7 signs that it’s time for a website redesign

Online marketing

Nov 17

Think that your company’s website is due a redesign? Take a look at these 7 signs to help you decide whether or not your site is in need of a virtual facelift…

These days, your company’s website will most likely be the first point of contact between your business and a potential customer or client. Rather than picking up the phone or visiting you in person, people are becoming increasingly reliant on the internet to enquire about companies and decide whether or not they can fulfil their needs.

With this in mind, your website needs to reflect your business and professionalism. So, if your website is functioning effectively and portrays an accurate representation of your brand, then that’s great; your website will promote the value of the products or services that you offer, hopefully converting inquisitive browsers into customers or clients.

On the other hand, if your website has become outdated then you could actually be discouraging potential leads and therefore damaging your business’ reputation. This is why it is vital to ensure that your website is up to date, meeting the technical and visual expectations of visitors.

So, when is it time for a website redesign?

There are a number of signs that indicate that your website may be in need of a redesign. If you have been wondering whether it’s time for a virtual facelift, then have a look over the principles listed below. If you find yourself agreeing with a number of these points, then it may be time to consider a redesign of your company’s site.

1. Your website appears crowded and/or outdated

There is nothing that will make a user click on the back button quicker than a visually unappealing website. If your company’s site is looking hectic and crowded, then this could cause visitors to leave the page and revert to another website that boasts a simpler design and therefore smoother experience. Another pain point may be that your site has become outdated, which could potentially alter the visitors trust in your services and therefore credibility. Not quite convinced? Well, according to Iron Paper, up to 94% of people will mistrust a website solely because of its design. Taking this statistic into account, the success of your company’s site could rest on its aesthetics, which could very easily be improved by commissioned photography, a suitable font, clear messaging and a ‘less is more’ approach when redesigning your website.

2. Your website isn’t mobile optimised

In society today, people are spending more time on their mobile phones that ever before. In fact, smart phones have now overtaken desktop as the most popular way to browse the internet, hence it has never been more important to ensure that your website is mobile-friendly. What’s more, Google now penalise sites that are not optimised for mobile usage by down-ranking them in its listings (if you want to find out more about Google’s mobile-friendly update, then check out our blog post and e-book dedicated to the topic here). As Google accounts for a reported 87% of all internet searches, it is vital to include mobile-optimisation in your website design plans to encourage a friendly user-experience and improve your ranking on Google and other search engines.

3. Your website isn’t easy to use

Simply put, if your website isn’t easy to use then potential customers or clients will most probably leave your site in favour of another with a user-centred design. A way of ensuring that your site is user-friendly is by creating clear and simple navigation paths, allowing visitors to straightforwardly fulfil their needs. Take drumbeaters.co.uk as an example. If a user came to our site with the desire to check out some of our past projects, then they would know to click on the ‘Work’ tab which is clearly located in the menu. By creating a clear customer journey, you will decrease bounce rate and encourage people to engage with both your site and services. If you feel that technical elements like usability information and load times are damaging your site’s user-experience, then it may be time to consider a website redesign.

4. There’s no obvious way for visitors to share their information with you

Capturing potential customers’ details is usually incorporated into every company’s marketing strategy. If designed correctly, your website can present multiple opportunities for visitors to share their information with you. Nevertheless, plenty of websites dismiss these features and therefore miss out on generating potential leads or future conversions. If your website is lacking in at least one form that presents users with the opportunity to share their details with you, then your site could easily be improved by incorporating this effective feature into your redesign plans.

5. Your website isn’t doing your brand justice

When you look at your website, do you see a genuine representation of your company? If not, then you should probably consider a website redesign. If your site doesn’t accurately convey your brand, then how are potential customers or clients supposed to understand your business and the message that you aim to portray? Even if the service that you provide is of the highest standard, visitors to your site may prejudge your company’s abilities on the condition of your website. A redesign of your site will help you to create the best first impression possible, ensuring that your website is aligned with the quality of service that your business provides.

6. You can’t easily make content updates

As previously mentioned, an outdated website can affect users’ perception of your business, therefore it is vital to ensure that your site is frequently revised and edited in reaction to any changes that your company makes. This will guarantee that your site is as relevant as possible, whilst also providing any visitors with fresh and interesting content. If you opt to undergo a website redesign, then choose a site that runs on a content management system (CMS). This easy to use tool is ideal for those with a lack of specialised technical knowledge, meaning that you can maintain your site’s design and content without the need to download any software or hire a web developer. 

7. Your website isn’t consistent across different devices

It is vital to keep a level of brand consistency across all of your online mediums, including the desktop, mobile and tablet versions of your site. For example, it would be extremely confusing for a customer to go from desktop to mobile and encounter completely different arrangements. With responsive web design, you can ensure that the layout of your site responds to user behaviour and the environment based on both platform and orientation. For some examples of effective responsive web design, take a look at our work with Doncaster Sheffield Airport and Palatine.