7 tell-tale signs that you need a website redesign

“Do we really need that?”

Sound familiar?

It’s probably the most common response to the suggestion that a website redesign may be in order. And it invariably contains the implicit negative answer within the dismissive scowl that accompanies it.

Yet, there are many benefits to a website redesign that suggest, perhaps, you do “need that”.
No-one wants to throw the baby out with the bathwater, but we could all do with a cleaner sales funnel.

So, how can you tell if a redesign will help grow your traffic or increase your conversions? And what other benefits could it bring.
Here are 7 convincing reasons that would justify a website redesign, regardless of how knitted those brows may become when you first float the idea.

1. Do you pass the cringe test?

If you feel slightly embarrassed by the outdated design and functionality of your website then your customers are probably feeling the same.
What’s worse is that your potential customers are probably jumping ship before they even start to cruise your site.
It’s not just outdated design, however. It can be simply poor design.

• Nothing is more off-putting than an oversaturated home page that drowns you in information rather than directs you to it
• Nothing sends people back to the search results quicker than a lack of white space
• Poor navigational hierarchy sees even the most dogged visitor turn tail
• Complicated fonts, or small font size, create headaches rather than customers

If you are cringing your visitors will be bouncing, or at least hopping mad.
Yes, it is time for a redesign!

2. Does it look great, but…?

Your website may look gorgeous, function effortlessly and be pixel-perfect. Congratulations, but if it isn’t delivering the results you want then it’s just an expensive piece of online real estate.

Ask yourself what your site should be doing.
(Hint: should it be generating leads, prospects, customers or sales?)

Now ask yourself if it is doing this?

Your analytics should tell you, and if you don’t have access to these, get them quick. Without something like Google Analytics set up for your site you are shooting in the dark.

Give us a call if you need some help – we’ll get it up and running for you!
If you aren’t happy with your results, it’s time to redesign. Some key indicators include:

• There’s a drop-off in monthly traffic
• There’s a decline in your conversion rate (for leads or sales)
• Visitors only come to your website one time and never return
• Visitors bounce rather than stick

Examine your site’s metrics and its conversion rates. Now, instead of saying maybe we should redesign the site you can say: “I’ve noticed that our bounce rate is high and visitors to our conversion pages simply aren’t getting in contact. It looks like a redesign could lead to a significant improvement in the leads we generate online.”
That’s much harder to argue with!

3. Have you taken the taste test?

Ever been stopped outside a supermarket and asked to sample various wares before stating your preference?

This blind taste test is instructive. Many visitors choose to use your site in preference to others that crop up in the search results.
If they don’t, looking at what others offer may tell you why.

Your competitors’ websites are what you are being measured against: how do you fare in the taste test?
First impressions matter in the digital world. It’s not just about having the best products or services: it’s all about gaining trust quickly.
A redesign could leave your website performance significantly sweeter.

4. Do you get big results from the small screen?

More than 50% of all searches are now made on a mobile devices and Google is actively penalising websites that are not mobile-friendly.
If your site was designed to be served up on a desktop and looks like a dog’s dinner on a mobile you are losing a significant portion of your customers.
A responsive design will produce much better responses.

5. Is your site fit for purpose?

Change is just about the only constant these days.
Fluid company structures and dynamic goals are not best served by static websites. While you may not need to do a full site redesign every time you adjust your goals, it is a good idea to check every so often that your website is aligned, in terms of navigation, messaging and design, with your latest strategies.
Of course, if your site’s purpose has significantly changed, it will function more effectively with a redesign that reflects this.

6. Are you hoping content will be king?

It may well be that your website is working perfectly, thank-you very much. Yet, you want more of what it is giving you.
Companies who decide to adopt online marketing to generate new customers and leads often use content to attract prospects.

Having fantastic content on your site can improve everything from customer retention to SEO, yet it also requires you to carefully consider how your content is organised.
A content strategy can reap big dividends but it may require a redesign to ensure your great articles, eBooks, infographics and videos are findable by both users and search engines.

7: Is updating getting you down?

If the thought of fixing a typo or swapping out a homepage banner image fills you with dread, you need a new content management system (CMS).
Updating your site should be simple. There’s no need to put in a call to a developer, you must be in control.

If you can’t make changes and add new pages easily you will be quickly left with an outdated site. A site redesign could also place you back in the driving seat. Forget learning to code – you can update most websites as easily as you can change a Word document.
And, if you can’t at the moment, imagine how much more effective your site would be if you could.

Do we really need that?

There are many benefits of a web redesign. No-one wants to throw the baby out with the bathwater, but we all want our babies to grow up to be strapping adults who more than pay their way. Whether your argument for a redesign is successful, or not, sometimes depends on how you put the case.