The festive season is almost here, and it is time to prepare your business for capitalizing on the selling opportunities. In fact, your website may need more attention than your retail location this year because shoppers are keen to buy online. Even if they drop in for retail buying, they will probably check your website first. You can imagine the traffic spikes and load your site may encounter during the peak season.
Not being ready for them can land it in deep trouble, with problems like slowdowns and unexpected crashes. Your revenues, customer trust, and brand reputation may suffer in such situations. It is vital to check your site’s health before the festive season and address potential issues beforehand. Here are a few telltale signs that you need to work on your website before the holidays.
Sign #1- An outdated design
Start by checking the design of your website and comparing it with current trends. It is definitely not ready for the festive season if its design does not go well with the latest trends in your industry. For example, a fashion website without the virtual try room feature will surely not match buyer expectations. You must get a designer to give it a holiday makeover that aligns with trends, customer expectations, and the season’s mood.
Sign #2- A slow loading speed
A slow-loading website can be a killer, even more in the festive season when shoppers are short of time and patience. They will surely move to another seller even due to a couple of seconds delay in the loading time. Even worse, the SEO ranking of your site may drop due to slow speed, which is the last thing you want to deal with during the holiday season. Do not overlook this sign, and resolve it sooner than later.
Sign #3- A branding disconnect
A branding disconnect is another surefire sign that you need to invest in a website makeover this holiday season. The lack of a consistent style leads to a branding disconnect because visitors cannot associate your online presence with the retail look and feel. Getting professional website design services is the best way to bridge the gap and create a look consistent with the image of your brand. Experts ensure it by using the same colors, fonts, and elements as all other branding channels.
Sign #4- Unresponsive website
Another sign you must rework your website’s design before the holiday season is a lack of website responsiveness. With a growing number of shoppers relying on mobile platforms, missing out on responsiveness is not a choice. You may end up losing the festive sales and revenues for your business. The loss gets bigger because shoppers prefer to shop on the go during the holidays.
Sign #5- Navigation issues
Confusing navigation on your website is another reason to worry for business owners. It can increase bounce rates, lower conversions, and affect the reputation of your brand. These are the last things you may want to encounter during the holidays when the selling potential is the highest. You must ensure intuitive navigation so the buyers can quickly access the information they need and explore the products they want.
The festive season brings excellent opportunities for brands, provided they are prepared to capitalize on them. A website revamp is a great start, so you must watch out for these signs and address them sooner than later.