5 Signs It’s Time to Redesign Your Website
By Andy Tretow - Content Marketing Manager
In a previous blog, we mentioned that keeping your website current and fresh is important. The same can be said for the design of your website. No, I am not saying that you need to do a complete design overhaul every two weeks, but if your website checks any of these boxes, it is time to think about an overhaul. Here are the 5 Signs It’s Time to Redesign Your Website:
1. Website is Not Mobile Friendly
This is likely considered to be the biggest offense for any website. If your website is not mobile-friendly, you are losing out on a significant amount of traffic and potentially a lot of profit. As of November 2022, nearly 60% of all website traffic comes from mobile devices. That number is up 75% in just the last seven years, and there is no reason to believe that number is going to go down, let alone level off in the future. If someone is browsing your website and the layout does not convert to mobile view, you can lose the credibility you have at being a trustworthy source of information or having the product they need. Thankfully, websites like WIX and Squarespace are making really great advancements in their interfaces to make mobile-friendly websites much easier to build, set up, and maintain for even the most novice of website builders.
2. The Layout Reminds Your Audience of “a Much Simpler Time.”
While nostalgia is a powerful draw for many industries, websites are not one of them. (Unless we are talking about the original Space Jam.com from 1996, which is in a league of its own). When looking at your website, users should not get the sense that things have not changed much in the last decade. If your website is full of drop shadows, stock photos or requires a Flash player, it is time to consider a complete overhaul, so you get back on track with what is trending, shiny, and new.
3. Website is Difficult to Update
One thing we see from time to time is clients have a hard time updating their website because they are 2-3 versions behind the current version available. More often than not, the requested changes can be made, but they need to be done with the use of code which not only can be challenging but very time-consuming. Platforms like WIX and Squarespace are continuing to move forward with new layouts and are slowly starting to offer less support to the older ones, which usually indicates they will soon not be supported at all. That being said, the worst possible time to update your website is when you have to. If it is getting harder to make the updates you want, now is the time to start plotting out what would go into upgrading to the latest and greatest or researching to see if a different platform is right for your current needs.
4. Your SEO Ranking is Non-Existent
This might give “Not Mobile Friendly” a run for its money. It is becoming increasingly more important to have your website be ranked on the higher end of Google searches. If your page appears nowhere near the first page of search results for the type of service you offer, a refresh of your site is likely in order. Google’s algorithm has evolved greatly since the days of just packing your site full of popular keywords; now, if you want higher rankings, it is about creating high-quality content and a well-designed website.
5. You Have Upgraded or Changed Your Brand
Last but not least, have you upgraded or completely changed your brand but kept the same website you had previously? This might be a good opportunity to “start fresh” and give your new identity a boost. Not only will you be able to take advantage of your existing customers coming back to check out your new look, but it might also entice those who have never seen your website to take a look. Whether the upgrade is subtle changes or a complete facelift, it deserves to be highlighted, and a redesigned website is a great way to do that. Not only will you be attracting customers, but new content will make our friends at Google take notice as well.
Conclusion
I hope reviewing this list did not send you spiraling down the rabbit hole and thinking, “I need to make changes ASAP!”. Yes, it is key to have an updated website; however, It is equally important to have a plan of action when it comes to considering the redesign of your website. It is not something that should be rushed by any means. Whether it is a simple retouch or a complete redesign, we are here to help. If you have questions or would like to know how to get started, please feel free to contact us.
If you are looking to redesign your site, or you are an agency that supports small organizations reach their goals through website design, here is a great article from Design Rush that breakdown what you should look for in an agency partner!
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