A Strategic Guide to Redesigning Your Website

Have you ever wondered if the website is alive back there? Maybe, it doesn’t describe you and your business anymore. You’re not alone! You have certainly felt the frustration at the realization that your website requires a complete revamp to match the trend.

But the good news is here – the website redesign can do a revamp to the whole online image and competitiveness of the entrepreneur. By considering a strategic plan and consultancy, you can launch an engaging website with the customers which reflects your brand in the digital age.

Therefore let us examine the what, how and when of giving your website the required revamp. To find out the most important steps to start and successfully complete a website redesign beginning from scratch read on. This is the moment for you to press restart and let your business rock.

Why Do You Need a Website Redesign?

If you’ve noticed that your website traffic seems to be going at a snail’s pace or your conversions are going downhill, then redesigning your existing website is in order. Studies show that old fashioned design of websites among other reasons drive customers away from a site almost at once. In fact, up to 60% of customers say that they will not come back to a site with a dated design! A website redesign delivers tangible benefits:

• Improved mobile responsiveness – At least 50% of the traffic comes from mobiles so viewing on phones and tablets is paramount.
• Enhanced user-experience – A site that is messy or gets you confused, you will not linger. Optimizing navigation and arrangement increases usability.
• Modern visual brand alignment – Is your site still displaying logos or color themes you’ve changed? A redesign makes visual identity consistent.
• Higher conversions and sales – with effortless site navigation and grabbing content customers press that buy button more frequently!

The bottom line? A website redesign matches your digital identity to current user needs and expectations. In other words it is about engaging more customers and converting site visitors into sales. Launching the redesign now is a strategic investment which pays off.

Planning Your Redesign Journey

Redesigning your website demands a cautious planning and preparation process. Rush into it carelessly and you might end up with a fragmented outcome. Follow these key steps to map out an effective website redesign from start to finish:

• Have clear goals – Do not forget what exactly you strive to achieve after the redesign like more conversions, better branding, a better mobile experience, etc. This narrows down the project.
• Audit your existing website – Highlight its strengths and weaknesses to know what to keep and/or change in your redesign.
• Review analytics – Analyze a visitor`s traffic pattern, popular pages, conversion funnels and other data to maximize the new site.
• Figure out your budget – Prices of full scale website projects quite a lot, based on the width of the scope of work. Realistically determine how much you can invest to get the best result.
• Rally your design team – If you like, collaborate with a web designer, developer and content writer in order to see your idea through.
• Decide on the best platform – Should you continue with your current CMS, or switch to a different one? Balance the positive and the negative.
• Develop a new sitemap – Design how content will be organized and traversed on the refreshed site.
• Note creating wireframes – key page visual frameworks will solidify layout and user flow after that design work starts.
• Establish a realistic deadline – A well done website redesign usually takes months to do. Take enough time for each phase.

A website redesign can be approached systematically and thoughtfully with the right planning and preparation for the best outcomes. Don’t jump ahead without the preliminaries first!

Key Ingredients of a Winning Redesign

Redesigning an outstanding website takes more than just a new exterior. You have to include characteristics that, in essence, will radically transform how the users view and utilize the site. Done right, these key ingredients will produce an outstanding online presence that in turn grabs a customer. Let’s delve into the fundamentals for website redesign success.

User-Centered Design

The UX of today’s websites determines their life or death. Therefore, a user-centered redesign is what matters most. Look at how people use your site now to discover the pain points and the ways to improve. Do usability testing while redesigning to get insights. Streamline the navigation, layout, content, forms and everything else to become congruent with the user’s goals and actions. Placing the user at the center of every design choice gives us a website that integrates their needs well.

Responsive Design

Since mobile internet use already surpasses desktop, having a responsive website is no longer just an option – it’s a must. Responsive designs employ flexible layouts and images that flawlessly adjust across all types of devices. New design of your website should give an optimum viewing and usage experience for users, either on a desktop, tablet or smartphone. Apply responsive frameworks and the mobile-first philosophy. Make sure the pixels of each template, assets and pages are correct at all cross devices. Going mobile friendly upgrades conversions and user engagement.

Visual Appeal

Appealing design is equally important to usability and functionality. The first impression on visitors is magnificently given by the visual design. An alluring, stylish design reflects your brand & captivates. Use high quality graphics, photography, icons and animations. Employ typography, color palettes, page layouts and whitespace thoughtfully. Provide visual cohesiveness among all pages. An eminent design that actively incorporates visual identity helps raise the overall product immensely.

Real-World Examples

The most compelling evidence of how a website redesign can relaunch a brand is in observing actual results. Here are some famous cases where companies initiated complete website overhauls that led to impressive growth:

• Starbucks Website – The Starbucks website was revamped in 2014 to give more prominence to the coffee, community theme and aesthetics which are unique to the geographic area. The redesign resulted in the quarterly revenue growth of ~21%.
• Weight Watchers – A major 2012 rebrand put Weight Watchers’ new wellness focus beyond just weight loss. In the next year their membership increased by over 1 million.
• Lego – Lego’s 2015 website redesign increased conversion rate by 35%. Better ecommerce experience, appealing storytelling drove up revenue.
• Virgin America – A significant responsive redesign contributed to Virgin America’s conversion rates skyrocket with a 45% increment. Improved booking increased ticket sales.
• Morton Salt – Morton Salt revamped the entire site in 2006 centered on recipe gallery pages that went with simplified navigation. Traffic then rose over 50% yearly.

Such real-life instances show that smart companies appreciate the essence of refreshing web pages frequently to keep pace with changing user expectations. Stepping into the waters to redesign your online home can directly affect growth and profitability.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

A website redesign provides a great opportunity but it could present some risks if handled with necessary care. Steer clear of these common pitfalls that can derail your redesign efforts:

• Not determining objectives – Redesigning only because, without clear purposes, results are fragmented. Start with the goals like increasing conversions.
• Ignoring branding – Majorly changing color schemes, logos or language ignoring branding confuses customers. Grow, don’t recreate your brand identity.
• Losing the website architecture – That means you change the navigation in a fundamental way. or content design is risky. Get the right proportion of old and new.
• Scope Creep – Letting your redesign reach beyond original plans without adjusting either the budget or the timeline will result in difficulties. Establish reasonable parameters.
• Not testing adequately – User testing is underdone either during or after the redesign which leads to issues passing through undetected. Test extensively.
• Disregarding SEO – A fresh new website is redundant without any search engine visibility as SEO was not considered. Keyword research and best practices should be followed.
• Jumping the gun – Launching before all the bugs are fixed hurts your brand. Finalize everything methodically.

Make your website redesign a calculated success by steering clear of these common but avoidable mistakes!

Conclusion

As an entrepreneur, refreshing your online presence through a website redesign can recharge your brand and business. But approach this endeavor strategically. Define your goals, budget wisely, assemble experts, and incorporate key ingredients like user-focused design. Learn from others’ triumphs and mistakes. Or better yet, consult with a seasoned web professional to determine if now is the right time for you to hit “restart” on your website. With commitment to the process, you can build a distinguished digital home ready for the future!