How do you know if you need an update or a redesign of your website? It's a difficult question, and there is no clear answer.
Sometimes you know you need an update simply because you want to refresh the design. Other times an update is necessary because the current site cannot handle the new features you want to use.
In any case, here are 10 signs that should alert you to the need to redesign your website!
1. You don't sell online
The phone sales, it's (almost) over!
Consumers want to make purchases online, from start to finish. They don't want to wait for your business to open to pick up the phone and place an order. Besides, they may not have the time, since they — like everyone else — are often at work at the same time.
If you continue to use the phone as the only way to record orders, then it's time to consider an e-commerce solution for your website.
2. Your conversion rates are sluggish
Being well ranked by search engines is not enough. If you can't convert the leads that land on your site, you need a deep redesign.
Here, having a pretty website doesn't solve everything; you need to overhaul the site's design to fix flaws and turn it into a conversion powerhouse.
Visitors must move through the purchasing funnel in a simple, smooth way, encountering effective calls-to-action and landing pages along the way.
3. Your website's last redesign dates back to...
If you had any doubts, know that the Internet is not immune to fashion and trends.
In terms of technology, every year brings new trends that affect the design and development of a website. If you don't keep up by removing outdated features and adding new ones, your company's reputation is at stake.
To appreciate how much the web has changed in just a few years, take a look at this old version of Yahoo!:
Now compare it with the site's current design:
Unless you're a big nostalgic for the web as it was in 2009, you'll agree that the 2021 version of Yahoo! is easier on the eyes than its ancestor.
Now imagine your site is the Yahoo! of 2009, while your competitors' sites look like the Yahoo! of 2021. There's no need to tell you whom your potential customers will choose (or rather, who they will not choose).
A redesign is therefore the perfect opportunity to give your site's design a proper refresh once and for all — a true necessity if you don't want to be relegated to the status of an antique and want to stay relevant in your market.
You must show that your brand adapts to trends and that it is constantly monitoring its market.
Besides, your site will eventually stop performing at all… It's better to do light redesigns every year than to have a major update that will take time and be expensive.
4. Your site isn't mobile-friendly
According to StatCounter, in February 2019, 36% of internet traffic came from mobile devices. Furthermore, according to the FEVAD, one in five purchases is made from a smartphone or tablet.
If your website is not designed specifically for mobile devices, consider a complete rebuild.
Today's algorithms look for multiple mobile-friendly factors, so adding mobile-compatible plugins and add-ons won't solve the real problem. You must design your site FOR mobile.
5. You have a high bounce rate
If leads leave your website without engaging further, it's a clear sign that something is wrong. It could be the design, the content, page load times, or usability...
In general, make sure to streamline your pages as much as possible so they load in under 3 seconds. Avoid garish colors; opt for a clean design instead. Don't give in to pop-up madness! You can use one that appears after a few seconds, but don't bombard the visitor immediately.
Finally, rethink your menu so it guides your visitors as effectively as possible.
6. Search engines have changed their algorithms
The ultimate goal of any website is to attract traffic and convert prospects into customers. You can do this by optimizing your structure so search engine bots can properly index and rank your site.
But what if search engines change the rules?
That's exactly what happens whenever there's an algorithm change from Google or other search engines. You need to stay informed of every change and keep your website updated to incorporate these developments.
7. Your site isn't responsive
It's a fact: internet use on mobile and tablet has surpassed internet access on desktop computers.
Mobile internet surpassed fixed-line internet in 2016.
Faced with this figure, the conclusion is clear: it's essential that your website is responsive, that is to say adaptable to smartphones, tablets and other devices.
Needless to say, a site that doesn't have a optimal mobile navigation can pretty much say goodbye to half of its traffic. Redesigning your website is therefore an opportunity to fix this and make it fully mobile-friendly.
8. Your site's SEO is underperforming
Organic search is one of the main challenges for any website. And for good reason: a website's very existence loses all meaning if no user finds and visits it.
While it is possible toimprove its SEO with simple techniques, a site's SEO situation sometimes requires taking heavier measures, such as a complete redesign.
First, organic search is partly linked to the site's technical performance: pages that are too slow and too heavy slow, heavy pages can be very costly, as can a poorly structured site. A good spring clean in the form of a redesign can therefore work wonders from an SEO standpoint!
9. Your website isn't user-friendly
Another factor to consider: theuser experienceAmong the astronomical amounts of information search engines take into account when ranking sites, your visitors' experience occupies a significant place.
What this means is that if your site is outdated and poorly ergonomic, visitors who land on your pages are unlikely to stay very long.
A very bad signal for Google, which will not hesitate to penalize you. Thus, redesigning a website is also a full-fledged SEO optimization.
10. You need new features
A site's life isn't a smooth, endless flow. It will undergo changes according to opportunities and shifts within your company.
For example, it's not uncommon for an informational site (blog, magazine…) to evolve into an online store (even if that represents only a fraction of the activity). But this kind of change doesn't happen in the blink of an eye. New features often require deep changes to the site and its architecture.
A proper redesign is therefore necessary to take your website to new horizons and grow your online activity.
How to proceed with your website redesign?
The implementation of this large-scale project begins with finding a competent provider who matches the specific needs of your site and your company.
To do so, submit your project for free and find a site redesign specialist now on Codeur.com.
To back up your choice and, later, to manage the project and the relationship between your company and the provider from A to Z, drawing up a specifications document is essential.
You can also download our free specifications template. for website redesign.
Conclusion
Have you recognized some of these signs? That means it's time to rethink your website's design.
Submit your project now on Codeur.com to find a professional freelance developer for your needs.
