Technology is ever-changing and constantly presenting new features and opportunities for web design. A website that was designed 2-3 years ago may not offer the same benefits as newer sites do today. So how do you know when it’s time to start planning a redesign for your website? Below is a list of common some growing pains:
Organization and Usability
As your company changed over the past few years, your website was probably forced to adapt to these changes. Content may have been tweaked, your navigation structure was most likely altered, and pages may have been added or removed. Just as you are forced to reevaluate the organization of your company on a reoccurring basis, you too should take a step back to evaluate the organization of your website.
Content
When’s the last time you read the content on your website…like really read through EVERYTHING? You’re not alone. It’s very common for copy on websites to be dated, redundant, and even grammatically incorrect. Performing a content review is a very important step in the web redesign process and should be a part of every web maintenance plan as well.
Mobile-responsive
In today’s world, fewer and fewer users are visiting websites using their computers. Rather, they choose the closest screen to access their information — whether it be their phone or a tablet. For this reason your website needs to adapt to the resolutions of these various screens by being responsive. For more about responsive websites, read our recent post: What is a Mobile Responsive Site.
Social Media
Are you actively using social media as a tool to connect with your customers? If not, START! If you are, have you integrated social features into your website? This is a tool you should not ignore and need to strongly consider adding to your digital marketing mix.
Load time
Have you been doing a lot of waiting each time you open your website? There’s a chance the graphics on your site are not optimized for quick viewing. Technology for displaying clear images at smaller file sizes is always advancing and should be evaluated frequently.
Graphics
Finally, you may feel like your website is starting to look dated overall. Trends in web design change frequently and a fresh look can go a long way. So don’t put off a web redesign any longer. A dated site is most likely doing more harm than good for your brand image!
Have you undergone a web redesign lately? In what ways have you seen an improvement in your brand perception post-launch?
