Everyone knows the importance of having an online presence in the 21st century. That is why we are not going to talk about why it is important for your company to have a website, but why it is important to have it active and updated.

And, what do we mean by active and updated?

Nowadays, it is not enough just to have a website. “My company already has a website, so I’ve done my part. You have to take care of a website. Don’t you take care of your image every day? Don’t you renew your closet often? There are people who do it weekly, another one monthly, and another one annually. With your company’s website, the same thing should happen. Depending on what kind of website you have, and in what sector you are, these updates can be weekly, monthly, or yearly. Like people, websites have different needs.

Obviously, a website with e-commerce and offers must update its website more frequently than a corporate website where only the products or services offered are shown.

Regardless of the frequency, all must change. Updating its content, its design, and having a control and a follow-up of what happens in it, is basic in order not to be left behind.

These are some of the reasons why your company should maintain an active website:

1. Do not show an image of obsolescence

The web is the reflection of your company. It is not enough to show your services, you have to show them in a visual way. Websites move forward and so do their designs. Getting stuck with an old design can make the user feel careless, with little investment towards improvement. And if you don’t do it with the window of your company, what will make him think that you do it with what you offer him? The chances are high that the user will look for a better showcase. Very high. A modern and well cared for website transmits innovation and interest in what is offered, and therefore a better user experience.

2. You will be searched and judged on the Internet

It’s automatic, we want to look for information about a product/service or company, and the first thing we’re going to do is take out our cell phone, tablet, or computer, and look for information.

For example, according to data from Eurostat, in 2018, 72% of the Spanish population accessed the Internet on a daily basis, with the European average at 76%. A very high percentage.

Unless the user is a regular customer, the first impression is the one that counts, so making sure this is the best possible should be a priority.

3. Updating your website will help you position yourself in Google

We already know that they are going to look for us in online platforms. To us, or to the service/product we offer. So it is important to appear as high as possible in the search engines. For this, it will be necessary to update the SEO of the website, as well as to install a responsive website, in case you don’t have one already. The latter is essential nowadays since many users search on mobile devices, and it is one of the points Google values most when positioning.

4. Monitoring your traffic can generate business opportunities

Linking your website with Google Analytics, and monitoring your traffic often, can open up opportunities that otherwise you would not even be aware of.

Imagine that you focus your marketing efforts on one location, and by observing the user interaction with your website, you realize that you have another location that you didn’t pay attention to, with the same or even more traffic than where you focus your budget. There is a business opportunity there that, if you don’t track it, you would be missing out on.

5. Improve communication with the client

Offering the client a space where they can make comments, suggestions, complaints, or raise doubts, is necessary in any business. For example, a company that offers B2B services, a form will be enough, while a company that sells products, surely needs a comment section per item.

Encouraging your customers to generate feedback, and offering them a quick response, will be vital to generate loyalty and prevent them from seeking solutions from the competition.

6. Preventing cyber attacks

According to a study carried out by the consultancy firm Kelser Corporation, 65% of cyber-attacks occur in small and medium-sized companies, as the budget allocated to cyber-security is less than that required to prevent these attacks compared to large brands.

In addition to investing in cyber-security specialists, some of the best practices you can implement are:

•  If you have a website in WordPress, which is the largest, most popular, and most used CMS platform, perform all available updates, as these incorporate security improvements that will help prevent future attacks.

•  Generates backups of data and important content. You never know what might happen, and having this information well stored is important for possible loss or theft of content.

Now that you know some of the reasons why your company needs an active website, analyze whether it is enough or not, and generate action plans to carry it out.