“Outdated” rarely means broken. Here are the specific, concrete signs worth checking rather than guessing.
1. Compare Against Two Competitors
Open your site next to two direct competitors’ sites. Note your honest first impression of each, side by side, not in isolation.
2. Check for the Security Padlock
Look at your browser’s address bar. No padlock icon, or a “Not Secure” warning, means your site isn’t running HTTPS, which affects both visitor trust and search ranking.
3. Check When Your Site Was Last Updated
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Dashboard > Updates. A long list of pending plugin, theme, or WordPress core updates is a reliable sign the site hasn’t been maintained recently.
4. Check Your Mobile and Load Time Scores
See How to Check Your Website’s Load Time and How to Test Your Website on Mobile, since an outdated site is very often also a slow one.