Website Redesign: The Reasons to Change Your Design

We'll examine the main components of revamping a website, discovering how this affects user engagement and your brand's online history

At a time when first impressions online happen quickly, using an outdated platform can quietly harm a company. Neglecting to update the website can cause a decrease in customer engagement, leading to a decrease in traffic and conversions. That's why website remodelling isn't just a temporary fad, but an essential requirement and that's what we're going to talk about today.

As technology advances and consumer tastes change, design principles that were effective in the past may not be relevant today. In this situation, creating a solid plan to improve your website and hiring a qualified team may be the answer you're looking for.

What is a website redesign?

To begin with, let's establish the definition of ‘redesign’. In simple terms, it's about completely updating and improving your website to bring it into line with modern web guidelines, user needs and business objectives. Redesign can involve modernising the layout, optimising navigation, optimising for mobile devices and integrating new features and content. However, the objective remains unchanged - to improve the ease of use, aesthetics and effectiveness of the platform.

What's the difference between a website redesign and an update?

When you decide to make changes to your website, you have two main options - completely redesign it or simply update it. Although these terms may sound similar, they have different objectives and imply different levels of change.

Redesigning a website involves completely reconsidering your online presence - imagining a new user experience, updating the navigation and sometimes rebranding. This procedure can be time-consuming, since your goal is to align the site with significant changes in your business strategy, brand identity or technological advances.

However, updating a website centres more on appearance than introducing structural changes. A website refresh can include updating colour schemes, fonts or layout elements to give the site a more modern look. It's a perfect method for sites with a strong foundation that just need a little refresh to stay current and interesting.

Whilst a redesign can take up a lot of time and resources, a refresh usually requires less time and investment.

Signs that a site may need to be redesigned

At some point, it becomes logical to ask: when is the ideal time to redesign a website? Various factors can influence the decision, from outdated visuals to changes in market trends and user expectations, so it's crucial to make sure you choose the perfect time for this important change.

Rebranding vs. UI improvement

When the visual representation of your brand becomes outdated or navigation on your site becomes difficult, it's time to think about redesigning. This process includes assessing the current values of your brand compared to when it was first introduced. It's not just about changing the logo - it's about developing an online platform that reflects your identity.

Improving your website's user interface is closely linked to this procedure. An effectively planned user interface can have an impact on how customers view and interact with your site. Isn't it true that users want a pleasant, seamless experience when they browse your platform? A successful user interface eliminates confusion and simplifies processes.

Improved user experience

Have you ever tried visiting a website where everything works perfectly? You find what you need, everything fits together and it's enjoyable? Our aim is to achieve this through UX improvements. The browsing experience reflects the experience of visitors to your site, so it's important that all users enjoy their time and navigate effortlessly.

Consider this - if customers get confused on your site or can't locate what they're looking for, they'll probably leave and not come back. So if you see a high number of visitors quickly leaving your site or receive comments about how difficult it is to navigate, it may be an indication that it's time to improve the user experience.

Improve responsive design

Having an adaptable website design is now a necessity, not just an option, since a large proportion of web traffic is generated from various devices such as smartphones and tablets. This trend emphasises the importance of ensuring that any resource gives importance to its mobile version, and if your site hasn't already done so, now is the time to make that crucial change.

Not having a flexible layout can make a significant proportion of your viewers feel dissatisfied. To avoid this problem, make sure that users receive user-friendly navigation, fast loading speeds and a visually pleasing presentation. Make sure that people have a great experience when they visit your site, regardless of whether they are using a small mobile phone or a large monitor.

Improve search engine optimisation and site efficiency

Successful websites with high performance and SEO optimisation are not a coincidence; they are the result of deliberate design and technical skills. Imagine that your website performs poorly in search results or takes forever to load. If that's the case, then it's time to redesign your website with the aim of improving SEO and performance.

Users can become frustrated, bounce rates can increase and your online reputation can be negatively affected by slow loading times, broken links or an unresponsive design. To improve these areas, you need to delve into the backend of your site, refine the code and confirm that your hosting solution is sufficient.

Introducing a new product/service or improving current functionalities

When you choose to introduce a new element or extend current services, your platform must show these updates in content, functionality and presentation. This may involve developing specific areas, introducing attributes or even creating a new look for your latest debut.

Imagine your website as a shop front. Introducing a new product or service is similar to presenting a new item in your shop window - it should be visible, eye-catching and interesting. You may need to reconsider the design of your website so that products are clearly visible and easy to find.

Improving website conversion rates

You've probably come across situations where certain website visitors don't take any action, such as buying a product or subscribing to a newsletter. This usually indicates confusing navigation, unclear CTAs or an unnecessarily complex checkout process.

If this is the case, adjust your calls to action to be more convincing, simplify the forms to reduce the difficulty or reorganise the content to highlight the most important information. The aim is to develop a website that engages with your audience and subtly guides them towards the desired action.

Although your site may be visually attractive, it won't reach its full potential if it doesn't effectively lead visitors to make a decision.

Factors to take into account before starting to redesign your site

The process of redesigning a website begins with a crucial first step: evaluating the performance of your current site. This means taking a close look at your analyses to see how visitors interact with the platform. Clicks, purchases and site exits or moves are key indicators that show how well certain aspects are performing and identify areas that need to be improved.

#1 Pay attention to the pages that are receiving the most traffic. These are the sections of your site that attract your audience the most - your digital hotspots. Are these pages turning visitors into conversions at the anticipated rate? If not, it's crucial to understand why for your site relaunch strategy. Similarly, recognise the pages that have the least traffic or low conversion rates. These underperforming sections provide important clues about possible problems with content, design, organisation or the clarity of calls to action;

#2 Think about the experience customers have when they visit your site. Find out which pages users view before they convert or leave the site. This journey mapping has the potential to reveal valuable information about visitor behaviour and preferences. A useful suggestion is to concentrate on identifying the key pages and their impact on the conversion process to determine where to focus your attention during the redesign;

#3 Establish specific objectives after an in-depth analysis. What is your goal for improving remodelling? Could it be appearance, user experience, conversion rates or even a combination of these factors? Having clear objectives will help you and the design team make decisions that reflect your company's goals.

It's important to transform the story told by your analyses in order to align it with your objectives. Having considered these perspectives, let's now move on to the final section of our article - steps to redesign.

How to redesign a website

Since we've already started talking about redesigning a website, it's crucial to be aware of the necessary steps. In the following sections, we'll discuss these steps individually to guide you in improving your site's effectiveness. So let's get started.

Evaluate the key metrics of your current site

Start by taking a close look at your current site and carrying out an analysis. Emphasise indicators such as visitor traffic, time spent on site, bounce rates and conversion rates, as these metrics offer important insights into user behaviour and interaction. This step is crucial, as it provides information on what should be kept, eliminated and improved in your remodelling.

However, don't just focus on the numbers. Try to understand the reason behind these actions. If a large number of visitors are constantly leaving your site from a particular page, it's important to question the reasons behind this trend. Perhaps the web page isn't clear or doesn't have the content your visitors are looking for.

Set new goals for the redesign

The next step is to determine the reason behind your actions. What is your ultimate goal? Perhaps you want to increase visitor retention on your website, or maybe you're hoping to improve sales on your e-commerce platform. Don't forget to clearly define and quantify your goals so that you have a specific target to aim for.

Aligning these objectives with your company's current priorities is a wise decision. Some issues may require urgent action, while others can be put off for some time. In that case, focus on your objectives and let your redesign guide you towards them.

Make sure your pages are optimised and effective at converting customers

As you move forward with a website redesign, pay attention to the pages that are already performing well in terms of traffic and conversions. These digital assets belong to you and bring high value to your business. Therefore, be cautious when making changes to ensure that these pages continue to work effectively after the remodelling.

Changing everything from top to bottom may sound appealing, but be careful when it comes to these high-performance pages, as significant changes can disrupt their success. The key is to make changes gradually and intelligently to keep the successful elements and simply adjust the style to suit your updated look.

And if you need to transfer these pages to different URLs, remember to implement 301 redirects. These redirects maintain search engine rankings and ensure that people who click on previous links are directed to the correct location on your updated site. This action protects the SEO ranking of these pages and ensures that your site's performance is not affected.

Identify or review your site's target demographic group

Another crucial part of redesigning a website is ensuring that you have a clear understanding of your target audience. Has your target audience remained the same since the site was initially created or has it changed? Perhaps your company has expanded or launched new products or services. This can change who your target customer is.

Start by asking yourself the main questions: Who is your current audience? What are their needs and expectations of your site? Who is your target audience? Understanding these specifics can have a significant impact on your redesign strategy.

If you have access to analysis tools, explore the data further. Examine your site visitors, their devices and their engagement with your content. This information can provide significant insights into your audience's preferences and behaviour.

Identify your brand, choose a colour palette and select fonts

Another important aspect of the makeover involves your brand, including the colour palette and typography. However, hold on, there are some subtleties. If you've already created a brand identity, perhaps it's time to refresh it - adjust its distinct character and style. On the other hand, if you haven't yet established your visual brand on the market, think about exploring this. Consider your brand values and select an identity that accurately represents them.

A law firm might opt for conservative, understated colours and traditional typefaces, while a graphic design studio might select bold colours and contemporary, artistic typefaces. It's also crucial to ensure that your selections are suitable for the web and easily accessible. This means that text should be easily legible and colour distinctions should be sharp enough for all people, including those with visual impairments.

Evaluate your rivals

Looking ahead, it can be very informative to see what your rivals are doing. It's not about imitating their actions, but understanding the environment you're working in. Start by creating a list of your main competitors and then browse their websites.

Perhaps they have a very elegant design or some interesting features that improve the user experience. And it's not just about positive aspects. Do you see anything that bothers you or seems wrong? These are lessons on things to avoid. Take note of the design, the user interface, the layout of the content, the positioning of the CTA and other features.

Remember that your rivals are trying to reach the same customers as you. So understanding their strategy can provide you with valuable information on how to engage your shared audience.

Analysing important terminology

Talking about keywords is crucial when revamping your website, especially if your aim is to improve your SEO tactics. Start by recognising the terms and expressions that your target audience searches for. The range includes everything from ‘handmade leather bags’ to ‘top plant-based recipes’. Once you've made your list, make sure you include these keywords on your site: in your content, titles and meta descriptions.

However, it's important to remember that keyword analysis is an ongoing task and not a one-off job. The way people search can change over time, leading to changes in their use of language. Make sure you keep an eye on these changes consistently, even after the launch of your site's new design. Maintaining your keyword strategy will help keep your site appealing and user-friendly.

Evaluate the design and structure of your site

Re-evaluate the layout and structure of your site. Align yourself with the latest web design trends by focussing on user-friendly features. Start by reassessing your company's current structure. How easy is it for a person to move around your environment? How easy is it for visitors to find what they're looking for? Your aim is to make sure that the whole process, from start to finish, is as simple and uncomplicated as possible.

Next, consider the bigger picture - the overall structure of your site. This focuses on how your content is organised and categorised. A well thought-out design makes life easier for visitors and also improves search engine optimisation for better ranking of your content.

Create a new website design

So when your design starts to take visual shape, you need to sketch out a new interface for the site, whether in physical format or, more commonly, digitally. This is an exciting phase in which you can turn your dreams and ambitions into tangible design elements. Firstly, let's talk about wireframes. These provide a basic structure, showing where items are placed, without going into specific design details yet. Wireframes are beneficial because they allow you to concentrate on perfecting the layout without distractions.

Once you've finalised the wireframes, the next stage is to start developing the mock-ups. This is where you can choose colours, choose fonts and start adding visual elements that match your brand. And remember, this part centres entirely on working together. Getting feedback from colleagues, stakeholders and, potentially, early adopters can provide valuable information for improving your design.

Start the website redesign process

Once the planning and design phase is complete, the next step is to start the process of redesigning a website. There are two options available: you can go it alone or enlist the help of a team of qualified professionals.

The coding phase kicks off your digital project, acting as the construction phase. All the sections of your website, such as the homepage and contact page, have been meticulously crafted. This is when the design, structure and different aspects you've imagined start to become a reality. When you work with a team, that's when true collaboration happens. Designers, programmers and individuals are in constant communication to ensure that every pixel is perfect and every link is correctly targeted.

However, it's not just about being appealing. Many technical elements require attention, including SEO, loading times and optimisation for mobile devices. Remember that updating a website includes going through several rounds of changes. Anticipate your involvement in refining and adjusting components through testing and feedback, which will lead to several iterative modifications.

Updating a website requires patience and careful attention to detail, but the result is a functional and attractive site, tailored to your needs.

Tips and techniques for redesigning your site and creating an easier user experience

As a design and development agency, we have to give you some unique tips. We've discussed many topics in this article, however, there are a few more points we'd like to highlight for you.

Make sure your design adjusts and adapts to various screen sizes, whether it's being viewed on a computer, tablet or mobile phone;

Provide guests with an easily understandable navigation system to locate the desired information effortlessly;

Improve your website by optimising the layout, content, meta tags and alternative texts for images with appropriate keywords;

Discover the balance between originality and practicality to leave a lasting impact on your audience;

Consider optimising your site for voice search in order to improve your presence in voice search results;

Carry out A/B tests to compare different versions of a web page and identify the one that produces the best results.

The key is to understand and anticipate your users' needs, provide easy access to information and keep your site up to date with the latest technological developments. When redesigning a website, consider implementing useful strategies to improve the user experience and increase its effectiveness. Keep in mind that a strategically planned platform is an effective tool for establishing trust and connecting with your audience.

FAQ

Why should I redesign my website?

Redesigning a website can improve the user experience, increase loading speed, optimise for mobile devices and strengthen brand identity.

What is the duration required to finish a website redesign?

The time varies according to the complexity of the project, but it can usually take from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the size and functionalities required.

Do I need to change the entire design of my site?

Not necessarily. A redesign can involve aesthetic adjustments, improvements to navigation or even a content update, without having to change everything.

Will the redesign have an impact on my site's SEO?

If done correctly, a redesign can improve SEO, as it can include more efficient optimisation practices, such as a cleaner URL structure and faster loading speeds.

Should I redesign my website if it's already functional?

Even if your site is working well, a redesign may be necessary to keep up with new trends, improve the user experience or update the brand's appearance.

What does a website redesign cost?

The cost can vary greatly depending on the specific needs of the project. It's important to have a detailed discussion with the development team to define an appropriate budget.

Can I redesign my website without losing content?

Yes, it is possible to redesign without losing content. Data migration and site optimisation must be done carefully to ensure that everything is preserved.

Do I need to hire an agency to do the redesign?

Although you can do the redesign yourself if you have the necessary skills, hiring a specialised agency can guarantee a more professional and effective result.

Summary

That's why we've talked about the key points of planning, designing, developing, optimising and analysing your website. Whilst you're aware of these rules, remember to keep up to date with market trends, design methods and customer preferences. However, due to the rapid changes in our world, you may have to revamp your website or app within a year.

Use the guidelines provided in this article to improve your site and create an engaging initial interaction with customers. If assistance is needed, contact us for a discussion about the specifics of the project, such as development costs and timetables. Let's work together to design a website that impresses visually and achieves outstanding results.

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