From Stranger Things to Keaton’s Batman, nostalgia’s definitely back in a big way. But there’s a fine line when it comes to your website being “Awww, I remember Geocities. Nice callback.” and “Ugh, I remember that aesthetic. This website is so dated.” If association’s website is leaning more towards the latter, there’s a good chance your audience will bounce.
38.5% of web designers believe the top reason visitors leave a site is outdated design.
Goodfirms 2021
Feel old yet?
According to Business 2 Community, the suggested average lifespan for a website is only 1.5 to 2.5 years before it needs a revamp. Yikes! Now, we would be happy to help you redesign your site on the regular like that but for many associations, that’s just not possible, both financially and time-wise. There are a few ways that you can futureproof your site’s design and plenty of things to avoid.
“But how? Why?!” you ask.
Let’s break down some of the ways your site might be out of date. Heck, some of them are quick fixes that can go a long way to help pull your site from the early aughts and closer to this decade.
1. You’re still using a carousel in your homepage hero section
I haven’t even looked at your site and I can already tell you you have too many sliders. One. You get one.
2. You’re stuck in 2D
Not unlike that cheesy 90s song that is now only known to be sung by an animated ring-tailed lemur, your website’s design needs to have a little bit of that “Move it, move it!” magic. But not so much that your users are getting distracted from their goals. Just enough to feel some interactive magic.
3. Stuck on the desktop
Look, it’s not just the kids who are glued to their phones anymore. Billions of people are on their phones, tablets, phablets, and everything in between. If they manage to find your company, click through to your site and find that it can’t optimize for their device, well, they’re going to bounce and find one that will.
4. Your content doesn’t reflect where your organization is at today
Just like using an outdated photo of yourself on dating apps, this one’s a straight up no-go. Make sure you’re updating content frequently, not only to get better SEO ranking but also to keep your audience and members coming back to check out the new stuff.
5. If it’s not helping, it’s hurting
If your website isn’t an extra hand supporting and streamlining what your association’s different teams are trying to do, then it might actually be doing more harm than good. Having outdated info or a convoluted way to apply for membership, purchase, or get a refund on something isn’t doing anyone any favours.
6. Plug-ins that aren’t integrating properly
If you have a website with plug-ins that aren’t working properly, it’s probably likely that you haven’t updated them in a while. An excessive amount of plug-ins can also bloat your user’s experience on the site and are often unnecessary to your site’s health and speed.
7. This is why we can’t have nice things
If you can’t quickly and easily edit or update something in the backend, not only is that frustrating but what a waste of time and resources.
8. He’s got the yips
In a world where we want and need to have everything thisfast, a website that’s slow to load or react to your users is just not going to cut it anymore.
9. Don’t make things so complicated
Don’t let people get frustrated. If your website’s structure is a copycat of your organization’s internal structure instead of being a reflection of how your members are looking for content, you’re going to have some issues. It’s probably not the way that people explore sites so it’s going to cause some frustrations on their end.
10. A neighbourhood full of cul-de-sacs
Ever click around on a website and it’s just a bunch of dead-ends and you have to constantly be clicking back? Or you accidentally close the window and now that site’s just gone? Yeah, that’s so 10 years ago. Make sure you’re adding in links to create a storytelling journey for your members to take part in. It’s okay for some pages to be the end of the line, but not everything. This isn’t Geocities.
11. Accessibility who?
An easy way to spot an outdated site is to look for the accessibility markers. Does your site work for everyone? Or as close to that as you can? Can it work with screen readers? Is there alt text on all your images?
Futureproofed by design
A resilient site design is essential for associations seeking to thrive in an ever-evolving digital landscape. By investing in responsive, accessible, and user-centric designs, organizations can ensure their online presence remains relevant, engaging, and effective for their members. A website that adapts to emerging technologies and user preferences not only enhances your members’ experiences but also strengthens your association’s brand and competitive edge. Ultimately, a future-proof website is an investment in the long-term success of your organization. By working with a web design agency that’s on the same page as you, they can help ensure your site feels fresh and relevant, even years later.
