When is it time for a website redesign?
When our websites are shiny and new, we feel proud about showing them off and making the best use out of this incredible marketing tool.
But time marches on, and at some point, we may look at our website and wonder, “Is it time for a redesign?”
When your website was first created, it no doubt sported the latest in design trends and functionality, all geared to attracting your ideal clients. But trends change and your website should always reflect what’s new in design, tools, and marketing tactics. So when should you scrap it and get a new one? Here are 7 reasons to decide it’s time for a new website:
1. Your site just looks old.
As a general rule of thumb, if your website is 3 years old, you should at least consider a redesign. After all, 71% of marketing leaders report that they redesign their websites every one-to-three years. But it’s not a hard and fast rule. I always suggest taking a look around at the competition and see what they are doing. Does your site look dated next to theirs? Have they redesigned recently? If the answers are yes, it may be time for a re-design. Tell-tale signs for the need of a new design include sidebars on home pages, complicated navigation or lengthy drop-down menus, blurry logo or images, system fonts like Aria and Times New Roman.
2. Check your numbers.
Take a look at your analytics – that will give you some good clues as to whether it’s time for a redesign. If bounce rates are high (80% or more), that means that people are coming to your site but not intrigued enough to stay. Track conversions as well. Whatever the purpose of your website is, decide if the site is fulfilling that purpose or not. It might have been successful in that sense a few years ago, but if conversions have dropped off, it could be because of an outdated design. A conversion could be anything from submitting a contact form to purchasing a product or service.
3. Get a second opinion.
Ask a trusted client, colleague or professional to take a look at your site with a critical eye. Do they understand what your website is all about in the first 5 seconds of landing on your homepage? Is it easy to navigate around the website and find content of interest? At first glance, does the site look old or new?
4. Trust your gut.
Are you proud of your website or embarrassed?? How do you actually feel about how it looks? Do you give out your website address all the time or do you find yourself giving out your Facebook page instead? Your website is the property you own and should be the hub of your marketing. If you’re not making good use of it because you don’t like it yourself, it’s time to redesign.
5. Change of business model.
Businesses evolve, and perhaps yours has too. If you are rebranding your business to capture a new audience with different offerings than you had before, a new website is likely warranted, especially if you have changed colors, logo, or domain name.
6. Not mobile responsive.
Always check your website on your phone and make sure it’s mobile-friendly. If it is, you’ll be able to read the content easily in a logical flow by scrolling down. If you see a page of tiny text on your phone screen that is clearly just a very small version of your desktop site, you need a redesign.
7. Can’t be found on Google.
If you haven’t done a cursory check of your keywords on Google lately, now is the time. The world of SEO is ever changing, and your site might have been on page 1 last year but now it’s nowhere to be found. There are a myriad of reasons for this, with navigation and structure being at the top of the list. If your site doesn’t follow a logical sequence in navigation, Google is not going to see it as worthy of a high ranking.
What is the cost of a redesigned website?
A redesigned website is probably going to cost about the same as a new website for someone who has never had one before. The design will have to be re-invented, keeping in mind the functionality required. If the redesign is more like a “refresh”, in which the theme is not changed but just refreshed with some new colors or a different font, the cost will be lower and will likely be charged at an hourly rate.
If you’re wondering if you need a new website, contact me for a free audit of your current site.