Deciding how and when it’s time for a website redesign can be difficult.  It requires a great deal of commitment and trust in your web designer. Updates are inevitably necessary, though, because the alternative is having a website that frustrates visitors and drives traffic away which can be pretty costly to your business.

Every website needs to be designed with a few key elements in mind.  They need to be easy to navigate, aesthetically pleasing, and they need to provide up-to-date content.  All of these factors make for a user-friendly experience that is crucial to your brand’s image and reputation.  So, is it time to give your website a redesign?  Here are some signs you should look out for:

Your Website is Dated

Often times in our modern age, your website is your business’ first impression, so make it count.  Nothing will turn visitors away faster than if they click on your site, and it looks like it was designed in the 1990’s.  It’s time to get with the times, and that includes your software.  Yes, design is crucial, but if it doesn’t work, it won’t matter.  So, check that all of your site’s software is up-to-date as well.

Keep in mind, as you are updating, that one very common design mistake is to throw every bit of information you have on your site’s homepage.  This is a no-no.  While interesting and informational, the truth is that visitors to your site don’t want to waste time sifting through your entire history.  They just want to gather the information they came for and get out.  Remember, less is more.

Your Website Isn’t User-Friendly

A great web design is one that allows users to quickly get in and out with the information that they were looking for without too much digging.  It’s common sense, really.  If it’s too difficult or frustrating for visitors to navigate, they’ll simply go someplace else.  Avoid having too many pages of content or a poor content structure; it can bury the most valuable information.  Likewise, a site that’s slow to load will scare off users, and your message will never be seen.  

Your Website Isn’t Set Up for Mobile

Gone are the days of needing a computer to access the Internet.  Now, everyone has a mobile device, and it’s revolutionized the way we access websites and information.  It is for this reason that you need to have a mobile responsive website design so that potential visitors can fully access and interact with your site easily, on-the-go.  

Your Search Rankings Are Low

At this stage in the game, we all understand the importance of being listed on the first page of Google, as it’s estimated that only a mere 6% of people performing Google searches end up clicking past the first page of results.  This means that if you want your website to be seen, getting ranked at the top of that list is pretty important.

In the past, web developers used keywords within websites to boost rank.  However, times have changed.  Now, Google has altered its algorithm so that URLs are what rank when structured with relevant words.  In other words, they are going to rank you based on whether or not your site’s URL address conveys more content information.  Before, domains were just randomly assigned.  

Your Brand Has Shifted or Changed

As we’ve already established – your website is your first and most important impression online.  It is a symbol of your brand and overall message.  It is your identity, so your website must be up-to-date to reflect that.  If your brand has shifted, you almost certainly need a new website design.  Beyond a new logo and tagline, your new site design must add more functionality and brand-specific content.       

A website redesign is no simple task.  As such, it should not be taken lightly.  So, if you’re thinking about taking on a project like this, contact us to learn how we can help!