7 signs your website is ready for a redesign

A website redesign is one of the most effective ways to give your entire business a measurable and lasting tune-up. But how do you know when it’s time for a redesign? Deciding to pre-schedule a redesign for every few years isn’t the best strategy, as it could cause you either to wait too long to update or to initiate a redesign for no good reason on a version of your site that’s performing well. Here are some more usable points to keep in mind when considering the timing of your redesign.

You’re embarrassed to tell people about your website

Your website should be the digital face of your company and should be something you’re proud and confident to hand out freely. If you find yourself second-guessing whether or not to tell someone about your website or actively trying to avoid the conversation altogether, it’s time to invest in a website you’re proud of — to the point of wanting to scream your URL at random passersby. There’s no point in having spent time and money on a site you’re not willing to share happily with customers and prospects.

Your site looks outdated

This is one of the easiest ways to tell if your website is ready for a rebuild. If the look simply feels stale and doesn’t appeal to you or your team anymore, there’s a good chance your users will feel the same way — about both your site and your business. No one wants to buy from a site that makes them wait 10 seconds for a flash animation to load followed by product photos and copy that look like they haven’t been updated in five years. If your site doesn’t appear modern and competitive, neither will your business.

Your site isn’t responsive

Mobile is now the world’s leading form of web browsing, making up 52 percent of all web traffic today. Google is also now basing its rankings on mobile versions of sites rather than desktop. Your site needs to be designed specifically with mobile in mind, as that influence is only going to keep growing in the coming years — unless of course someone releases a desktop that is also a Keurig/teleportation chamber combo. We’re still working on that. A site that doesn’t function well on mobile is a sign of a fading business that hasn’t made an effort or isn’t even aware of what it takes to keep up.

Sales and leads are down

If you’re not sure whether or not your site needs a redesign but sales and leads (also known as conversions) are holding steady, you might be okay — for now. If you’re on the fence about a redesign and conversions HAVE taken a hit recently, a site rebuild can be an effective way to turn those numbers around and provide a fresh boost for your business. Conversion rate should always factor into your redesign decision — and almost all other decisions throughout your entire life — as it is the primary measurement of success on your website.

Small updates are becoming hard work

It should be quick and easy for anyone on your team to make small changes to your site, such as adding a blog post, changing a header image, or editing a product description. If these tasks are becoming daunting or time-consuming or upsetting ancillary aspects of your site, you should spring for a redesign via a more user-friendly platform. There’s nothing worse than trying to update a photo on the homepage only to accidentally adjust the margins and convert all the body copy to a hot pink header. It should be a breeze for you and your team members to make changes to your site without causing disaster.

Your site doesn’t match your brand

If your company has recently undergone a branding overhaul but your website’s still stuck in the past, you should spend some time and money on aligning that design and messaging. Imagine seeing a fresh, innovative display ad for smartphones only to click and land on a page featuring Nokias and Moto Razrs. This disconnect can confuse users and make them unsure if your website is even still your website.

Your SERP presence is fading

Search engine algorithms change and evolve over time, and a dated site could hurt your ranking as new rules are introduced. If your site uses outdated technology and strategies, Google will have a hard time indexing it and determining where it should be listed. If you’ve noticed your rankings have taken a hit of late, you should look into a redesign with SEO in mind as a top priority.

Website redesigns shouldn’t be scheduled on a preset recurring basis, but rather when these signs point to it being time. Perrill is a full-service web design and development agency capable of leading effective, performance-boosting redesigns across a broad spectrum of industries. Contact us today to give your site a tune-up and start doing business online the right way.