As your business changes and evolves, there is often the urge to do the same with your website. New trends come along that turn your head or a big Google update makes you think something about your website might be working against you. But how do you know if your website needs a redesign or merely a touch up?
What is a redesign?
Most companies will regularly update and tweak their website – add new content, update business information, maybe change the logo or tagline. But a full redesign is something more comprehensive and look at areas such as:
- How visitors use the website and what can be changed to accommodate this
- What software is running the website and is it still the best?
- The overall look of the pages on the website
- The structure of the site and ease of use
Signs that you need to redesign your site
This means that a redesign is a big job and not something that most companies undertake lightly. So what indicators can help you realise that it is time to talk to someone about a full redesign of the site?
1. Site speed
If your website takes more than two seconds to load, then it is too slow. According to surveys, nearly half of users expect a site to load in two seconds or less and any more than this, they are liable to click away – and often not return. So slow site speed is a big sign you need a redesign.
2. Features aren’t displaying properly
However you make a website, you use software, plugins and other ways to make the content work. But over time, these may no longer function as required and this can be a sign that you need to redesign. One example is Adobe Flash – once the go-to way to display video content, the manufacturer recently decided to kill it off so if you have it on your website, you need to replace it.
3. Site isn’t mobile friendly
With all the fuss about mobile friendly a few years ago, many companies made sure their sites were great for mobile. But like those features that don’t work anymore, over time things can change and your site may now perform poorly on mobile so needs renewing to solve this problem. Remember, Mobile First is on the horizon!
4. The user experience isn’t great
With all the technical stuff, it is easy to forget that websites are made for people and then for search engine bots. User experience or UX is a top criterion for Google’s rating of a site and while elements like site speed and being mobile friendly are very important, it also pays to look at your site from a visitor’s viewpoint. Is navigation easy? Are the pages in logical places? Ask these and other questions can be help you decide if you need a redesign.
5. The website no longer matches your brand
Finally, brands change alongside companies as new products or services are added and new dimensions to the company are developed. It might be time for a redesign if the business has seen a lot of changes but these aren’t reflected in the website. But look for more than just the need for a new logo or an updated tagline – these are just minor adjustments to make rather than a full redesign reason.
