Should You Consider Redesigning Your Website?
There is a distinct feeling of euphoria when you finally launch your first website. It feels as if all the puzzle pieces are finally coming together! And as a little time goes by, you start to see results. You see more people visiting your website. You see people engaging with your content, and you see them sharing your content. Most importantly, you see the fruit of your investment. The money finally starts coming in.
What more can you ask for, right?
But then, as more time passes by, you notice that the numbers start going down. Traffic seems to be slowing up. People aren’t sharing your content as often. And the saddest part? You watch your income get smaller and smaller.
What happened?
Your web design is a big factor as to whether your users will remain on your website or not. The design of your website will be the first thing that your visitors will see, thus you should focus on it.
We have listed below a few reasons why you should consider redesigning your website and how it might help you answer your question. Note: if you decide to redesign your site our advice is to check out useful web design resources or try out web design plugins.
You Haven’t Updated Your Website Ever Since
The internet is awesome. It gets a million things done in milliseconds. Information is downloaded and uploaded 24 hours per day, every day. Time flies even faster on the internet. Seconds feel like hours, days feel like weeks, and months feel like years. Things change so quickly it can be overwhelming. Inevitably, we are learning to adapt to this. People consume this information just as fast as they find it. We’ve developed new ways to accommodate and compartmentalize so much information.
Now how is this relevant to your website?
Your website can be the talk of the town one day and forgotten the next. Users can have so much fun interacting with your content one day and be bored the next day. And we haven’t even discussed aesthetics. Design trends move so fast these days, and there is always a new modern aesthetic that everyone is going crazy over. According to statistics, 38% of users will stop engaging with a website if the layout or content is unattractive.
Maintain your website as you would maintain your business. You always need to get ahead of your competitors. You always need to offer new and quality content. You always need to ride trends to expand your market.
So if you haven’t considered updating your website since you launched it, then it’s time to reconsider.
Your Website’s Performance is Dwindling
If the website is as old as the business, then chances are, some of the codes and attachments are not working anymore. This is a big red flag to your customers. They want to interact with a website that works and works fast.
Your website needs to work as it was designed. Here are a few sample questions worth asking yourself:
- Do the tabs redirect you to the right links?
- Does your media show up when you open the website, or is it just showing an error message?
- Does the website offer a good user experience?
Your customers also want to navigate a website that works fast. Here are a few things that should load quickly on a website:
- Media
- Content
- Third-party sites.
Statistics show that if a website’s images don’t load or take too long to load, 39% of people will stop engaging with it. This statistic tells you how important speed is for your customers.
For example, let’s suppose you’re running a nonprofit organization that wants to update its website. You have lots of media to show from previous projects. You also have lots of buttons that would redirect visitors when they want to sign up or volunteer.
Finally, you also run a blog that focuses on your cause. It all can be so overwhelming! Getting help from a web design company can ensure that your website works for its intended use.
Times Change
As mentioned above, time flies in the internet world. Because things change so rapidly, your customers expect you to be able to keep up. One notable change that we have seen in these last few years is how many more people visit websites using their phones instead of laptops or desktops. Your mobile phone has become smarter and more compact, and it’s easier to bring anywhere you go. It’s like having a small computer in the palm of your hand.
A website needs to be designed in a way that it can cater to visitors who use mobile phones. Statistics show that 85% of adults think that a website should look and function as good or better when viewed on a mobile phone as it does on a desktop.
People use their phones more often than they do their laptops or desktops because of convenience. It makes sense that websites get more traffic from phones than computers. Make sure your website is accommodating this big change.
Another recent development we’ve seen over the last few years is the need for increased security in the cyber community. Laws have been passed and regulations have been set to protect the data and confidentiality of users. Your website should also be able to cater to these new regulations. It may be time to update your website with the latest security features. Make sure that your website is safe and secure.
Competitors Change
As a business, you would want to get ahead of your competitors in every possible way. Part of this process is knowing what your competitors are doing. But just because your competitor is hopping on a trend, doesn’t mean that you should too. Exercise discernment. If your competitor is changing it up to attract new customers, be aware and stay competitive, learn and adapt. Reinventing and reimagining your website from time to time keeps your customers on their toes. But keep a few features constant. People like familiarity too.
You Changed
When your business changes, your website needs to change too. Here are a few changes that need to be represented and reflected in your website design:
- Rebranding
- New purpose
- New vision and mission
- New policies
These changes affect how your customers see you – they need to know.
On the same note, during times of great change, your customers need to stay updated. Take the Covid-19 pandemic as an example. It’s so important that your customers know what they can expect from you during these trying times. This information needs to be fully detailed on your website, including updated contact information.
Your Audience Changed
As your business grows, you’ll be catering to more diverse people. Attracting your target market is essential in driving sales. This is why changing your website to be attractive to your target market is important. According to statistics, 38% of people who find the content or layout of a website as unattractive will stop engaging with it.
Your website always has to appeal to the right people. If other demographics find the website unattractive, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you attract your target market.
For example, if you have a company specializing in baby products, your website needs to appeal to mothers–not senior citizens. If senior citizens don’t find it attractive but you have tons of mothers checking out your website, then it’s a win for you.
You Learned New Strategies
When you created your first website, you were probably more focused on getting your content out there. As long as it looked good and showed off your products and services, you were good to go. You paid more attention to that than the nitty-gritty of website design. You were excited to show the world what you had to offer and you wanted it released as soon as possible!
Now that you’re more experienced, you’ve learned new strategies that can help boost engagement on your website.
You’ve probably stumbled upon SEO somewhere along the way. SEO is a surefire way to boost your website’s visibility and engagement. Optimizing your website for Google’s algorithm can be highly beneficial in attracting the right people to your website.
Key Takeaway
These changes can be big steps towards improving your website traffic and visibility. There is a lot to consider, and it can be scary and overwhelming.
But don’t worry! These are investments worth making. Your website is your presence on a platform that can reach millions of people in any part of the world. It’s an awesome avenue for converting people who are “just-looking” into loyal customers of your brand.
It’s also worth remembering to take change one step at a time. Most of these tips can be tackled together when redesigning. But if you find yourself overwhelmed, just prioritize and implement which change would benefit you the most.
Daniel Martin
Dan has hands-on experience in digital marketing since 2007. He has been building teams and coaching others to foster innovation and solve real-time problems. Dan also enjoys photography and traveling.
We hope this article was helpful. If you liked it, feel free to check out some of these articles as well!