How long is too long to keep wearing your favorite T-shirt? Have you refused to upgrade your cellular device because your older model “still works just fine?” There are a huge amount of upgrades you can hold off on—but a website redesign shouldn’t be one of them.
Often serving as consumers’ first impression of a brand, your website positions you within your industry, shows how you communicate, and presents your products or services to potential customers. As brands grow, many of these aspects change along the way. But websites are often the last thing to be updated when a significant shift in a business occurs. With online reviews, social media, and functional websites becoming more important every day, your digital presence simply cannot be an afterthought.
Maybe your website is starting to feel a little outdated, or perhaps you’ve recently rebranded your business and think it’s time for a fresh site. But what signs should you look for to know for sure? And once you determine that updates are needed, what next steps should you take? Let’s find out.
“I Don’t Think My Website Needs a Redesign.”
You may not think it’s time for a new look. Things might appear to be working well, sales are still filtering in, and your content is still sharp. For some businesses, a good website might be acceptable. But keep in mind that 55 percent of visitors spend less than fifteen seconds on any given site. A stellar website can set your brand apart from the next and capture the attention—and clicks—of visitors that might otherwise head over to your competitor’s site.
5 Signs Your Website Needs a Redesign
If you want to rise above the competition and become a leader in your industry (and who doesn’t want that?), a good website is no longer good enough. Keep an eye out for these signs that indicated it may be time to make some changes to your site.
You’re Not Seeing the Results You Want
Even strong websites can struggle to generate clicks, visits, and conversions. But there’s a reason behind every performance metric. Is your site failing to help build your customer base and move you closer to your marketing goals? Consult your engagement metrics. If one or more of these markers are down considerably, it’s time to consider a redesign.
Your Site Isn’t Responsive
Over 57 percent of web traffic results from mobile searches, making responsive and mobile-first website crucial to digital marketing success. If your current site was developed without these considerations in mind, it’s challenging to make this type of change, and starting from scratch with a mobile-first design approach is a good idea.
Your Competitors All Have Newer Sites
Maybe your website is only three years old and took a huge amount of time and resources to build. It’s responsive, and you still see results. But it’s important to pay attention to what your competitors are doing. Are they introducing live chat services or innovative click-to-call features? While there’s no need to update just for the sake of updating, an industry-wide shift could mean that it’s time to make some changes.
Your Sales or Marketing Goals Have Changed
If you rebrand and change the name of your business, adding that new name to your site should be a no-brainer. However, other changes, like a growing team or new contact information, are easy to miss. Strive to keep your site current on all fronts, especially if your branding has significantly changed in all other aspects. Your site should feel like an extension of your physical brand—so if that changes, your digital presence had better change with it!
Some Website Features Have Stopped Working
Plugins on websites can stop working for a number of reasons, but one of the most common is that they become outdated. A WordPress plugin that hasn’t been updated in the last two years is considered abandoned, and the last thing you want is to continue running old plugins that might break your site without a moment’s notice. If testing reveals outdated plugins or other broken features, now isn’t a bad time to consider a full redesign, which can bring your site up to speed in a number of key areas.
Next Steps in Your Website Redesign
Okay, so you’ve come to the conclusion that your website could benefit from some changes. How do you determine exactly what changes need to be made, and what’s the best way to start instituting them?
Determine Design Wants vs. Needs
Questions like, “What primary purpose should my website serve?” “How much does a website redesign cost?” and “Is the product, offer, or service reflected on my website current?” can help differentiate between important updates and your wishlist. Although a lot of business owners dream of a modern, flashy site with all the latest design trends practically guaranteeing conversions, a complete redesign isn’t always the best use of time and resources. You may want to consult a website designer for help determining exactly what parts of your site are in need of a tuneup.
Conduct Some Design and Industry Research
A few small changes to your site can make a world of difference. Once you know what website updates are crucial, it’s time to determine the best way to make these changes happen. Run A/B tests to see if the proposed changes would be profitable and note the ripple effects of each one. Determine which upgrades can be made internally by your designers, and which ones will need some outside help.
Connect With a Website Design Expert
While self-taught web designers and developers can do a lot of things, some upgrades require an expert. Digital marketing and website design agencies specialize in helping businesses implement marketing strategies and effective sites. Partnering with an agency is a great way to bring third-party experience, insight, and skills to your brand. If you don’t already have a relationship with such an agency, allow us to introduce ourselves.
Design Your Dream Site With Snap
Whether your site just needs a new look, some upgraded features, or a complete development overhaul, the website design team here at Snap is equipped to help. Your dream site is within reach—connect with us today to bring it one step closer to reality.