Is It Time For A Website Redesign? Look For These Red Flags!

Why does Apple release a new iPhone every year? Because technology evolves that fast (and yes, because people get bored with the old). 

Well, a website works in the same manner. No, you don’t need a website redesign every year. However, you should update and revamp it every few years to keep up with technology and keep your customers engaged.

A website is often the first customer touchpoint, so it should always put your best foot forward. You have to treat it as an asset and reflection of your business. Fail to do so, and you turn away potential customers.

We claim redesigning a website is essential, but when is the right time do it? 

Well, if your website is as old as the time when BlackBerry phones were all the rage, then do it now. Barring that, look for these red flags. If you notice any of them, get a website makeover. Stat!

When Should You Redesign A Website?

There are endless reasons why a brand should invest in a website redesign. From a complete overhaul to search engine optimization, the possibilities are boundless, but we keep the focus on the most vital ones. Ignoring even one of these website red flags has major repercussions on your revenue!

The site looks dated

The most common reason for a website redesign is an outdated look. Put yourself in the shoes of your customer and give the site a once-over. Does it feel old to you? If the answer is yes, create a new one asap. 

This becomes even more crucial if your competitor’s site looks modern and swanky. Why? Because your customers will compare the two and then go running after the competitor. That hurts your bottom line.

Google can’t find your site

The most important sign that your website is in trouble is when you can’t find it on Google. There are a plethora of reasons why Google ranking suffers, but search engine optimization (SEO) leads the way.

SEO is the factor that decides your digital presence, and it directly impacts traffic. Think of SEO as the lifeblood of your site. Without it, you can’t survive because you won’t reach the target audience. With it, you garner the attention of all search engines.

Did you know that 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine?

That means it’s imperative to have a good SERP rank and maintain it. A website redesign that keeps SEO as a priority will help you grab that coveted first-page ranking and makes sure you get a steady stream of organic traffic!

Is there anything worse than not ranking on Google?

Yes! Your competitor ranks better. If that is the case, it is time to take a closer look at what they are doing, where your site lacks and then redesign accordingly. 

It has poor navigation

In the hurry to create the most beautiful and eye-catching design, many websites side line navigation. So, when a visitor lands on a page, they’re confused or downright thrown off-track. That leads to a higher bounce rate, bad conversion and lower search engine ranking. 

So, another red flag for a website redesign is navigation. The rule of thumb is to stick to the standards, like keeping fewer items on the main menu. Too many options confuse the user and don’t help with ranking.

That doesn’t mean you can’t be creative. You can, as long as the site design is functional and intuitive.The goal here is to make the user experience (UX) simple.

The more effortless it is for the average visitor to move around your website, the better the customer experience. So, yes, go ahead and fix technical issues, broken features, or inaccessible functions during the redesign. But make sure the end result is easy to use.

Loading slower than a snail

People who live and breathe the internet, are highly demanding. They will close your site if it’s plagued with loading issues. On average, a visitor expects a site to load in 1 to 2 seconds. A few have the patience to wait up to 3 seconds, but any further delay and abandonment rates go up by 87%.

That affects your search engine ranking, which ripples into lesser website visitors. And that ultimately leads to bad business. That means if the load time of your website is as slow as a snail, you need a redesign now, expressly one that speeds up loading time. 

Bounce rate is bouncing high

The bounce rate is the number of people who leave your site after seeing only one page. The lower the bounce rate, the better your website. There are a number of reasons that can surge bounce rate. One is, of course, slow loading time. Another is bad design. So is text-heavy content and poor navigation. 

Measure your bounce rate, and if it’s too high, your brand needs to redesign the website. Make sure you examine what it is that is causing people to leave. Are the images poor quality? Is the copy not appealing? Is the site not user-friendly? Then work on solving them.

Security is compromised

More and more people are waking up to the necessity of keeping data private and secure. When they visit a site, they want surety that all their information will be safe. If a brand can provide that, they earn user trust. Moreover, it helps engage users, convert them into customers and retain them. 

With a business falling victim to ransomware every 11 seconds and the cost of a data breach rising, it is essential to safeguard security. If your site doesn’t guarantee privacy, it’s time to redesign it. 

The additional benefit is that websites that follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and have an HTTPS certification are given preference by Google. On the other hand, sites that don’t have them are flagged insecure, impacting SEO ranking. 

It’s mobile-responsive

It’s 2021, and we shouldn’t even be mentioning mobile responsiveness. But the sad truth is that many sites still fail to open on a phone. If that is the case with you, the website requires immediate redesigning.

Why? Because the bulk of people browse the internet through their phones. 

When your brand’s site is not compatible with the screen it is viewed on, be it a mobile, a tablet or a laptop, the user will immediately click out. That means losing potential customers because 68% of all retail website visits happen on smartphones. Besides, when your site is poorly designed for mobiles, 57%of internet users don’t recommend it to others!

Not enough to get you thinking about a website redesign? Then ponder this: Google bases its ranking on mobile sites, not desktops. So, if your website is not mobile-responsive, you’re not ranking!

Traffic but no customers

The number one reason any business needs a website is to get more visitors. Let’s say your current site does that job. You see steady organic traffic. Yet, somehow, not many of those visitors are converted into paying customers. That’s a significant red flag, and you need a website redesign. The redesign will fix where the customer path is broken and ensure that every visitor can easily follow it to the final purchase point. 

An example of a broken customer path is not able to click on the phone number given on your site. People are inherently lazy, which means if they have to type the number in their phones and then call, they’d rather not do it.

Another reason you may not be converting customers is the absence of the “learn more” call-to-action. A website must give visitors the option to fill a form or schedule an appointment to know more about your business. 

Taken separately, these elements are simple but put together, they make a world of a difference to the user. Keep an eye out for them and opt for a site redesign if too many of them crop up. 

Brand’s being revamped

As a business evolves over time, so does its brand. It is quite common if you decide to pivot, take on a new investor, or merely shake things up. Chances are your current website ends up with a brand disconnect. 

What does that mean?

It implies that your logo, content, visuals, graphics, colour, font, and everything else that makes you recognisable to customers isn’t up to par.Irrespective of why the brand disconnect happened, you need to redesign your website and match it to your new brand identity.

Why? Because it is crucial that all your customer touchpoints – the site, the social media accounts, etc. – reflect a consistent message. When customers repeatedly see the same message in the same style, they start recognising your brand and trust it. Called brand recognition, it is a pillar to building a thriving business. 

The site is broken

This reason for website redesigning is rare, but it happens, especially if the website has a lot of products or content on it. Over time, error codes and broken links start to pile up. So, when a visitor lands on a random webpage, it shows a 404 error. It’s seldom that a visitor will look for another working page on your site. Chances are they’ll just close the page and move on to something else. 

If your site has broken links, take it as a tell-tale sign for redesigning. Even a single error code results in a notable loss of profit. More so, if you are an e-commerce site that sells products online.

How To Make Website Redesign Worthwhile?

As we said before, there are plenty of reasons for redesigning a website and the ones we’ve mentioned lead the pack. If you’re facing any of these red flags, strike while the iron is hot – partner with a digital marketing expert seasoned in building SEO websites. 

Why?

Because it’s the internet’s world, and we just live in it. To survive and flourish, every business needs a website. A website that is current, optimised, easy to use and responsive.

And that’s the least of it. A well-made user interface of a website or an app can boost conversion rates by 200%, and great UX design can make them reach 400% higher!

Nevertheless, you shouldn’t dive into a website redesign blindly. Make a careful decision on who you pick to revamp your site. Only then do you reap the benefits of redesigning your site: better brand recognition, improved search engine ranking, more customer trust, higher conversion rates, and fatter bottom lines!