That’s an interesting question, isn’t it? At least I think so! You’ve invested your hard earned money in your website and you’ve been using it for some time. But things change so quickly these days don’t they … or is that me showing my age? It can sometimes feel like something is out of date as soon as you’ve got it!
I’ve been doing some research into this question because I wanted to find out if there’s a standard answer. And I’ll admit that I’m slightly surprised to find that the answer that is coming up over and over again is 2-3 years. Like this post on by Studiovine that says “However, as a general rule of thumb, a website should be redesigned every 2-3 years to keep up with the latest design trends, user behaviour, and search engine algorithms.”
And I even found this post on Business 2 Community that gives the figure as 1.5-2.5 years.
I don’t know about you, but to me that doesn’t feel like any time at all (picture me in my rocking chair with a blanket over my knees saying “they don’t build things to last any more”).
Yes, things change fast. But let’s not make it too difficult for ourselves shall we? I’m going to put myself out there and say you should think about redesigning your website every 4-5 years.
So, how can you tell that it’s time to give your website a complete overhaul?
They don’t build things to last any more
Emily, Webfooted Designs
Five indicators that your website is due a redesign
1. Outdated Design
It may be that your website is looking old-fashioned. Design trends change over time and although you don’t need to change your site every five minutes to follow the latest trends, your website will get to the stage where it looks old and uncared for.
Or it may be that as the site has grown over the years the layout and structure has got a bit messy.
Either way, if your site is looking outdated or uncared for that doesn’t give the best impression – it could make you seem untrustworthy or unprofessional. You do want your site to reflect your business in the best possible way.
2. Poor User Experience
Going back to the “a bit messy” in my previous point, if it’s difficult for your customers to find the information they need or take the desired actions (like making a purchase or contacting you with an enquiry) then they will bounce right off your website. You want the experience you provide to be easy and enjoyable. We’ve all got very short attention spans these days (I’m back on my rocking chair) so you want to grab your visitors and give them what they need before they get distracted and wander off.
3. Not Mobile-Friendly
Oh this is a biggie! Does your website work well on all devices? Have you looked it on your phone recently (you know that for a lot of websites the main device used to access them is a phone don’t you?). Or if you tend to browse on your mobile device, have you looked at it on a big desktop screen? You might be shocked that what seemed to work absolutely fine five years ago now looks less than ideal on different screen sizes.
4. Visitor Statistics Dropping
Over time you want your website to perform better, but if your site has been a little neglected (no judgement, we all do it!) then it may be that you actually find that your website is doing worse than it used to. You don’t want your stats to take a nosedive! If you’ve got a high bounce rate, not getting sales or enquiries, or just not seeing visitors on your site at all, then it’s time to do something about it!
5. Incompatibility with Current Technology
And finally, it could just be that things have moved on so much that the technology your website is built on is no longer supported. Sometimes you’ll find that technology has moved on so much that you have no choice but to start again.
What to do if you can’t afford a full redesign?
Yes, having your site completely redesigned might be the ideal scenario. But it’s not always possible? A new website is an investment and you may not have the budget available for it. I totally get that.
What do you do if your website needs a new lease of life and a full redesign isn’t on the cards? The good news is that there are steps you can take to improve your site however past hope you may feel it is. Here are a few suggestions:
1. Update the content
Go through you site page-by-page and make sure all the content is up-to-date. Rewrite sections so that they fully represent what you do and your tone of voice. Don’t be scared of showing a bit of personality, people love buying from people!
2. Refresh the images
If you can’t go for a full redesign, then a great way to refresh the look of the site is to update the images used throughout.
3. Tidy up
If the site has grown somewhat organically over the years and is looking messy or is difficult to navigate, then think about having a good old spring clean. Make sure the site structure makes sense and it’s easy to find the essential information. And if the content is has got a bit messy, tidy it up! Make sure you’re only using your brand fonts and colours – too many different fonts and text in random colours doesn’t look great.
4. Do some SEO
And if you’re not getting enough traffic to your website then it could well be time to embark on some Search Engine Optimisation. Review each page and post and make sure they’ve got the essentials. And make a plan to add regular new content to the site (a blog is ideal for this).
5. Want some more tips?
Sign up for my “10 things you can do right now to improve your website” checklist!
A website is a great tool for your business (says the web designer, no bias there 😉) but the thing to remember is that a website needs regular care and attention to make sure it keeps working for you.
My recommendation is that you consider a full redesign every 4-5 years. But if it’s beginning to get a bit old and creaky and you don’t have the budget for a full redesign then there are still steps you can take to bring it back to life.
If you’d like to discuss with me how I can help you with your website please give me a shout and we can have a friendly chat.