Your website can be key in so many areas of your business. Converting new clients, attracting investors, educating existing clients, offering more ways to contact your business – the list goes on. So how do you know if it is time for a website redesign?
For a long time, the most widely used yardstick was purely based on a feeling, as web trends moved on, business owners would get in touch when they thought their website was looking ‘old fashioned’. Thankfully (at least we think so) times have changed, and as with most things in the information age, there are a number of ways to measure the right time to give your website a refresh.
We’ve come up with a few common questions to ask yourself which will hopefully go some way to helping you decide if now is the time. If you answer any no to any of the below questions, it may be time to get in touch with your local web designers.
Q: Is your website responsive / mobile friendly?
We’re currently running a series of posts about responsive website design, the first of which you can find here. With over 50% of all Google searches happening on a mobile phone or tablet, your website should be geared up to function well with such devices. In addition to user experience, Google now treats mobile friendliness as a ranking factor. If your website isn’t mobile friendly in Google’s eyes, its likely that competing websites will get a ranking advantage over yours if theirs is responsive.
If your answer to this question is ‘no’, and you rely on search engines to drive traffic and gain new clients, a refresh of your website is already overdue.
Q: Is your business proposition still the same?
Over time, a lot of businesses will change the range of products and/or services they offer. This is natural progression as businesses find out what works for them and their customers and adapt accordingly. Whilst small scale changes can be added to an existing site, you must remain mindful of the overall impression you are creating with your marketing efforts. If you are looking to increase your ticket price by offering more premium products and services, you will need to look at your website and other marketing assets to make sure you are pitching correctly to the right clients.
If your answer to this question is ‘no’, now may be the time to think about a website redesign.
Q: Does your website look up to date?
We mentioned this at the top but one of the oldest yardsticks for determining whether its time for a facelift is whether the website looks out of date. For many industries, this isn’t a consideration, but if you’re in the business of offering the latest and greatest to your customers, having a fresh looking website could be quite important.
If your answer to this question is ‘no’, it may well be time for a change.
Q: Is your customer base still the same?
We’re mainly referring to social media here. Unless you’re running a B2B model heavily entrenched in an industry where you’re servicing the same clients on a regular basis, you probably should consider having a social media presence. There are a number of ways to link this in with your own website, such as displaying your most recent Tweets, adding share buttons so more people can see your content, and more. Whilst a lot of these things may be achievable on the website you already have, its always worth considering a newer/better platform to leverage the most of these marketing opportunities.
If your answer to this question is ‘no’, and you can answer ‘no’ to any of these other questions, you’re quickly building a strong case for an update.
Q: Are you happy with your existing site?
Not everything has to be measured. Sometimes you may just want a blank slate, or the opportunity to work with new people. We all have different experiences in life, and it could be that switching your design company may unlock a whole host of new ideas for moving your business forward. Also, with new materials to work with, you may find yourself more confident in your brand, giving you that boost to be able to reach the next level.
If your answer to this question is ‘no’, and you can answer ‘no’ to any of the other questions in this post, getting yourself a website redesign needs to move to the top of your marketing to-do list.
There’s no hard and fast rule about redesigning your site (except maybe on the responsive front!) but hopefully these points will give you some guidance on when might be the right time. If you want to discuss your existing website, or even if you’re just starting out, we’d love to have a friendly chat!