4 Key Indicators Your Site is Ready for a Redesign
There is no denying we live in a digital age. We as consumers have come to expect any and all information to be readily available at the swipe of a finger. In a sea of competitors, are you positioning your business to stand out? Here are 4 reasons it might be time to reevaluate your current website.
Static HTML vs Content Management Systems
Typically, a static HTML website is controlled by one physical file on the server. Code is written into that one file, and there is no way to edit the information on the site without downloading the file, editing it in a code editor or notepad and uploading the new version back to the server. Creating and editing static HTML pages can very time consuming as well as difficult for the average user. Most people rely on their website designer to make these changes and can run into problems if their designer becomes unresponsive.
A Content Management System, or CMS, offers you more flexibility. The entire platform is built on a framework that makes changing and editing your website’s content much easier. For this example, WordPress is our chosen CMS. WordPress offers you a dashboard where you can access all of your site’s content and make changes live to the site using a toolbar that resembles Microsoft Office allowing you to get creative as well as carry out the necessary updates to your site.
Is your site mobile responsive?
Let’s start by covering what mobile responsive means. Mobile responsive is all about your site’s ability to adapt to different screen sizes and resolutions. Have you ever opened a site on a smartphone or tablet and had to keep zooming in and sliding the site around to read the information? Would you return to that site or look for one that was easier to navigate? This isn’t just our opinion either. In February 2015, Google made a change in their algorithm that favors sites in a search that are mobile friendly. Essentially, this means Google is forcing business and organizations that want to rank well on mobile to optimize for the user that is visiting your website.
Is your site optimized for the user experience?
The way we process and consume information has changed a lot over the course of the years. The days of filling every inch of white space on your website are over. Too many messages on the screen at one time (especially if they have animation) can be overwhelming to a user. This can lead to a confusing experience and could drive traffic away. If a customer can’t find what they are looking for, they are likely to bounce from your site and go elsewhere. If you have too many offers or paths for people to choose they will often make no choice at all. You need to have a clear message and don’t be afraid to use the entire screen to get one message across. Believe it or not, one really powerful message can have more impact than ten really good messages lumped together. A great way to re-organize your messaging is by starting with a website redesign. You can start with a fresh, modern look and focus more on your overall branding.
Outdated Style, Content, and Photos
An old appearance can have an adverse effect when a user hits your site. Keep in mind that your website is a representation of your business. If your site is stale and outdated, that can speak volumes to the mindset of the consumer. With so many options at your customer’s fingertips, it’s important not to lose them before they even know what you have to offer. If you don’t currently have the budget for a new site you can do some things to help spruce up your old site:
- Spruce up the website with new high-quality photos. Professional photos can go a long way by humanizing your brand and showing the uniqueness of your organization. Stock photos are always an option but be careful not to pick anything that looks overly generic. It is often worth investing in stock images that have high ratings, but a lower purchase amount. In this case, the images typically cost more but will have a much less chance of one of your competitors using the same photo. A great place for photos is iStock.
- Produce new content for your site. Whether it’s adding to your product descriptions or adjusting your offer on your homepage, the freshness added to your site can even produce benefits for search rankings. Don’t worry if you’re not a writer. There are a lot of talented freelance writers out there willing to work in your price range. If you are looking for a freelancer, Upwork has a wide variety with various skills levels.
- Remove outdated or irrelevant content. All too often wrong information is left on a site, and this can lead to poor customer experiences. Take the time to go to your website and make sure everything you want is on there, and remove everything you don’t.
