The Internet is always changing at a rapid pace, and it’s important that your website keeps up. You know you need to make some updates, but should you try to refresh your existing website or opt for a complete website redesign? It’s a great question to ask because in many instances a full redesign that accounts for current technology and user expectations can often be more beneficial than trying to spruce up an aging site. For example, we recommend a complete website redesign if…
Your current website is more than 3-years-old.
It’s possible for the lifespan of a well-made site to extend longer than three years. However, if you find yourself wanting a new look at this stage, it’s likely more efficient and cost-effective in the long run to go ahead and invest in a new website redesign now.
You want to make significant structural changes to your website.
It’s best to opt for a website redesign if you plan to add/delete lots of pages, change the navigation menu, and make major alterations to the layout of content. This often applies if your business model has changed.
Let’s say you’re a photographer that started out strictly shooting weddings, but now you’re doing portraits too and are in the process of rebranding. You need your website to reflect these changes and effectively convert new prospective clients. It’s likely in your best interest to have a new photography website design made…one that takes into account your present-day business goals and visual identity from the very outset of its creation.
You’re current website isn’t getting results and has poor SEO.
In this case, we recommend having a thorough website audit conducted to identify areas of improvement, and then applying those insights during the development of a new website and action plan for increasing your search engine optimization efforts.
Your current website uses old tech and has functionality issues.
Maybe you find it exceptionally hard to use. Or perhaps critical features of your site are powered by an old theme or plugin that’s no longer maintained by its author. Not only can that cause frustrating usability problems, it’s also a security risk. Best to move on to new alternatives.
Your current website isn’t responsive.
This one is a no-brainer. You should definitely redesign your website immediately. Having a responsive site that’s optimized for devices of all sizes is an absolute necessity in today’s world. Google agrees and prioritizes responsive websites in search results.
So in what scenario is a website refresh the better choice? If your website was created fairly recently and the changes you want to make are somewhat simple. For example, switching out some graphics, colors, a font here and there, etc. Edits that don’t require drastic changes to your website’s underlying code.
If you’re interested in a website redesign, we invite you to check out our custom website design and development services, and then, contact us to set up a complimentary consultation to discuss your specific project needs.
