What to Do When Your Website Has a Scary, 90s Look

In the digital world, a 90s-style website is the equivalent of the haunted Victorian house: scary and outdated. Only the bravest dare go inside. A bar, restaurant or hotel that has classic decor from a bygone era can get away with holding on to the same look for the duration of it's existence. But websites just don't work that way. Changes in website design aren't just about aesthetics. Websites change to keep up with and integrate constantly evolving technologies. If your site looks old, people will assume -- correctly -- that it's also missing the modern features that make websites easy to use. Even worse: people may assume that your business is closed altogether. So, now that you've realized that you have to revamp your old, rickety, ghost-filled website, what should you do? 1. Choose a design that matches up with current web design trends. "Eye appeal is buy appeal." A site the looks like it belongs on the Way Back Machine will send users to the back button faster than annoying popups or music that auto plays. To get an idea of what your website should look like, take a look at your competition. I'm willing to bet that most of your competitors have up-to-date websites. Check them out and find one that you like. Send the link to a developer who can design a site for your in a similar style. 2. Get rid of any outdated SEO. Most people don't venture into old, abandoned houses because they're afraid of what they'll find, like ghouls, hobos, big holes in the floor and unsafe staircases. Some spooky SEO tactics include: white fonting keywords, submitting links to directories, using duplicate content and cramming keywords into meta descriptions. If your site isn't in line with current SEO best practices, change that immediately. 3. Consider adding the kind of features that newer websites have, like CAD models, faceted search and responsive design. Ecommerce sites that don't have faceted search are at risk of falling behind, and if you've got a hideously outdated site, you've got even more catching up to do. Back in the 90s, Google was new too (and just as ugly) and nobody cared about what Google's algorithm thought about their websites. But that's all changed now, and in 2016, Google wants to see sites that are easy to use. Responsive design helps people use websites on mobile phones. CAD models provide a value-added benefit to your customers. These are just a few examples of newfangled features that your website should have. 4. Think about updating your branding. You don't have to do this, but if you're going to build a new site, why not freshen up your branding a bit too? Update your logo and choose a new color palette. New site, new you. 5. Update the back end. If your site has an old database or ancient e-commerce cart, consider replacing it with something that has better functionality.

How Often Should I Update My Website?

The standard answer is: every 12 to 18 months. Why? Because trends in website design change that fast. Faster than that, even. Refreshing your site regularly can help you maintain your competitive edge. If it's been more than 2 years since you changed your website, get on it -- stat. Now, we know that most people don't have sites so old they haven't been changed since 90s -- though sites that old are still around. But the truth is, if your site is five, seven or ten years old, it's nearly as bad as having a site that's 20 years old. Commit to refreshing your site once every 2 years. The investment of time and money is worth it. This is what our site looked like in 2011.   You might see this and think, "That doesn't look so bad." You would be right. If it looked like this today, it wouldn't be as scary as if it looked like this:   That's from 2003. For its time, it was great. For today, it just looks old. There are some sites out there that still look like this. Is one of them yours? If so, it's time to try something new. Photo credit: Way Back Machine and vidalia_11 via Foter.com / CC BY