Redesigning a Website
The term ‘redesign’ is pretty self-explanatory, you are re doing your current website. Redesigns are great for web agencies as they already have content, imagery etc from the current website to work with. But this doesn’t mean as a business wanting a redesign you have to stick with your original content and images.
As times change, styles of websites change. Some business owners may not understand the importance of keeping up with modern styles when it comes to websites however the majority of them do. From when the first website was put live in 1991 to the present day, the look and functionalities of websites have changed, DRAMATICALLY.
These changes will edge business owners to make edits to their current websites to fit in with moving technology. One of the main reasons why design agencies will redesign existing websites.
Why may a company want a redesign?
There are a few main reasons why companies will want a redesign and I will break it down into different points:
• Outdated website
• Lacking in features/functionality
• The website isn’t responsive
• Competition website is better
• Zero conversion rates
• Rebrand
Outdated Website: the website may be outdated, there are still thousands of websites out there that have the late 90s feel about them, horrible generic colours, Times New Roman font all compact into a box on your screen. These websites are not going to entice anyone into buying into your services.
Lacking in Features/Functionalities: many websites now are using advanced features to improve customer experiences. This may be an interactive contact form to collect data or live chats for customers. All of these functionalities make your website stand out from the rest.
Responsive: the main aspect of websites in the present day, do they work on mobiles. With mobile website use overtaking desktop use, it is crucial that your website works on different devices. Many websites in the past have a mobile version of it. With the times changing rapidly, now you can have one website which responds to different screen sizes!
Rebrand: the main reason for companies redesigning their website is due to a business rebrand. If your company is getting a change of look then the website is a major part of this.
Competition Websites are Better: businesses may want to keep up with or overtake their competition and having a better website can be the difference. If you have 2 businesses selling insurance, for example, one may have a state of the art, easy to navigate website with lots of contact forms. The other just one page with not much going on, the second business with the rubbish website would want to compete on their website interaction with their customers.
Finally, Zero Conversion: some businesses depend on their website to make money, having an old website which doesn’t show on Google etc will have bad conversion rates. Meaning they won’t make any money through it. Redesigning your website can increase conversion rates, in turn, increase revenue.
All of the above points are why a business may redesign their website. These are good points to think about when creating a plan so you fully understand why they have come to you for a redesign.
Making a Plan
You want to understand exactly what they want to achieve from their website, your plan will consist of:
Layout of the website pages: especially homepage as you will want to achieve their goals through the homepage. The idea is to set out a clear message to potential customers for the business.
Navigation: the navigation of the website plays a huge part in user interaction. If they can find what they are looking for easily then you are guaranteed to make sales.
Branding: the colours, typography, imagery etc are all important elements to redesigning.
Even though every designer knows this, you still need to plan it out due to the customer’s demands as every client is different.
Conclusion
Redesigning websites can be very beneficial for any business. Many companies are going through this process every single day to improve the aesthetics of their business.
