This is like that old joke about the poker game – If you look around the table and don’t see the patsy, well…you’re the patsy. If you think it’s time to redesign your site…it probably is. My gut instinct as I write this is that your site needs a new look every two years. But what are some signs it’s time?
1) The Rand Group has a checklist of commonsense questions you can ask yourself, to gauge if it is in fact time for a facelift for your site. One of my favorite is the relatively low-tech “Does your offline and online marketing complement each other?” I think that is as good an indicator as any that your site has not kept up.
2) Right now, IMHO, one page sites are big. Hero images are big. Sliders might be on the way out (especially as they can slow down load times). Adaptive design is replacing responsive design – ’cause let’s face it, more people are looking for your site on their phone than at their desk. But these are just what’s big now. Two years from now it’ll be something different! Your site has to keep up with trends – it doesn’t have to be bleeding edge trendy, but it can’t be wearing the equivalent of mom jeans. As ClickNathan says, “users know in an instant if a website is up to date or not, simply by the way that it looks.
3) As a business owner or leader of an organization, you need to be sure that your site is working as hard for you as it can.
“Many websites were created to simply display information. There is nothing wrong with an informational website, but is your website laid out to help visitors get to key information first? Is your website prompting them to take the next step? Do you have a clear call-to-action?
The above quote is from Powershift, where they give 5 Reasons your Site Might Need a Redesign. In addition to lagging behind styles or technology, your site might not be performing the most important task – engaging your visitors, and “calling them to action.” After all, that’s why you’re trying to reach people with your website. To try to get them to order something, sign up for your mailing list, or attend your event.
What do you think? What were some signs you knew you needed a small face lift, an update, or a complete overhaul?
And remember – a beautiful, easy-to-maintain site made on WordPress doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg! So contact me if you’re ready for a new look.
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