Why it’s important to ensure your local business website is up to date

It is vital that you keep your local business website current and up to date. There is no point in having a website that is outdated or contains wrong information. For a local business, their website is their most important resource.

People want to know if you are still operating

In the current global climate businesses are closing at a quicker rate than we have seen before, and if your website is out of date then valuable consumers may assume that you have fallen to the same fate.

Websites are often your first point of contact with new clients

Unless you have a physical store then your first point of contact with new clients is highly likely to be your website. Your contact details, opening hours, services offered, and other vital business information should be displayed clearly and updated regularly. Only include links to the business social media accounts if you update them regularly. Your website is also able to be accessed 24/7 so you want to make sure it looks good at all times of day and night.

It is also important to ensure that your business website keeps up with the latest design trends. This will ensure that people don’t assume that you are behind the times and it sends a message that you care about the small details. If you struggle with this aspect you can always hire a designer, or even get help from a design or UI student who is looking to add to their portfolio.

Keeping your website updated helps with search results

If you update your website regularly then you are far more likely to be loved by various search engines. What this means is that your business website will move further up the search results list, will be more likely to attract new clients and you are far more likely to be seen by new potential clients.

If you run a local business that is changing often, does a lot of community work or often holds events then you should also have a blog section of your website that is updated regularly (2-3 times a month is fine). This will show new clients more about you and help them build an emotional connection to your business as they begin to feel like they know your business better.

Keeping with the times

Regularly updating your website is vital if you wish to keep up to date with new technologies and trends. Websites should be mobile friendly, utilizing SEO and your security systems should be updated regularly. If your website is hacked into, you will often need to start from scratch and as a local business owner this does not look good for your reputation – especially if you hold people’s details. Your website should be designed to be used on many types of devices and most people will be looking at your website on a mobile or tablet. Remember that this type of device encourages them to scroll so information can be spread across the pages rather than clumped at the top, as was once fashionable.

Your website should reflect your business and ensure that everyone, even those who are not local to you, become interested immediately upon viewing. 

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