Is It Time to Redesign? 6 Smart Reasons for a Website Upgrade

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What people say is true – a website redesign can be a game-changer for your business.  But it can also take significant resources in time and money, so it isn’t a decision to be made lightly.

Whether you’re a manufacturer, a provider of services, a company serving retail/consumer customers or a not-for-profit organization, in today’s fast-paced world of business the average lifespan of a website is typically 3 to 7 years.  But time alone shouldn’t be the main reason for a redesign. That decision depends on whether your audience is engaging effectively with your site.

If you’re contemplating whether to redesign or upgrade your website, here are six important factors to consider: 

1. You want your website to be a state-of-the-art representation of your brand and values.

Having an updated website sends a clear message: Your company is healthy, forward-thinking, and ready to take on new customers. Good companies evolve and grow over the years and your website is the best way to showcase who you are. If you use modern website design elements to tell your story, you’re more likely to engage your audience and leave a strong, positive impression.

2. You want to stay competitive in your market.

Different industries support different website lifecycles. A consumer website needs to incorporate the latest design trends in order to keep its brand fresh and connect with early adopters. A more technical, manufacturing, or information-sharing site can often take a wait-and-see approach to new trends and focus on other redesign factors.

Check out your key competitors’ websites and compare them to your own. If you’re an important player and yet your site is the last to upgrade, it’s probably time for a redesign.

3. You want to make your website easier to navigate and to use.

Look at your website through a user’s lens: A website has about four seconds to make an impression before users hit the back button, meaning your navigation must be well-organized and your content must be easy to understand, with clear calls to action. Do a quick scan of your site with these questions in mind:

  • Can you quickly sum up your core services?
  • Can you find the information you’re seeking?
  • Can you easily tell where you are on the site … and see where you want to go next?
  • When you’re on a service or product page, is there a clear call to action to take you to the next step?
  • Can you navigate your website equally easily from a desktop, a tablet and a smartphone?

If you find yourself getting lost on your site, or it takes you more than a few seconds to find the information you’re looking for, you probably need a redesign. Mobile-friendliness is now a requirement, and your site might not be offering a good experience for mobile users – another telltale sign that it’s time for a redesign.

4. You’re launching a new service or product.

Sometimes a new product or service doesn’t fit well into your existing website structure or can’t be showcased appropriately. Redeveloping gives you a chance to reprioritize what your website focuses on and create a site designed around your current sales goals.

5. You want to reinvigorate your marketing efforts.

Your marketing arsenal should be full of digital tools – search engine optimization (SEO), conversion-focused pages, content marketing, social media, compelling visuals, etc. Does your existing website have the technology or customizability to help you flex your marketing muscles? In order to be an effective foundation for your digital marketing activities, your website should have:

  • Landing page templates for paid advertisements and email campaigns
  • Conversion-focused Products or Services pages
  • Blog and news templates for content marketing
  • Social media integration
  • SEO-friendly URL structures and tools for keyword optimization

6. You need to add new technology and functionality.

Looking to add e-commerce, robust case studies, or a custom quoting engine? Investing in these tools makes more sense on updated technology. (Adding a bolt-on tool to an outdated website is less effective and often costs more than creating a new website with the functionality built right in.)

Likewise, a new Content Management System (CMS) is easier for website administrators to update with content.

Fill out the brief form below to learn more about how we can help you with a website redesign.