There are certain signs that indicate when it’s time to upgrade your website. Some website owners wait for their website’s lifespan to expire (within three to seven years) before working on a redesign. Others choose to base their decisions based on ongoing trends and on how well the site is engaging visitors. Unfortunately, designing a new site or upgrading a current one can be a costly undertaking. It’s crucial to make sure that there’s an actual need to do so in order to avoid wasting time and money.
Although there are many reasons you may want to redesign your website, here are four common ones:
1. It is providing a poor user experience
User experience is one of the core foundations of web design. The better the user experience you provide to viewers, the higher your website is going to be ranked on the search engine results pages. A better UX also means that visitors are more attracted and likely to stay on your site for an extended period. This dramatically improves your chance of converting them into paying customers. With that said, one of the best ways to enhance user experience is excellent navigation. When using your website, ask yourself questions like “Is it easy for me to find what I’m looking for?” or “Can I tell where I am on the website?” If you’re able to answer yes to both of these, you’re good to go. Otherwise, your website is due for a redesign.
2. It isn’t suitable for a new product launch
If you’re planning to launch a new line of products, only to find that they just don’t fit the look and feel of your site, consider an upgrade. Your website plays a role in how effectively your products are showcased. During the web design process, you will have to consider the purpose and differentiating factor of your site, which will further help you ensure that it is suited to your product offerings.
3. It is no longer competitive
Keeping up with the trends is essential if you want to remain competitive. For example, if the rest of your competitors boast sleek, luxurious websites and you have one that looks like it stepped out of 2005, it’s time for a change. This is especially true if they’re experiencing much more web traffic as a direct result of their site’s aesthetics. A great way to know where your website should be headed is to examine that of the leader in your industry. Compare your site with theirs and see how you can achieve the same results. If you’re the industry leader and see that everyone is catching up with you, it’s another sign that it’s time for a change.
4. It doesn’t have a good marketing foundation
Your marketing strategy will have all sorts of tools—print ads, digital ads, social media marketing, SEO, and more. With brand new efforts coming in, your website must be able to help you achieve your goals. Otherwise, an old site that does not offer the necessary tools to allow for such undertakings is in dire need of an upgrade. How do you know if your website lacks a good marketing foundation? Look for a few important features, such as social media integration, SEO-optimization, and landing pages for paid ads. If any of these items are lacking, it’s time to make them a priority.
A website redesign is not something to take lightly. Therefore, you need to determine precisely why an upgrade is necessary. In doing so, you save yourself a lot of time, money, and effort by avoiding the wrong changes. With a set goal in place, you can be sure that every effort you put in is going to put your site one step higher than the rest. All the best with your website redesign!
If you’re looking for a website design agency based in Winnipeg to upgrade your site, get in touch with us today! We’re happy to help.