How often should you redesign your website?
With a little quick searching, you’ll find that most experts will suggest a website redesign every 2-3 years.
We agree. But with one caveat: you can wait 2-3 years, as long as you update your site a minimum of every 1-2 weeks between full redesigns. Updates might things like upcoming events, announcements, industry tips, social media feeds, blog posts, new photos, etc.
It wouldn’t take long to generate a list of 25 signs that it’s time to update your site, but honestly, who would read that much? So we decided to focus on what we feel are the top 7 signs that it’s time to redesign. Here they are:
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Are you getting leads from your website?
Perhaps that’s really the most important question. If you aren’t getting the inquiries, donations or leads you’d like from your website, it’s time to shake things up. Get your site reviewed by a professional. There are probably strategies you could implement to create a clearer call to action, rank better with search engines, make your site easier to navigate and get a better return on your investment. -
Is your website responsive?
In other words, does it automatically adjusts to the screen size of the device it is being viewed on? If not, you may be losing site visitors. Quickly. Viewing old school websites on a mobile device where everything is microscopic is annoying to say the least. And browsing websites on mobile devices is projected to surpass traditional computer viewing in the next year (first they said this, then followed up with this). That’s huge. Be sure your site looks great on a phone, tablet or computer! -
Is your website content updated?
There is no quicker way to communicate to your potential customers or donors that you are off your game than to have a site with outdated info on it. Would you use a brochure that is 10 years old? 5 years? Would you send out a direct mail piece with an event on it that already happened? Of course not. Make sure your website is updated frequently so it’s interesting to site visitors and loved by search engines. Search engines look for new, relevant content that proves you are a legitimate organization. Feed the beast. -
Is your site easy to maintain?
With the flexibility of Content Management Systems (CMS) these days, you can have a customized design that is still so easy to update that your grandma could do it. That means that your team could learn how to keep fresh content on your website with minimal training and no website coding experience. Or you can hire experienced website developers to keep the site updated quickly and inexpensively since it’s easy to do. Hiring a professional will give you an inside track to the latest design trends, content marketing strategies and search engine optimization (SEO) techniques. -
Is your site using flash, background music, animated clip art or scrolling text?
Please say no. If so, please consider removing those items. ASAP. Why? Flash is not visible on most mobile devices, so it’s a no no. Background music is proven to freak people out and cause them to exit your site as soon as they can find the “X” in their window. And animated clip art (gifs) and scrolling messages of text are just so 90’s. They are distracting and cutesy – not sharp and professional. There are other great ways to communicate important messages and draw attention. Let a professional help. -
Is your site telling your story or just trying to sell something?
Consumers are smarter than ever. They can “google” anything, so they feel like experts in nearly any area. The market is saturated with experts. Be more to them. Plus, with the popularity of social media both in personal and professional lives, people have a curiosity about you. They want partners. Trusted resources. They want to know who you are and what your philosophy is, not just what you do. Whether you are a ministry or a manufacturer, you have a story to tell. Who is behind your organization? What do your customers say? Be conversational. Use images. Use video. Write a helpful blog. Post advice to social media. List links that can help your site visitors learn more. -
Is your competitor’s site better than yours?
Even most people who aren’t graphic designers or website developers know a good website when they see it. Is your competitor’s website better?Does it have a sharp, clean design? Is it easy to navigate? Does it have a clear call to action? Does it use professional-quality photos? Does it look awesome on a smart phone? Does it have buttons, photo galleries, videos, social media links? Does it rank above you with search engines?
If you like your competitor’s website better than your own, what are your customers thinking?
If you would like more details on how to update your website so it generates the leads or sales you dream about, please contact us at New Sky Websites!
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