I’m Terence Walsh, and at TWDA, we specialise in web design Hexham to help local businesses shine online.
For any Hexham business, an old website can be a major liability, quietly turning away customers before they even see what you have to offer. As a business owner in our beautiful town, you know that first impressions are vital. But is your digital storefront—the very first thing many customers see—actually holding you back?
If you’re not sure whether your site is helping or hindering, here are five telltale signs that it’s time for an update.
“With over 20 years of experience serving Hexham businesses, we consistently see a common issue holding companies back: outdated websites. Many sites, even for well-established local brands, are not mobile-friendly and lack the vital ‘padlock’ security symbol. This damages credibility and can turn away more than half of your potential customers.
Your website is your digital storefront; it’s as crucial as your business card or the branding on your vehicles. That first impression is vital, and it’s worth investing in.“
The Problem: Take out your smartphone right now and load your website. Do you have to pinch and zoom to read the text? Are the buttons tiny and hard to press? Does it look like a shrunken version of your desktop site? If so, you have a major problem. A huge portion of your potential customers, from local residents to tourists exploring Northumberland, are searching on their phones.
Why It Matters for Hexham: Imagine a tourist finishing a walk along Hadrian’s Wall, searching for a “Hexham pub lunch” on their phone. If your site is unreadable, they’ll simply click back and go to the next result. Google also prioritises mobile-friendly websites in its search rankings (this is called ‘mobile-first indexing’), so a poor mobile experience makes you harder to find in the first place.
The Problem: We’ve all done it. Click on a link, wait… wait… and give up. Studies consistently show that if a website takes longer than 3-4 seconds to load, a significant percentage of visitors will abandon it. An old website, often bogged down with unoptimised images and outdated code, is frequently a slow website.
Why It Matters for Hexham: Whether someone is on a shaky 4G connection in the countryside or quickly trying to find your opening hours, speed is everything. A slow website feels unprofessional and frustrates potential customers before they’ve even had a chance to see what you offer.
If you want to test your website pagespeed visit: https://pagespeed.web.dev/
If you would like us to take a look at your site just drop us an email and we’ll arrange a free review, no cost just a few pointers if your site needs help.
The Problem: Look at the address bar in your browser when you visit your site. Do you see a little padlock icon, or do you see a warning that says “Not Secure”? This warning is displayed on any site that doesn’t use an SSL certificate (HTTPS).
Why It Matters for Hexham: This is a massive trust-killer. Modern web browsers actively warn users away from non-secure sites. If you’re asking customers to fill out a contact form, or especially if you’re selling products online, that “Not Secure” warning will decimate your conversion rates. It makes your business look untrustworthy and technically behind the times.
The Problem: Does your website look like it was built in 2010? Think small text, clashing colours, and a confusing layout where you can’t easily find the contact details or services. Your website’s design is a direct reflection of your business’s quality and attention to detail.
Why It Matters for Hexham: A business in a historic and quality-focused town like Hexham needs a website that reflects those values. A dated design implies the business itself is dated. If a visitor can’t find what they are looking for within seconds—be it your menu, your prices, or your phone number—they will simply leave.
The Problem: Is your latest “news” from 2021? Are your opening times out of date? If you have to call (and pay) a developer for every tiny change, your website quickly becomes a static, out-of-date brochure.
Why It Matters for Hexham: Business is dynamic. You need to be able to quickly add a new seasonal offer, post about your involvement in a local Hexham event, or update your portfolio. A modern website built on a Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress empowers you to make these changes instantly.
We believe this is so crucial that at the end of each project, we personally sit down with our clients and show them just how easy it is. We give you the skills to not only edit your website, but to keep it fresh and effective for years to come.
If you found yourself nodding along to these points, you’re not alone. An old website for a Hexham business is a liability that actively costs you credibility and customers every single day.
The good news is that this is entirely fixable. A modern, secure, and professional website can be transformed from a forgotten brochure into your greatest marketing tool. If you’d like to explore how we can help, we’re here for a friendly, no-pressure chat.
At TWDA, we specialise in creating modern, secure, and effective websites for businesses across Northumberland. We can help you turn your digital presence from a liability into your greatest marketing tool.
Ready to find out how your website stacks up?
Click Here to Contact Us for a Free, No-Obligation Website Review
