The company website is one of a construction company’s most powerful marketing tools. Construction leaders understand that their website represents their business and their brand, is key to promoting the company’s work and is one of the best digital tools for attracting new clients. To maximize the marketing potential of their websites, construction leaders should offer the best experience for website visitors by keeping their websites current, relevant and well-functioning.

Company websites are not a design it and forget it proposition. On average, companies update their websites every two to three years.

How can construction leaders determine when it is to revamp the company website? The following are key indicators that it is time for a refresh.

1. Website bounce rates are high

Bounce rate refers to the percentage of visitors to a particular website who navigate away from the site after viewing only one page. High bounce rates of more than 70% are a sign that visitors don’t find the company’s website content relevant or engaging, the navigation of the website is not intuitive, the look and feel is not appealing or a combination of all three.

According to Nielsen Norman Group, users often leave web pages in 10 to 20 seconds, but pages with a clear value proposition can hold people's attention for much longer. To gain several minutes of user attention, websites should be optimized for user experience including fast loading speeds, high-quality project photos and more up-to-date graphics can all help capture and keep visitor attention.

2. The website is not mobile-friendly

Ensuring that a construction firm’s website is optimized for viewing on mobile devices is essential today. Consider that the number of smartphone users in the United States in 2020 was estimated to reach 294.15 million and, today, mobile internet traffic accounts for more than 55% of total web traffic.

These statistics demonstrate that people are using their mobile devices now more than ever and highlights the importance of mobile responsive designs that allow construction firms to connect with clients and potential clients where they are. If the firm’s website is not mobile-friendly, it’s time to update or risk losing valuable web traffic and leads.

3. Website content is stale

Content that has not been updated for several years won’t include important information on things like new services provided by the firm, new client testimonials, new team members and updates to the project portfolio. Updating the firm’s website to keep content fresh and relevant will attract visitors to the website and will improve the company’s rankings by search engines.

4. The website takes too long to load

Website users expect fast loading speeds. In fact, 47% of people expect a web page to load in two seconds or less. Slow page loading speeds can hurt construction firm visibility and lead generation, driving potential clients to leave the site and look elsewhere for information. The impact of web page loading speed on user experience can also impact search engine rankings. Google’s search algorithms factor in website loading speed in search engine results pages.

Construction leaders can use Google’s PageSpeed Insights test, to evaluate how their website is performing. If the site loads slowly, it is time for a website redesign.

5. Leads are down

A decline in the number of leads can signal the need for a website redesign. A revamp of the construction firm’s website can increase the effectiveness in educating potential customers about services, showcasing projects, increasing brand awareness and building the firm’s customer base.

Integrating customer relationship management tools website redesign initiatives can help collect customer information when a new user visits the firm’s website. Collecting information such as email provides the ability for firms to generate leads and increase conversions by engaging directly with their customers. This allows firms to alert customers to new product or service developments and provide company updates such as contact and location information.

Collecting this type of information can even help firms solicit client reviews and testimonials which can go a long way in improving the company’s online reputation. Construction companies that add testimonials to their websites essentially leverage a digital form of word-of-mouth advertising to highlight the quality of their work which boosts credibility and can significantly boost the bottom line.

Evaluating these five key factors can help construction leaders determine when their websites need to be refreshed, redesigned or revamped. In this digital age, ensuring the firm’s website is current, relevant and functioning well is critical to maintaining a strong online presence that can fuel company growth.