Seven Signs That It’s Time for a New Website
Times are changing fast: it seems like every day we see updated versions of televisions, phones, tablets, and computers with faster and better technology.
Consumers today are trained to expect the latest and greatest at the touch of a button. It should come as no surprise then, that an old, outdated website can hurt sales and deliver a sub-par consumer experience.
Websites are often the first touchpoint your consumer has with your brand. 70-80% of people report that they visit a company or a brand’s website as the first step in their consideration journey before visiting a business or making a purchase. This means first impressions matter…a lot.
How to Tell If Your Website is Due for a Change
Here are 7 tell-tale signs that your website is due for a change.
- Not mobile responsive: Approximately 50% of all website traffic worldwide is on mobile devices. Not designing your website to be optimized for mobile means alienating at least half of your visitors.
- Slow load speed: Another reason your website should be designed with a “mobile-first” mentality: Google updated its algorithm in 2018 to make mobile page speed a factor in its search rankings. Here are some more compelling statistics to consider:
- A 1-second delay in page response can result in a 7% reduction in conversions
- 47% of consumers expect a web page to load in 2 seconds or less
- 40% of people abandon a website that takes more than 3 seconds to load
Needless to say, designing and optimizing your website to deliver content at lightning speed directly impacts your bottom line.
- Poor readability: How fast would you hit the back button on your browser if you landed on a page and see a dreaded wall of text? If you do a simple site audit and most of your pages and posts contain only text with no interesting images or graphics to keep readers engaged, it’s an indication that your website needs some work.
- Bounce rate is high: You can use Google Analytics to run simple diagnostic tests to gauge the health of your website. If your bounce rate (defined as the percentage of people who only visit a single page) is high (generally defined as anything above 70%) it could be a sign that your content strategy on your website needs improvement.
- Time spent on website is low: Google uses bounce rate and average time spent on your website as indicators of how relevant your content is for the search results you’re trying to rank for. If people who visit your site do not spend a lot of time reading or engaging with your content, Google is not likely to rank your page high in the search results.
- Customer complaints: The other day I saw a Facebook ad for a product that piqued my interest. After a couple of days, I gave in and clicked through to make a purchase. The checkout process was so awful that I spent about ten minutes trying to buy the product before I finally gave up. You may have an amazing product or service and compelling ads, but if your website user experience is sub-par, you won’t be able to maximize your return on your investments. Furthermore, not everyone who has a bad experience will share it with you, so the one complaint you receive could actually be a sign of a larger issue.
- Not compatible with the latest technology: An outdated website may not be compatible with the latest version of software or plug-ins that could help improve your site’s overall performance. Just like the operating system in our smartphones needs to be continually updated to ensure the best performance and user experience, the same goes for your website.
Website Refresh vs. Website Redesign: What is the Difference?
With the checklist above, you should be able to do a simple website audit to have a pretty good idea of whether or not your website is due for some changes.
The next question is, big changes or small changes?
The Refresh
A refresh focuses on minor stylistic updates that don’t change the foundation and structure of your website. For instance, you may have a new brand identity that needs to be applied to the website, such as swapping out your logo with a new one and updating colors, fonts and images. You can look at a refresh as a facelift that reflects current changes in your brand, services/products, and the marketplace.
The Redesign
A website redesign typically involves a structural change that goes beyond just the visual appearance of your website. It may include rethinking your website’s UX/UI, evolving your content strategy and content management system, changing the structure of the page layouts, and/or going from a static website to a mobile-first, responsive website. Generally speaking, if you’re thinking about adding or changing the functionality of your website, you’re most likely going to need a redesign.
Website Refresh vs. Website Redesign: Which One Do You Need?
To help you determine whether or not you need a refresh or a redesign, we’ve identified four important factors. It’s important to remember that even after a full redesign, regular updates to your website like adding new blog posts and testing the placement of images and buttons will ensure that your website is optimized for the best possible customer experience.
Here at CC:S we recommend that you review your backend analytics on a regular basis. This can help ensure that any issues are identified early and your site is up-to-date.
Time
Refresh: Can be completed in a few weeks.
Redesign: Can take 2-3 months, depending on the scope.
Cost
Every project will have a different budget depending on changes needed, but generally speaking, redesigns will carry a higher price tag than refreshes.
Resources
Aside from budget, you should factor in management and time to your decision process. A redesign will require more attention, time, direction, and input from you or your staff to ensure that the finished product checks off on your objectives and requirements.
Goals and Objectives
As with any project, defining what goals and objectives you want your refresh or redesign to achieve will be the first and most important task to tackle. Once this is defined, a game plan can be devised to determine what kinds of changes can help achieve these objectives and a plan can start to take shape.
We Can Help
CC:S has helped businesses and organizations of all sizes across different sectors update their web presence.
We can work with you to conduct a website audit and make a list of recommended changes. We approach every project, big or small, with a “strategy first” mindset, thoughtfulness, and passion. Whether a refresh or redesign, contact us and see how we can transform your website and help you connect with your audience in a meaningful way.