We all know online marketing matters. The Internet isn’t going away anytime soon, so for your business, having a user friendly home care website is absolutely necessary to connect and engage with your potential clients and caregivers.

Of course, what’s the biggest online advertisement for your marketing efforts? Your website. So what does it say then when your website is… less than great? Well, it doesn’t say good things, that’s for sure. But how can you know when it’s time to redesign your website? Let’s take a look at how to tell if it’s time for a website update.

1. The website is not responsive.

If your website isn’t responsive, it’s definitely time to think about updating to a new one. Responsive means your site is mobile-friendly, meaning it adjusts to whichever screen it’s viewed on: desktop, tablet or smartphone. The search engine Google has recently updated to prioritize responsive websites on its results pages. This means if your website is not responsive, and someone searches a keyword like home care, then your page is going to get pushed to the bottom of the pile. A responsive site is necessary to keep up with changing technology and stay relevant in the age of the Internet.

2. The website is outdated.

If the technology on your website is difficult to access, the content doesn’t reflect your current business or your last blog post was from 2014, then your site might be outdated. Your home care website reflects who your business is, so if it’s outdated, then it makes your business look behind the times, uninformed and even unprofessional. An outdated website is a sure-fire way to get visitors to run away as quickly as they came. If you want your potential clients and caregivers to actually stay on your site, then you it should be inviting and current.

3. The website doesn’t match your brand.

Maybe you recently updated your home care’s brand, without updating your website to reflect it. If your website is immensely different from the brand you want to portray, it can create a confusing experience for clients or visitors. While you don’t want to have to constantly update your website, it should reflect where you are in business. Update your design whenever is necessary to match the current brand and voice you strive for.

4. The website loads slowly.

This one should be simple. If you can drink an entire cup of coffee while your website loads, then it’s time for an update. Slow loading rates frustrate and annoy visitors, which makes them less likely to use your home care website. An update helps to boost your loading rates and make your site more engaging.

5. The website has a high bounce rate.

A bounce rate refers to website visitors who come to your site and leave quickly, rather than browsing and clicking through multiple pages. The goal is for your bounce rate to be as low as possible, so if yours is extremely high, it may be time to consider a new website. An engaging, interactive, interesting website is more likely to draw visitors in and invite them to stay awhile.

For your home care business, a clean, crisp and current website design is the key to bringing in site visitors, growing your network of caregivers and expanding your client base. If your home care website falls into any of these categories, it may be time for an update. Get a free website assessment from Home Care Marketing Pros today and see how you can get more traffic and leads from your home care website. Give it a shot and see how it grows your mission.