When Should I Redesign My Website?
Have you noticed that your website just isn’t on the same page as your brand anymore? Maybe your website’s aesthetics seem out-of-date or you’ve noticed the loading time has gotten slower.
You may be asking yourself whether your website is due for a redesign boost or a complete makeover. Although it’s difficult to know exactly when a website needs refreshing, below is a list of essential components of a good website in today’s digital world to help you through the decision process.
Today’s Website Must Haves:
Mobile Functionality
Does your website function properly and look good on a mobile device? In today’s digital world, it’s expected to have a site that easily transfers over to mobile platforms. Over half of all web traffic is via mobile! An unorganized or unreadable mobile website will be pushed aside for one that is optimized.
Brand Representation
Does your brand’s intended image come through in your website design and content? Your brand’s personality is so carefully crafted and you want your online presence to accurately reflect it! If your brand’s mission is all about staying minimalistic and simple, you don’t want to send your clients to a cluttered and busy website.
Easy Navigation
Is your website user-friendly and frustration-free? If you have a visitor on your site, the last thing you want is for that user to have a tough time finding things on your site and leave out of annoyance. A website should be easy to use in order to keep your audience interested past the initial click.
Means of Engagement
Does your website feature a space for customer feedback or questions? On every website, a functioning ‘FAQ’ or ‘Comments’ section is essential in order to promote engagement. An FAQ page also builds trust due to the public display of product explanations and in-detail answers.
Website Speed
Have you performed a website speed test recently? If your loading time isn’t up to par, this is something that needs to be worked on. A study done by Kissmetrics states that “each 1 second delay in page response can result in a 7% reduction in conversions.”
Good Design & Visual Appeal
Is your website design up-to-date and professional looking? Visit a few of the top sites in your field or expertise. Is your site drastically less current than these prime sites? You might need some updating to make sure that your website design isn’t the one thing that’s turning your users away.
If your website is missing a few more of the above qualities than you would like to admit, you might want to consider undergoing a revamp…. but don’t panic! We understand that taking on a redesign can be overwhelming, so we’re here to help.
Steps to Take When Redesigning a Website:
Make the Decision: Design Agency or DIY? Before beginning the process, asses your personal skills. Ask yourself if you can successfully complete a web redesign on your own or if you’ll need a little help along the way.
Do Your Research and Gather Inspiration: The best place to get design inspiration is from the websites that you look up to! Search through sites until you have a clear vision of what style will work best for your brand. Look to places such as Pinterest, Dribble, or Awwwards.com for additional design inspo.
Outline the Desired Changes: Visualize the end result and make a list of what needs to change (or stay the same) on your website in order to reach your goal.
Keep Your Audience in the Loop: When redesigning, it’s important to let your audience know that your site is under construction so that you don’t lose traffic. This can be done by creating a temporary landing page or sending out an email to your subscribers.
Make a Timeline and Establish a Launch Date: Pick a launch date and stick to it! It’s also a great idea to set a few checkpoints along the way to ensure that you are on track to reaching your goal on time.
Start Designing: You’re all set, now go get designing!
Ready to start designing the website of your dreams? We offer web development services here at Wela Creative Studio!
Contact us on our Wela website to learn more.
