Is your business website failing to bring in customers? You’re not alone. Many business owners don’t know when their website is hurting their business instead of helping it. Here’s the truth: Your website works 24/7 as your best salesperson. But if it’s broken, slow, or old, it’s actually pushing customers away to your competitors.
This guide will show you exactly when your website needs help. We’ll give you 12 clear warning signs that mean it’s time for a change. Plus, we’ll show you how to fix each problem.
Want to save your time with a Free Professional Opinion? Get a free SEO audit of your website (typical cost of $387)
Why Your Website Matters More Than Ever
Your website is like your digital storefront. Just like you wouldn’t let your real store get dirty and broken, you can’t let your website fall behind.
Studies show that 94% of first impressions are about your website design. That means you have just 3 seconds to grab a visitor’s attention before they leave.
The cost of waiting too long: Every day you keep a broken website, you lose potential customers to competitors with better sites.
1. Your Website Doesn’t Show Up in Google
The Problem: When people search for your type of business, your website is nowhere to be found.
Why This Happens: Google changes its rules all the time. Old websites that haven’t been updated get pushed down in search results.
The Cost: If you’re not on the first page of Google, you’re invisible. 75% of people never look past the first page.
Quick Check: Search for “[your service] + [your city]” in Google. Are you in the top 10 results?
The Fix: A website redesign with modern SEO will help Google find and rank your site better.
Further Explanation: Google and other search engines constantly update their algorithms. This way, users can get the most relevant information that is current and recently posted content. To maintain an active website ranking, you also need to update your site according to the latest updates. If you keep your outdated site as it is, it is sure to lose its search rank position since it is no longer relevant to users.
2. Your Site Looks Bad on Phones
The Problem: Your website is hard to read and use on smartphones and tablets.
Why This Matters: Over 60% of people browse websites on their phones. If your site doesn’t work on mobile, you lose more than half your potential customers.
Quick Check: Open your website on your phone. Is the text too small? Do you have to zoom in to read it? Are buttons too small to tap easily?
The Fix: A mobile-friendly redesign makes your site work perfectly on all devices.
Test Your Site: Use Google’s free mobile-friendly test tool to see how your site performs.
Further Explanation: New devices with different screen resolutions are always coming on the market. With the growing number of Internet users, it’s crucial to make sure your website is compatible with various devices and screen sizes. If your website isn’t optimised for mobile, it might be time to consider website redesign services Adelaide to address this issue.
3. People Leave Your Site Right Away
The Problem: Visitors come to your website but leave within seconds without looking at other pages.
What’s Normal: A good website should have a bounce rate under 40%. If yours is over 70%, you have a problem.
Why People Leave Fast:
- Your site looks outdated or unprofessional
- They can’t find what they’re looking for
- Your content doesn’t match what they expected
- Your site is confusing to navigate
The Fix: A fresh design with clear navigation and engaging content keeps visitors interested.
Further Explanation: Visitors to your website are more likely to leave when they find old, outdated content. The bounce rate can also increase when users are not exploring other pages on your site. This indicates difficulty in navigation or uninteresting content.
If you notice your bounce rate is higher than normal, you need to analyse the reasons. A fresh website design can help overcome outdated website issues to ensure that visitors like your website’s engagement and credibility. This will get them to spend more time on your site.
4. Your Website Loads Too Slowly
The Problem: Your website takes more than 3 seconds to load.
Why Speed Matters:
- 40% of people leave if a site takes more than 3 seconds to load
- Google ranks fast sites higher than slow ones
- Slow sites lose sales and customers
What Slows Sites Down:
- Too many large images
- Old, messy code
- Too many plugins or add-ons
- Cheap web hosting
Quick Check: Use Google PageSpeed Insights to test your site speed for free.
The Fix: A modern redesign with clean code and optimized images makes your site lightning fast.
Further Explanation: When everything needs to be done fast, slow website problems are some of the worst ones for website owners. It is also one of the main reasons to update an old site. Your visitors simply do not have the patience to wait for your website to load. If they find your site is slow, they will leave and go to your competitors. This will increase your bounce rate mentioned above. You must monitor your website regularly to ensure it loads quickly. If it has slow website problems, a revamp can help overcome those.
5. Hackers Can Attack Your Site Easily
The Problem: Your website security is weak and outdated.
Warning Signs:
- Your site hasn’t been updated in over a year
- You don’t have security certificates (no “https” in your web address or mixed domains)
- You’ve never installed security plugins
- You use old website software
The Risk: Hacked websites lose customer trust, get removed from Google, and can face legal problems.
The Fix: A redesign includes modern security features that protect your site and your customers’ information.
Further Explanation: Has your website’s security been breached before? If yes, you must install specific plugins or firewalls to avoid a recurrence. Certain plugins can assist in identifying and blocking potential cyber threats. It is very important to provide a safe website—especially if it is an e-commerce site, as a compromised website can greatly harm your credibility and reputation. Even more concerning, it could lead to legal and financial problems.
6. Visitors Can’t Find What They Want
The Problem: Your website is confusing and hard to navigate.
Signs of Poor Navigation:
- Your menu has too many options
- Important information is buried on inner pages
- Your contact information is hard to find
- Visitors have to click more than 3 times to find what they need
The Cost: Confused visitors become frustrated visitors who leave for your competitors.
The Fix: A user-friendly redesign with clear menus and logical organization helps visitors find what they need fast.
Further Explanation: Your website’s user interface should be easy and aesthetically pleasing. If it is not, users might not be able to find what they are looking for easily. This can be extremely frustrating to users, which can impact your bounce rate again. Make sure the site’s design is easy to navigate. The user should know instinctively where to click to find the information they are seeking. Modern website development methods focus on this, and if your website is several years old, it may be time for a change.
7. Fewer People Visit Your Site
The Problem: Your website traffic has dropped significantly over the past 6-12 months.
What This Means: Your site is losing its appeal to both visitors and Google.
Common Causes:
- Competitors have better websites
- Your content is outdated
- Google has changed its ranking factors
- Your site has technical problems
How to Check: Look at your Google Analytics to see if traffic is trending down.
The Fix: A strategic redesign with fresh content and modern SEO brings visitors back.
Further Explanation: If you notice a significant drop in the number of visitors to your site, it may be time to update your website. To avoid declining website traffic, you must regularly examine your site’s analytics. Such analysis can help you pinpoint pages that are no longer ranking or getting visitors. It means those pages are not as engaging as they once were. If you find pages that once ranked well no longer ranking, they may be slipping in ranks or their bounce rate may be higher. It is time to dive into redesigning and rewriting content or making SEO tweaks for those pages.
8. Your Industry Has Changed
The Problem: New trends, laws, or customer needs have emerged in your industry, but your website still shows old information.
Examples:
- New regulations in your field
- Changes in customer preferences
- New products or services available
- Updated industry standards
Why This Hurts: Outdated information makes you look unprofessional and out of touch.
The Fix: Regular website updates and redesigns keep you current and credible.
Further Explanation: No industry can remain unchanged for long, and one needs to update constantly to keep up with the innovations. Irrespective of whether you are in the technology, healthcare, or marketing industries, you need to keep abreast of trends that affect your niche or the topic of your website’s pages. You must continuously add new data or information. This is important to stay relevant and also establish your authority on that subject.
9. Competitors Beat You Online
The Problem: Your competitors’ websites look better, rank higher, and get more customers than yours.
How to Check:
- Search for your main keywords – where do you rank compared to competitors?
- Visit 3-5 competitor websites – do they look more professional?
- Compare their features, content, and user experience to yours
What You’ll Likely Find: Successful competitors invest in modern, professional websites that convert visitors into customers.
The Fix: A competitive redesign helps you match or beat your competition online.
Further Explanation: It’s essential to keep an eye on your competitors’ websites. If they consistently outperform or outrank yours, it might be time for a redesign. This could involve making simple adjustments to your website’s content, improving SEO, adding relevant links, removing unnecessary plugins, and ensuring faster loading times. Additionally, examining your competitors’ sites can reveal what they might be doing differently. They may offer more comprehensive information or have a more visually appealing user interface. Regularly benchmarking against your competitors will provide valuable insights into the changes your website requires.
10. People Search Differently Now
The Problem: The keywords and phrases people use to find businesses like yours have changed, but your website content hasn’t.
Why This Happens:
- New technology changes how people search
- Voice search is becoming more popular
- Customer language evolves over time
Example: People used to search “plumber near me” but now search “emergency plumbing repair” or “24-hour plumber.”
The Fix: A redesign with updated keyword research ensures your site matches how people actually search today.
Further Explanation: Search engine optimisation is an ever-evolving field. The keywords that were relevant earlier may no longer be relevant today. They may not yield the same results as they did before. User’s needs and questions change from time to time. Your website must reflect those changes. Modern website development involves analysing keyword performance regularly and optimising content to align with current searches. This is very important to maintain relevance in search rankings.
11. Your Site Has Too Many Add-Ons
The Problem: You’ve installed too many plugins, widgets, or extra features that slow down your site.
Warning Signs:
- Your site has more than 15 plugins
- Pages take a long time to load
- You get frequent error messages
- Your hosting provider complains about resource usage
Why This Happens: Over time, websites collect unnecessary add-ons that create conflicts and slow performance.
The Fix: A clean redesign removes unnecessary elements and keeps only what actually helps your business.
Further Explanation: Some WordPress site owners make the mistake of installing too many plugins to add more quick features. This can slow your site down considerably. Ideally, you should not have more than 10 plugins. If you believe that plugins have slowed down your site or are causing security issues, it may be time to consider a redesign.
12. Your Content Is Out of Date
The Problem: Your website shows old information, outdated photos, or content that no longer represents your business.
Red Flags:
- Copyright dates from years ago
- Old team photos or bios
- Discontinued products or services still listed
- Outdated contact information
- Blog posts from months or years ago
Why This Hurts: Outdated content makes visitors question if you’re still in business.
The Fix: A content refresh during redesign ensures everything is current and accurate.
Further Explanation: Some websites need seasonal or annual updates based on industry trends. This is especially true for e-commerce websites having product pages. If you have a blog or run product pages, you must make annual or seasonal updates to them, such as during the holidays, to stay current and relevant. This is essential to maintain your rankings.
The Bottom Line: Your Website Is Either Growing Your Business or Hurting It
There’s no middle ground when it comes to your website. Every single day, it’s either bringing in new customers or sending them to your competitors. The 12 warning signs we’ve covered aren’t just minor issues – they’re silent business killers that cost you money while you sleep.
Think about it: if your website was a salesperson who scared away customers, looked unprofessional, and couldn’t answer basic questions, you’d fire them immediately. Yet many businesses keep broken websites that do exactly that.
The good news? Every problem we’ve discussed has a solution. Modern website design fixes all these issues and turns your biggest business liability into your most powerful asset.
Ready to stop losing customers to a broken website? Amplify Web Design specializes in transforming underperforming websites into customer-generating machines. We’re offering a free SEO audit with no obligation – you’ll get specific insights about what’s holding your website back and exactly how to fix it.
Don’t Wait Any Longer
If you found 3 or more of these problems on your website, it’s time to take action. Every day you wait, you’re losing potential customers to competitors with better websites.
What Happens When You Fix These Problems:
- More visitors find you on Google
- More visitors stay on your site longer
- More visitors become paying customers
- Your business looks professional and trustworthy
- You stay ahead of your competition
Ready to Transform Your Website?
Don’t let an outdated website hold your business back. A professional redesign fixes all these problems and turns your website into a customer-generating machine.
Schedule a Free Consultation Call – Let’s Discuss Your Website Goals
Frequently Asked Questions About Website Redesigns
1. How much does a professional website redesign cost?
Website redesign costs typically range from $3,000 to $15,000 depending on your business size and features needed. However, the cost of keeping a broken website is much higher – lost customers, poor Google rankings, and damaged credibility can cost thousands in lost revenue every month. Most businesses see their redesign investment pay for itself within 3-6 months through increased leads and sales.
2. How long does a website redesign take?
A professional website redesign usually takes 4-8 weeks from start to finish. This includes planning, design, development, content creation, and testing. Rush jobs often result in poor quality, so it’s better to do it right the first time. During the redesign process, your current website stays live so you don’t lose any business.
3. Will I lose my Google rankings during a website redesign?
When done correctly by experienced professionals, a website redesign should improve your Google rankings, not hurt them. The key is proper planning, keeping important pages, setting up redirects, and improving your SEO during the redesign process. Many businesses see ranking improvements within 2-3 months after their new site launches.
4. Can I redesign my website myself or should I hire professionals?
While DIY website builders exist, professional website design delivers better results for businesses. Professionals understand SEO, user experience, mobile optimization, security, and conversion optimization. A professionally designed website typically generates 3-5 times more leads than DIY sites. The time you save can be spent growing your business instead of fighting with technical problems.
5. How do I know if my website needs a complete redesign or just updates?
If your website has 3 or more of the warning signs mentioned in this article, you likely need a complete redesign rather than small updates. Signs that indicate a full redesign is needed include: poor mobile experience, slow loading speeds, outdated design (over 3 years old), security vulnerabilities, and declining traffic or rankings.
6. What’s the difference between website redesign and website refresh?
A website refresh involves minor updates like new images, content updates, and small design tweaks to your existing site. A website redesign means building a completely new site with modern code, updated design, better user experience, and improved functionality. Redesigns are more comprehensive and deliver better long-term results for businesses with serious website problems.
7. How often should I redesign my business website?
Most business websites need a major redesign every 3-4 years to stay current with technology, design trends, and customer expectations. However, you should make regular updates and improvements throughout the year. Industries that change quickly (like technology or healthcare) may need redesigns more frequently, while stable industries can go longer between major overhauls.
8. Will a website redesign improve my local SEO and Google My Business ranking?
Yes, a properly executed website redesign significantly improves local SEO performance. Modern websites load faster, work better on mobile devices, and provide better user experiences – all factors Google considers for local rankings. Additionally, redesigns often include local SEO optimizations like location-specific content, local keywords, and better contact information display.
9. What should I look for when choosing a website redesign company?
When selecting a website redesign company, look for: proven results with before/after examples, experience in your industry, transparent pricing, clear timeline, ongoing support options, and good client reviews. Ask to see their portfolio, request references from past clients, and ensure they understand SEO and mobile optimization. Avoid companies that promise unrealistic results or use high-pressure sales tactics.
Free Website Redesign Checklist
Contact us directly and we will hapilly share our free website redesign checklist. You can either complete the checklist items yourself, or give it to your current web designer for a thorough report on the opportunities your site has to improve. If you don’t want to spend the time doing this, then just let us know and we will do it for you for free! It never hurts to have a second professional opinion especially if its free.
This checklist includes:
- Easy ways to test each problem yourself
- Questions to ask potential web designers
- Timeline for a typical website redesign
- Budget planning worksheet
Last updated: May 2025 | This guide is regularly updated to reflect the latest website best practices and Google requirements.