Is It Time For A Website Redesign?

3 min read
Jun 12, 2017 10:56:51 AM

Your website shouldn’t be a static entity. It needs to evolve as your business does, and as you learn more about your customers. The design from even a few years ago may no longer meet your needs. With an inbound marketing strategy, your website is a key tool in reaching your buyer personas. There’s no one right answer for when it’s time for a website redesign, but if you are running into issues, then making some changes can have big benefits. Time For A Website Redesign

Your website is the face of your company online and provides a first impression of who you are. Even if you have a physical location, many of your customers will find you online first. The website gives them an idea of what to expect from your company, whether they deal with you in-store, or solely online. If the impression your website is giving off is negative for visitors, you’ll be missing out on potential customers for your business. 

Your Website Isn’t Generating Leads 

Let’s be honest, finding ways to get more leads and obtain customers is a top priority for most businesses. But by 2020, customers will manage 85% of their relationships without talking to a human, according to Kapost. In order to reach today’s empowered buyers as they conduct their own research online, your website can’t be an afterthought or something you have just because you “should.” 

If visitors are bouncing quickly from your website or you aren’t seeing an increase in traffic, despite your other efforts, making changes to your website can help. A website redesign, along with a solid marketing strategy, will help you to attract the right visitors and turn them into leads who can become customers. Once you’ve got those leads, make sure you’re not sabotaging your follow-up and have a nurturing strategy.

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The Design Is Outdated 

If your website is stuck in the ‘90s, it’s definitely time for an upgrade. User tastes and expectations for online content have changed as technology has become more advanced. Your website should have a modern design that reflects this, and is capable of handling video content, graphics, images and various pages and sections. Your website is a reflection of your brand, so make sure that message is clear, and that your site meets the needs of your buyer personas. 

A Bad User Experience 

If your website gives visitors a bad user experience, this should be one of your top concerns. The Neilsen Norman Group reports that the average page visit lasts less than a minute, meaning you have a very short window to make a positive impression. Your website should be easy to navigate and free of distractions. Don’t cram as much information as possible on your home page. Instead, focus on conveying a clear core message of who you are and what you do. Then use a navigation bar to direct visitors to additional information. You don’t want people hunting around for information and unable to find it.

Slow Page-Load Speed 

This is both a user experience problem, and an issue for SEO. Visitors will not have the patience to wait for a web page to load, so this can up your bounce rate, which impacts how Google perceives your website. A website redesign and having a strategy for your site can help fix this problem and improve your search engine ranking. 

Also, Google Accelerated Mobile Pages, or AMP, has been integrated into search engine results on mobile. This designation next to a search engine result means that the page will load more quickly. Google already favors mobile-optimized and mobile-first content, and anything you can do to improve how quickly your pages load, and your overall mobile website experience will help you with SEO. 

Outdated Or Inaccurate Information 

It should be pretty fundamental that your website needs to include the correct information about your company. If your phone number, services or location have changed, but the website hasn’t been updated, then it’s not doing you any good. Make sure to also include the right pages on your website. Keeping your website updated is also a way to set expectations and build trust with your visitors; what they see online will be exactly what they get. 

You Can’t Make Changes Easily 

If you need to call in IT every time you want to make a small change to the website, it might be time to consider a website redesign, and to start using a content management system. You should be able to make adjustments and updates to your site without needing any special skills. Otherwise, those small changes and tweaks will turn into a problem that isn’t always resolved in a timely way. It’s important to keep your site updated with fresh content as well for SEO.

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