[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]You’ve had a website for years now, the last couple of which, you haven’t spent as much time maintaining the site as you would have liked to. Although the website has been on your to-do list for ages, it never seems to move to the top. Many business owners have found themselves in the same situation, with their website stuck in a sort of outdated limbo. If this is the case, then the thought of beginning to update or use your website again might be daunting if you don’t know where to start.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Turning Over a New Leaf

It is at this point that many people reach the logical conclusion that their website needs a fresh start to get off the ground again. After all, the best way for your website to get the time and attention it needs is for it to get your customers’ time and attention. Now, if you’ve already got a website, you’re probably thinking it would be a shame for that to go to waste. A WHOLE NEW website isn’t necessary, you can just save money and have it updated, right?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

In a perfect world, yes. In the real world, not necessarily.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]This is a common thought process in today’s small business world. In recent years, small and medium sized businesses took the internet by storm after realizing its potential for opportunity. There is good and bad to look at in the wake of this migration. The good is that many businesses have found success online, and there is still plenty of opportunity to be had. The bad is that many of the businesses that took to the web years back have let their website slip into a state of disrepair.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”3794″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]

This website has been left in a state of disrepair.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]But before going on, let’s be clear; not all “old” websites are outdated or in rough shape. There are plenty of websites that have been well maintained and are in great shape. However, those aren’t the websites we’re talking about today. The websites that have been well-maintained and successful aren’t the same websites that are in dire need of a fresh start.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]That being said, there are countless websites out there that haven’t been properly maintained. These are the websites that have become obsolete; the websites that have been left in the dust by their successful counterparts. Once a website has reached this point, it is very rarely cost-effective or even plausible to merely update it. There can be many contributing factors that make “updating” a website much more difficult than starting fresh.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The Developer

Many times, the developer that built the existing site has either lost contact with the business owner or simply isn’t available to make updates. In other cases, the developer that built the site is no longer wanted, due to either poor quality of work or customer service. Both of these situations make the “update” option more difficult.

The Building Method

One of the very first questions we have to ask is how the current website was build? If it was hand-coded, then there are very few people, if any, who will even touch it. Coding standards are changing all of the time, and a website that has not been updated with the times is not only obsolete, but can be a security risk as well. There’s no telling how somebody else coded a website, and you don’t know what you might be getting into, thus making this a very unlikely “update” scenario.

What About a CMS

If the site was built in a CMS (content management system), such as WordPress, then your odds of updating get better, but still aren’t great. For this example, we’ll assume the site was built in WordPress. First, the site will have to be analyzed to see what kind of shape it’s in. If the website relies heavily on obsolete themes or plugins that are no longer supported, or there were too many custom-coded work-arounds, then most developers would not suggest attempting to update the current site.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Each of these all-too-common scenarios lead to the same conclusion:

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1439932562851{padding-bottom: 15px !important;padding-left: 25px !important;background-color: #3a3a3a !important;}”]

Updating an outdated website can easily cost you more than a brand new website.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]The amount of time that goes into troubleshooting the problems on an old site can be enormous, and by the end of the project the business owner can be left wishing they’d have purchased a brand new website instead. Because in many cases, it would have been less expensive, newer, and easier to update and maintain in the future.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The Test of Time

This brings me to the issue of longevity, which is hugely important if you wish to avoid finding yourself in the same position you’re in now 5 years down the road. There are plenty of options when it comes to having a website built, but it’s important to consider what your website will cost you in the long run, in terms of both money and stress. A website that is built on a well-supported and trusted platform with reliable components is crucial for long-term success. Another hugely important consideration is whether a WordPress site is using a child theme, which is nearly guaranteed to increase the lifespan of your website by avoiding critical conflicts within the plugins or custom coding of your site. Lastly, one of the best ways to save yourself the stress and anxiety of regular website maintenance and updates is to hire a developer that offers maintenance plans. In many cases, the monthly payments will pay for themselves in time saved and continued increases in web traffic, resulting in more successful marketing and ultimately, more sales.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

We Can Help

At BNG Design, we do everything in our power to give you the best return on investment possible when building a website. Whether through direct online sales or as an unparalleled marketing tool, we work to create a website that will change your business for the better. Our designers carefully pick out each theme and plugin used in our website creations, using only high quality and trustworthy components. We also incorporate a child theme into every website we create, resulting in websites that last longer, and have fewer problems. And with our ongoing service plans, we offer to handle any maintenance or continued work as time goes on and as your business grows. From regular maintenance and small updates to adding entirely new sections and features, we will work with you to keep your investment looking and feeling brand new.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Take a look at our portfolio of past projects, and see what others have said about our service. If you’d like to learn more about what steps to take with your own website, or would like a free consultation, contact us here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]