Everything needs a refresh from time to time, and your website is no exception. Actually, with so much quick progression in the digital world, your website is probably becoming outdated a lot faster than you think.

Websites are becoming more functional, more user friendly, more aesthetically pleasing, faster, optimized for search engines, and better equipped to meet the needs of a changing society.

A website that’s 10 years old is definitely not going to cut it. But depending on your business and your industry, a website that is five years or even two years old might be too outdated to really meet your needs.

Think about how different the world is from how it was before the pandemic. Businesses that relied on word of mouth and foot traffic are suddenly dependent on search engines to send web traffic their way and help people discover them. A business that did no online transactions ever up until 2020 might now need to accommodate online shoppers on a regular basis. Both of those changes would require some pretty in-depth website renovations.

So if this has you thinking about whether or not your business needs a redesign, here are some good questions to ask yourself.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Am I Still Getting Conversions? 

If your web data reflects that most people coming to your website end up making a purchase, then there’s nothing to worry about. You’re doing something right. But if only a small fraction of people make a purchase (especially if that fraction has been shrinking over time), it might indicate that your website just doesn’t make buying easy. You need a redesign to make your online store convenient with user-friendly functions.

Is It Slow? 

In an era of instant gratification, people don’t have the patience to wait for a slow website to load. They’ll move on somewhere else. If your website lags or doesn’t load properly, it’s time to get with a web designer who can create something speedier.

Is It Mobile-Friendly? 

More people are looking at your website from their phones these days instead of from a computer. If your website layout doesn’t lend itself to a phone screen, you need to change that.

Is It Aesthetically Pleasing? 

Aesthetics are not just about visual appeal, although a visual appeal is still important. Your customers may perceive ugly websites as a mark of unprofessionalism, unfair though that might sound. Aesthetics are also about finding what you need. If your website is disorganized, your customers won’t be able to find things like your online store or your contact information. 

Is It Optimized For Search Engines? 

Having plenty of content on your website that will improve its rankings in Google searches is huge. Optimization is about much more than just using keywords (although keywords are a big part of search engine optimization).  You also need internal links and you want to avoid any broken links or downed pages within your website. All of these things can discredit you and lower your ranking with search engines. 

Did Your Competitor Just Update? 

Not that you want to get overly competitive, but if someone else in your industry just launched a shiny brand-new website, you might want to show your customers that you’re progressing in the same way. Don’t be left behind by looking like an outdated one. 

When you go about redesigning your website or ideally, having a professional web designer create a website for you, there are several important considerations you should make:

• Think about your goals

  What purpose does your website serve? Is it just about closing sales, or do you want to provide free resources to visitors as a way of building relationships?

• Think about whether you need new graphics, new copy, or both

  In some cases, your copy might still be effective but you just need some new visual appeal (or vice versa).

• Make sure you’re branding your website

  Being consistent in the look/feel of your website increases your recognizability. Use the same color palette, fonts, graphics, and slogans that you have in other parts of your business.

• Figure out whether you want a custom-built website or whether a template will suffice 

  In many cases, editing a template will let you accomplish everything that you need to—and they are much less expensive. But if you have certain goals that you need to accomplish with your site and you can’t find the right template that fits your needs, it’s time to hire a designer to build you something from scratch.

Planning, executing, and launching a website redesign can be overwhelming, but it’s an important part of building a stronger business. We’re here to help you prioritize and plan, so you can make sure you’re addressing every aspect of your new site you need to. Reach out to us by calling 443-679-4916.