WEBSITE REDESIGN: Is It Time for a Facelift? This Will Help You Decide!

When is the last time you really looked through your own website? Are you embarrassed to tell people you have a website because it’s so outdated? Does your business need a boost?

Most of us turn to Google, Siri, or Bing when we need results online. Whether we’re looking for a house cleaner, car mechanic, or a birthday cake, we are all online.  You simply cannot run a successful business without a successful online presence.

The job of your website is to engage and entice each user to convert. This is vital to a successful company. If your website isn’t pulling its weight, a redesign is sometimes the best way to tune-up your entire business for a fresh jump start. 

SHOULD YOU REDESIGN YOUR WEBSITE?: THE THREE-STEP TEST

It doesn’t matter whether you created your website 6 months ago or 6 years ago. If it’s not working for you, it’s time for a redesign. Even once great websites will eventually need a redesign to ensure it aligns with your business strategy as your company grows.

This three-step test takes an honest look at your current website so you can fix the problems and increase your business

1. Are your conversions/sales decreasing?

Let the data speak for itself. Take a hard look at the numbers and see if your website is as effective as it once was (or perhaps it never has been, which is even worse). Look at your conversions and sales. What trends do you see? If your traffic is high but your conversions are low, that’s a strong indicator that there’s a problem with your website design.

2. Have you received any complaints about your site being difficult to use?

People visit websites to be entertained, find information, or make a purchase. If your site is difficult to navigate, pages take a long time to load, or is not mobile-friendly, people will quickly click away. If you have heard complaints from visitors or your employees, pay attention. It’s probably time for a refresh.

3. Does your current website design look outdated?

Sometimes this is hard to tell if your site needs an update if you’re the only one looking at your website day after day. Try opening your website from the eyes of a consumer. If you’re not sure, you can provide an unbiased answer for yourself, ask family or friends or other employees to help. Better yet, ask 15-20 perfect strangers to open your website. Ask them a simple question: Does it look modern or does it look old?

If you answered yes to any of these three questions and any of these issues resonated with you, then it is time to roll up your sleeves because your business needs a website redesign.

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH YOUR CURRENT WEBSITE DESIGN:

There are several clear reasons why your website isn’t working as it should be. If your customers or your data are telling you that you need a website redesign, it is probably because your current site has one of these common problems.

• Your site takes a long time to load

Count to two. That’s it. If your site isn’t loaded, your customer has already found another one. It’s too easy to click away and find a new site rather than wait forever for a page to load. If you’re too slow, you’ve lost before even starting.

• Your site is hard to use on mobile devices

If your consumer group is U.S. adults, chances are they are using a smartphone to find you. According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, today, 77% of Americans own a smartphone and that number grows to almost 90% for people under the age of 50. You will lose many potential customers if your site is not mobile friendly. Conduct a mobile audit by viewing your website on a smartphone and making sure all text, images, and videos appear and operate properly.

• Your site doesn’t match your brand

Has your business recently been through a rebranding or been through any significant changes? A stagnant website with your original logo and old information is detrimental to your business because it can confuse visitors. You can’t afford to be behind the times. If your site doesn’t match your current brand, visitors may think your website and your business is not consistent nor reliable.

• Sales and Leads are down

Think of your website as your most valuable asset. Would you keep a salesman on salary that wasn’t creating new sales or leads? Probably not. You should expect the same level of performance from your website that you would from your sales team. If you have seen a decline in the number of sales and leads, then a redesign can be an effective way to give those numbers and your business a boost.

• Small updates are becoming a major headache

Have you ever tried to add a picture to your site only to have it completely mess up the entire page? Your website should have new content on a regular basis and it should be quick and easy to do so. If you dread adding new images, blog posts, or content because it is cumbersome and time-consuming, it’s time to upgrade to a more user-friendly platform that makes it easy for you to keep things moving.

• Your competitors have updated their sites

Take a look at your biggest competition. How does your website compare? If your competitors have revamped their website, then it is probably time to update yours. You need to show your customers that you are can keep up with the trends and stay fresh.

WEBSITE REDESIGN CHECKLIST: GETTING STARTED

Congratulations! You have decided to redesign your website and show your customers a fresh new you. Now what? How do you even begin a website redesign? We’ve got good news. Here are four simple steps to get the process started.

1. Begin by analyzing your current site.

You need to have a clear understanding of what is working and what is not. If you instantly just wipe the entire slate clean, you’re creating more work for yourself than is necessary. Instead, use Google Analytics, or a similar tool, to analyze metrics like your website’s traffic patterns, bounce rate, or number of page views. From here, you will be able to see what elements need to be redone and which ones are still working for you.

2. What are your priorities?

If you were to write a job description for your website, what are its main responsibilities? What specific things are you wanting to improve on your website? In what ways could your website actually help you reach your goals and make your business run more smoothly? Knowing these goals will help you focus on achieving very specific results.

3. Update your target audience, if needed

As your company or products and services change, you may find that your target audience is actually very different than what you originally intended. If so, you may need to update your messaging and delivery to target those who are more likely to buy from you.

4. Create a wish list

What does your ideal website look like? What functionality, features, or qualities would your website have if anything was possible? Take your list to your website designer to discuss the possibilities and quickly transform that wish-list into a to-do list. Even if you can’t do everything at once, this gives you a roadmap and clear direction of goals and ideas for the future.  

WHY A WEBSITE REDESIGN IS SO IMPORTANT

Your website is your company’s most valuable asset. Every business from a start-up to a Fortune 500 plays on the same worldwide playing field, so it’s important to keep up with the competition and stay current on the web. Without a well-functioning and good-looking website, you will lose potential customers quickly. Stay aware of your website and know when it’s time for a redesign.

The post WEBSITE REDESIGN: Is It Time for a Facelift? This Will Help You Decide! appeared first on Onethingmarketing.net

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