In our day to day lives, we spend a LOT of time browsing the internet but we have all experienced a broken website stopping us in our tracks. Whether it is throwing a 404 error, loading very slowly or has a broken contact form, it doesn’t take much for us to get frustrated and take our search (and business) elsewhere. So, what should we do with a website that seems broken beyond repair? Read this guide to find the most cost-effective solution for your website.
How old is the website?
If your website was built pre-google it is probably time for a complete overhaul. Of course, we are joking but some pre-90s websites do still exist! For very old websites recommend starting from scratch due to overall updates in security, efficiency and performance. However, if you have recently undergone a new web development, say in the past 5 years, it might be more cost-effective to fix what you already have.
What CMS does your website use?
The content management system is the platform your website is built with. For example, most small business owners start by building their website using Wix or Squarespace. Other popular CMS examples are Joomla, Drupal, Magento and Shopify. However, the majority of websites across the world are created using WordPress, in fact, a whopping 40% of the entire internet!
Depending on your business goals, creating your website from scratch might be an opportunity to move to a better CMS. Like if you own an eCommerce store, you might find the simplified user interface of Shopify is easier to work with. Or, it might be better to switch to a more commonly used CMS and make development easier in the future.
Does your website integrate with other systems?
This could be a subscription to a stock control software or perhaps your website is built with a custom booking system. Integrations like this can play an important role in deciding what to do with your broken website. Sometimes, it is not easy to start from scratch because the systems in place are dependent on your current setup.
Other reasons to fix website or start from scratch
It is really slow
Okay, okay, whilst we are brilliant at what we do sometimes there’s just no helping it. A combination of broken, disorganised code, outdated software, or something altogether more mysterious can mean that it would be more effective to start from scratch. Otherwise, you can spend a lot of time trying to fix loose ends. It is really important to get plenty of quotes for the work from web developers that have the relevant experience to provide you with the best advice.
Our Business Has Rebranded
Congratulations on the new look! Refreshing your brand is important to help you keep your competitors on their toes while securing new customers. Your website is the digital storefront of your business and it is important that it stands out. In this case, this is a great opportunity to build your website from the ground up to fully embody your new identity.
Custom Code, Themes and Drag and Drop
If you are looking to build a website that will stand the test of time we recommend building your website from the ground up. We do not use themes or page builders because they can add a lot of additional resources to your website, which can affect speed and performance. Another reason we do not use themes is because they can become out of date, whereby the theme developers cut off security updates. Coding your website means you can provide a very unique and customised user experience for your users, leading to all-important leads and conversions long term.
Speak to a team of experienced web developers
We understand how important your website is for your business and will take the time to find the best solution for your upgrade. With specialised knowledge across multiple content management and web application systems, you relax knowing your brand, website and IT infrastructure is in good hands. Contact us today for a free consultation!
Want to talk more about this?
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