chooses your product, they’ve looked up your website, your social media accounts, and your star ratings. So you have to make sure your website is dressed to impress and your online presence is sparkling.

Website design over the last decade has changed drastically – a site built in 2013 will look older than one built in 2018. It’s kind of like dog years and human years – a website that’s 5 years old is actually 50 years old in human years. That’s not a scientific fact but to the average consumer, it definitely feels that way.

Mobile-Friendly is Now Mobile First

We all just started becoming comfortable with the idea that search engines like Google will encourage mobile-friendly website design. Then 2018 gave us “Mobile First” which means search engines will actually rank your website based on your mobile website score, not your desktop score. Think: how fast is your website on mobile? Does it load under 2 seconds? Is your website responsive on all screen sizes? How about on large PC screens? Today’s monitors are massive and high-res. Can your site handle it?

Technology & Security Updates Will Force Old Websites Out

WordPress 5.0 just got released and then 5.01 and 5.02 followed within a few weeks. What does that mean? For some hosting companies, it means forcing an update on all their websites – even the ones that haven’t been updated in years. These updates can change the way an old site looks and functions. Is your website running on the latest technology? Is your theme outdated? Working in website design and development has taught us that every business needs a website that can be easily updated and can handle major new releases by their platforms. That’s why we use reliable software that updates seamlessly year after year.

Make marketing the star of your new year by evaluating your business goals. If it’s time to update your website, our WSI team in Napa will be more than happy to sit down and discuss your vision. January is the time to refresh your website design and kick off your marketing strategy for 2019!