Why Re-Design?

Is your website losing you business? According to a new survey by Blue Fountain Media, 81% of internet users think less of a business if the website is not updated, and 39% would think twice about using a product or service if the website is not fresh, user friendly, and current.

web designer at work on laptop with feet up on comfy bench

Signs Your Website is Ready for a Redesign

A redesign assesses what works and what does not work and capitalizes on the greatest revenue drivers while severing the parts with no return. For non-profits, revenue translates to raising awareness for your cause and increasing support. A redesign clears the clutter from your old site, supercharges navigation, and improves user experience. If any of these benefits are something your website could use, it may be time for a redesign.

Here’s a checklist of 10 sure signs that you should seriously consider upgrading your website:

  1. You’re embarrassed to tell people about your website. Your website should be the digital face of your company and should be something you’re proud and confident to hand out freely. If you find yourself second-guessing whether or not to tell someone about your website or actively trying to avoid the conversation altogether, it’s time to invest in a website you’re proud of — to the point of wanting to scream your URL at random passersby.
  2. It looks outdated. This is one of the easiest ways to tell if your website is ready for a rebuild. While it’s important that your website function seamlessly, if the look simply feels stale and doesn’t appeal to you or your team anymore, there’s a good chance your users will feel the same way — about both your site and your business. If your site doesn’t appear modern and competitive, neither will your business.
  3. You have added services, products, or changed your processes in delivery of those services or products.
  4. Your site is more than 5 years old. While there’s no hard and fast rule for how long a website should last, there have been a lot of advances in technology, best practices, and how Google ranks sites in the last few years, so if your site is more than a handful of years old, it could probably benefit from some level of overhaul.
  5. Your site is not mobile friendly or responsive. Mobile is now the world’s leading form of web browsing, making up 52 percent of all web traffic today, and Google is now basing its rankings on the mobile rather than the desktop version of a website. If you have a separate mobile website or a site that does not utilize responsive design, it makes more sense to build a new site from scratch using a mobile-first approach rather than trying to retrofit it with mobile-friendly elements. A site that doesn’t function well on mobile is a sign of a fading business that hasn’t made an effort or isn’t even aware of what it takes to keep up.
  6. Your site doesn’t match your brand. If your company has recently undergone a branding overhaul but your website’s still stuck in the past, you should spend some time and money on aligning that design and messaging. Imagine seeing a fresh, innovative display ad for smartphones only to click and land on a page featuring Nokias and Moto Razrs. This disconnect can confuse users and make them unsure if your website is even still your website.
  7. Your site is not delivering the traffic, leads, sales, and conversions you expect. The more people engage — stay on — your site, the more likely they will purchase your product/services. If your website is getting a little long in the tooth but still gets results for your business, there’s probably no reason to mess with a good thing. But if you’ve seen significant drop-offs in traffic and leads, your visitors are clearly not finding what they’re looking for, and you might want to consider a site upgrade to bring them back.
  8. All your competitors have newer websites. While it’s true that you should do what’s right for you rather than blindly following what others are doing, if your competitors have websites that look and work better than yours, you’re going to be at a significant disadvantage. If your website is lagging behind competitors, consider an update to propel you to the front of the pack.
  9. Your website doesn’t have your social networks integrated into the design.
  10. Your site does not offer an excellent user experience. A successful website is all about pleasing your users. If your site is difficult to navigate, takes more than 3 clicks to get anywhere, and doesn’t offer engaging, valuable content, your users will leave. While small tweaks can improve the visitor experience on an existing site, a new website designed with user experience at the forefront is often the best solution.

So, Is it time to redesign your website?

Say Hello with a friendly email if you’d like to talk about redesigning your website. I’d be happy to do a preliminary site review!