Does My Website Need to be Redesigned?

Your website is the hub of your business. It’s how prospects find out about your brand. It’s how your customers can make a purchase, fill out a form, or find your contact information. But once you create your website, your work is far from over!

Whether you’re Apple or a Mom-and-Pop shop up the street, your website needs to adapt with the times. It may seem daunting to think about an entire overhaul of your existing website. But if you want to stay relevant, adjustments need to be made along the way.

There are many reasons why you may need to update your company’s website. And the frequency and scope of these changes will vary depending on your industry and individual business needs. We want to focus on 8 of the main reasons that any business can benefit from a website overhaul!

1. Your target audience has changed.

Your website should cater to your potential and current customers. If your audience has changed, your website should follow suit. Maybe you’ve recently unveiled a new product or service. Or perhaps your business goals have simply changed over time. Regardless of your reason for adjusting your ideal audience, your website must reflect these changes.

2. You’ve released a new product or service.

Rolling out a shiny new product or service offering? This may be a good cue to update your website. We’re not saying you need to redesign your website every time you start selling something new. But if it’s been a while since your site has been given a fresh look, this is your perfect opportunity to take a deeper dive into your site’s overall performance and make necessary changes. Not sure how your website is performing? Download our 12-point website UX checklist to see how your site measures up.

3. Not optimized for mobile devices

This is a HUGE issue. If your site is not optimized for mobile devices, such as cell phones or tablets, you’re alienating over half of your audience. Think about how you explore the Internet in your own life. You’re accessing the web via your cell phone at least half the time, right? And how annoying is it when you can’t properly view a site on your phone? Chances are, when this happens you don’t stick around for long to try and make it work. Your clients and prospects probably won’t make an exception for you, either. Fortunately, a website redesign can fix this problem.

Not sure if your website functions properly on mobile devices? Take out your smartphone or tablet and load up your site. Try scrolling through a few of your service pages or products. If text is cropped out or if images aren’t loading properly, this is your cue to dial your website designer pronto!

4. Your website’s purpose has been revised or updated.

If the original goal that your site was focused on meeting has evolved, a website redesign may be in order. Maybe you started working with a third party. Or maybe your business as a whole has taken a new direction. Your new brand message needs to be reflected on the website so that it’s made clear to your audience.

5. Branding has been updated

Have you recently made changes to your brand’s assets? Whether you’ve created a new slogan, designed an updated logo, or made adjustments to your mission statement, your website should reflect these changes. Any changes you make should be reflected on the website to keep a consistent overall voice and look.

6. Design trends have shifted

Trends will change over time in every industry. Yours is no different! Take a look at your competitors’ websites. If your site looks outdated in comparison, you’ll want to keep up with the pack by taking advantage of new trends and implementing them into your website design.

In general, a brand’s website should be redesigned every 3-4 years. However, the exact frequency will depend on your industry. If you’re in an industry that sells cutting-edge technology, for example, consider updating your site more often to stay ahead of the game. You don’t want to appear outdated, so push boundaries to keep up with your clients’ ever-changing needs.

7. You’re getting complaints

Have you heard any of the following from your clients:

• “I had trouble finding you online.”
• “I’m experiencing issues with the checkout process.”
• “I clicked a link, but it took me to an error page.”
• “I don’t know how to buy your product.”

All of these issues contribute to lost revenue. You want your customers to easily navigate through your site with minimal load times and zero broken links. If your clients can’t figure out how to buy a product or service from you, how can you hope to stay in business? Consistent complaints about the functionality or experience of your site is another major reason to redesign.

8. Poor User Experience

Your customers have certain expectations when they click on your site. They expect to find what they’re looking for with minimal time and effort on their end. Any roadblocks preventing them from doing so contribute to poor user experience. For example, if your site lacks thoughtful information architecture (IA), your visitors will struggle to locate your products and services. Information architecture involves labelling, categorizing, and structuring content in a meaningful way.

Imagine going to a bookstore to search for a new non-fiction novel to read. You walk in only to find that none of the books are labelled by genre, category, or author. They’re all just strewn lazily across the hundreds and hundreds of bookshelves in the store. Would you stay at this bookstore for long? Or would you pull out your phone and look for a different shop nearby that’s organized better?

The same principle applies to user experience on your website. Lack of cohesiveness among your services, industries, and other categories will only confuse and frustrate your customers. In this case, your website may be better off starting over from scratch to address its foundational issues.

Keep Up With Customers & Trends

Overall, you should redesign your website as often as makes sense for your business goals. As I mentioned earlier, the digital landscape moves quicker than a blink of an eye. If you’re not prepared to move with it, you’ll surely be left behind.

Creative MMS is a premier website design agency in Philadelphia. We have over 15 years of experience creating beautiful, functional websites that create a positive user experience and ensure that your brand’s story is told properly. Contact Creative MMS today to discuss your website redesign. We’d love to work with you!