A new website may feel like a big investment, both in time and money, but it is essentially the face of your brand, and therefore, totally worth it.

If your website has not been updated in the past three years, it is likely time for a refresh. Web systems are constantly being upgraded, design styles change and, most importantly, users expect so much more from a website these days. Making sure the user is having a positive experience when they are on your website should be your top priority.

Here are a few things to consider:

• Is your website mobile responsive? Google reports that 61% of users won't return to a site that does not render well on a mobile device.
• Is your content up to date? Even the most well-designed website is useless if the content does not reflect your brand's voice and drive consumers to action.
• Is your website easy to navigate? Users like websites that are easy to use. Making sure that your site's navigation helps them flow through the website easily is very important.
• Does your website load quickly? According to a study, 40% of people will abandon a site if it takes more than 3 seconds to load.

When thinking about a new website build, the best thing to do is put yourself in your customers' shoes. What would they expect to see? What would drive them to action? Maybe you already have some of these things in place; maybe you need to majorly overhaul your current site to get it to this point. Either way, now is the time to start thinking about your website and how you can improve it for the new year!