Redesigning your website can be both an exciting and stressful process. However, it’s a wonderful opportunity to reinvent your brand and give potential visitors something great to look at. Some businesses redesign their website often because they don’t feel that they’ve found the right look yet. Others go years without a website refresh. That’s why Thrive Web Designs would like to take a look at some of the factors that go into redesigning a website and some of the reasons behind them.
How Often Should A Website Be Redesigned?
First and foremost, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer here. However, a good rule of thumb is to have your website redesigned every two to three years. Why? Simply put, in today’s digital world, anything older than three years quickly becomes outdated. Everything from aesthetics to features to plugins will have changed to reflect what users want and need today vs yesterday. What was functional and aesthetically pleasing a few years ago probably isn’t today.
Furthermore, it’s important to keep in mind that the need to redesign your website will be based on who you hire to build it in the first place. Many web designers stay on top of current trends and plan for the future. Others will provide you with a dated theme that was popular a few years ago. That’s why it’s important to know who you are hiring and the talent level they provide. The ones who plan for the future will leave you in good shape, providing you with a fresh website that should last between 3-5 years before it needs to be redesigned. However, there are a few additional reasons why you should consider redesigning your current website.
Reasons A Redesign Is Necessary
Are you wondering if your website is due for a redesign? Below are a few signs.
Your Website Isn’t Mobile Friendly
This is a BIG one. Why? Over 90% of users search for the products and services they need using their smartphone or mobile device. This means that mobile is here to stay, and users need a responsive website that automatically scales its content, images, and buttons to match the size of the screen it’s viewed on. This also makes it easier for visitors to navigate the inner pages of your website without having to do any extra work. If your website isn’t responsive and mobile-friendly, you have some redesigning to do.
It’s Poorly Designed & Looks Unprofessional
In today’s world, a website is the first thing people look at when deciding whether they will do business with a certain company. If you want to give off a reputable, professional appearance but your website looks like it was designed by a teenager in the late 90s, the average person probably won’t take you seriously. No one wants to stick around on a terrible-looking website. Whether users find you through a Google search or a social media platform like Facebook, your website’s job is to convince them to stay and browse your inner pages.
That’s why it’s important to stay on top of current trends and invest in a high-quality, aesthetically pleasing website that incorporates the look and feel of your business with the perfect balance of visuals and information based on your target audience. If your current website is poorly designed and doesn’t reflect the personality of your business, it’s probably time for a redesign.
Your Business Has Changed
The way your business functions can change drastically over the course of a year. Unfortunately, a website doesn’t always reflect these changes. Whether you’ve hired some new employees or your services have changed, your website should provide online visitors with an accurate picture of who you are and not just a basic overview. A great website should highlight all the important information that potential customers want to know about your company. This includes who you are, what you offer, your success stories, and other key selling points. In a nutshell, a website is a reflection of who you are. That’s why it’s essential to feature your company in a way you want online visitors to perceive you.
You Have A Low Conversion Rate
If your website gets a good amount of traffic but has a low conversion rate, this means it’s easy for people to find you, but you’re not providing them with what they are looking for. This is often a good sign that your website needs to be redesigned. A good website accomplishes your online marketing goals. Whether it’s getting visitors to read your blog, shop your products, or contact you, you probably need to change something if you’re not converting visitors into customers.
Your Website Isn’t Getting Any Traffic
If you’re getting zero traffic with your website, something is seriously wrong. Whether it’s a problem with optimization or Google has penalized you for black hat SEO practices, you may want to consider a complete redesign. Either way you look at it, if you’re the only visitor your website is getting, something big needs to change.
You Haven’t Updated or Maintained It
Regardless of how a website looks and functions, it will need minor improvements over time. Whether it’s outdated content or old plugins, your website will need to be continually updated. Even more, Google algorithms change all the time. This means your website will need to keep up and reflect these changes. For example, think about the massive shift of people using their mobile devices versus desktop computers. This means Google has started to prioritize websites based on the mobile experience.
Your Website Has a Problem
Aside from the reasons listed above, the main factor behind most redesigns is the need to fix a problem that your website has. Whether it’s a drop in search result visibility or your website has been hacked, a redesign overhaul will help. When redesigning your website, make sure to discuss any challenges you are experiencing with your web designer. This includes things you don’t have but need, such as submission forms or a live chat feature for people to connect with you. If it’s greater visibility and traffic you’re after, you may need to have new pages added with additional content that’s optimized for SEO to boost your online presence.
A Website Redesign Checklist
Because there are a wide variety of reasons to redesign your reason, it’s important to summarize the following checklist to see if it’s time for an update.
- Is your website mobile-friendly?
- Is your website unprofessional or poorly designed?
- Has your business changed?
- Do you have low conversion rates?
- Are you getting zero traffic?
- Have you put off updates and maintenance?
- Does your website have a major problem?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, it’s probably time for a redesign. While there are some things you can do yourself, a complete redesign is better left to the professionals. Contact the Boise web design experts at Thrive Web Designs today by filling out our online form or give us a call at (208) 391-2504 for a free quote or to get started on your next redesign project!
