Is your website stale? Drive business growth with a modern update

A subpar, outdated website is a business risk. In the 50 milliseconds it takes for a visitor to form an opinion about your website, you run the risk of turning off potential customers, partners and employees. Usability matters, too. Nearly 90% of people say they are less likely to return to a website after a poor user experience.

If you have a website that fails to advance your company’s goals, you are far from alone. When we create new websites for clients, we ask, “What about your existing website is working well? What would you like to change?” Often, the answer is, “I don’t know. I haven’t looked at in a while.” Given the demands on leaders’ time, that’s understandable.

The good news is that it’s all upside from there. A powerful website is a growth platform. It helps you win new customers, drive sales, attract talent, build credibility, compete more effectively, and open up communication channels.

So, how do you know when it’s time for a refresh and what can you do?

1. Start with site analytics and data

Use easily available tools such as Google Analytics to find out how your current site is performing. Data will show how people find your site, such as through search or a social media campaign; what pages they visit and for how long; and how they engage—are they applying for a job, contacting the sales team or downloading research? In our work with investment firms, for example, the team page is a popular destination. It’s a world where a lot of people know one another, and relationships and reputation matter. Get the data and you’ll have a baseline for action.

2. Yesterday’s website, today’s reality

Companies are always evolving. Services expand. Value propositions sharpen. The competitive landscape shifts. If your website reflects the business as it was five years ago, it’s likely time for an overhaul. Look at the levers that are driving success today, and those that will power it in the future. This could include new products, geographic expansion, or new faces on the leadership team.

Ask yourself what you’re selling and whether that’s clearly expressed. An outdated website can make even a successful company look like a minor league player.

We recently helped a client make exactly this transition. When the company approached us, its web presence consisted of a single landing page with minimal information about its business, services and market position. The site lacked the depth needed to tell its story, differentiate its offering or support meaningful search visibility.

Working closely with the client, we developed and launched a comprehensive website that clearly articulated the company’s narrative, showcased its expertise and positioned it more effectively within its competitive landscape. The result was a digital presence that better reflected the business it had become, and the one it aims to be in the future.

3. Optimize for AI

Clarity is especially important as large language models upend search behavior. Traditional SEO (search engine optimization) helps users find your site through keywords and rankings. That’s still important. Generative engine optimization (GEO) helps your content get cited in answer engine responses.

AI search platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude scan digital content to provide information directly to users at the point of search, and about 60% of organic searches now end directly on the search page through AI summaries and information snippets.

At the same time, company websites are a high-trust source of information. So while fewer people may end up directly on your website, you can impact the information they see via AI search.

The good news is that GEO best practices generally align with best SEO and web content practices. For example, AI search platforms look for clear, concise, structured content, including short explanatory paragraphs, lists, FAQs, concrete examples, and data points. A website refresh should reflect the rise of GEO and the changing ways people discover and evaluate companies online.

Enabling this type of discoverability was an important part of the client website project mentioned above. Moving from a sparse landing page to a content-rich website created opportunities to build a stronger SEO foundation while also supporting emerging GEO best practices. With clear messaging, structured content and dedicated pages that addressed the company’s capabilities and market differentiators, the new site provided both traditional search engines and AI-powered answer engines with more authoritative information to surface and cite.

What to do now?

Your website is a powerful tool that affects the health of your business. It’s a critical first impression, a sales and recruiting tool, a reputation builder and much more. Investing in content, structure and storytelling strengthens credibility, improves discoverability and positions you favorably in the marketplace.

If you haven’t taken a look at your business’ website in a while, it’s time. Modernize your website and transform it from a legacy drag to a vibrant storytelling experience. Given your website’s role in driving long-term growth, upgrading can’t wait.