Neon windbreakers, SONY Discmans, inflatable furniture… some things belong in the 90s. Your website isn’t one of them. An outdated website or hosting service makes your company vulnerable. In addition to a decrease in leads, you could face technical issues, security breaches, and even lawsuits. (Click here to learn more about internet security.) It’s time to make outdated and insecure websites a thing of the past, once and for all.
Experiencing Technical Difficulties?
Dysfunctional email accounts, network downtime, and glitches are some of the common frustrations that accompany an outdated website or hosting service. And while they might seem like small inconveniences, the hours spent getting your network up and running again add up. In fact, companies lose approximately $163,674 per hour of network downtime according to research from the Aberdeen Group.
If you’re like us, you don’t have that kind of money to waste. Regularly updating your website is the best way to prevent losing valuable time and resources to technical difficulties. You should revise and partially rebuild your website every 3-4 years to keep up with evolving software. And much like your car, they need quarterly maintenance to keep plugins and security measures properly functioning.
If it’s been five years or more since you updated your website, we strongly recommend making the necessary modifications to ensure your site operates at full capacity. If you’ve been taking proper care of your website and are still experiencing difficulties with email or downtime, you may need to assess your relationship with your hosting provider. We’d be happy to discuss options and provide you with a monthly estimate.
Security Breaches
Security breaches are a major liability caused by outdated websites. While you might think hackers won’t target a company your size, the truth is websites sustain around 50 cyberattacks per day. In other words, the question is not whether hackers will target your site, but how long your website’s defenses will hold.
Depending on your website’s functionality, the consequences of security breaches can range from defacement to serious data privacy issues. Hackers can modify your S.E.O. content to prevent people from finding your website, for example by spamming or crowding your keywords. Keyword spamming is when hackers link your website to a concept unrelated to your company’s services. This can result in search engine blacklisting, meaning search engines, including Google, will not pick up and display your website.
Outdated Websites are a Liability
In all cases, outdated websites erode clients’ trust in your company. In the most dire circumstances, however, you may even find yourself facing a lawsuit. Over the last few weeks, we’ve shared several blogs related to ADA compliance. (Click here to read our blog on ADA compliant web design.) If you haven’t updated your web design or development in the last five years, it likely does not meet the WCAG standards. Companies whose websites—or the third party apps they use—are not ADA compliant are vulnerable to OCR complaints and discrimination lawsuits.
If you’re hesitant to update your web design or functionality, we understand. We can work with you to create an action plan focused on gradually updating your site for performance and accessibility, rather than starting from scratch. Or, if you’re ready for a completely new site, our design and development team can talk you through current web standards and practices. Wherever you are, we’ll meet you there. We’ll step into the 2020s side by side.
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