Hey there fellow entrepreneurs and business owners! ๐ Jean here. I’m constantly investing in my professional growth and attending trainings and masterminds.
Recently I came across something intriguing that I couldn’t wait to share with you. It turns out, the recommended timeframe for website redesigns is every 1-3 years, with most experts recommending every 2 years!
However, after careful consideration and weighing the benefits, I feel comfortable recommending every 3-4* years, but with an asterisk. So, grab a cup of coffee โ and let’s explore this topic to see if you need a redesign.
Reasons to Redesign your Website
The reason I said “3-4* years with an asterick,” is because I don’t think it’s a given that you have to have a redesign after X number of years. However, you might consider reviewing your brand and website in the first quarter of the year. Put that on your calendar! ๐
Your website should align with your brand, but you need to look at your website with a mindful eye. Ask yourself, do you need a few tweaks or a complete overhaul? Is your website terrible? I once met a business owner that didn’t put their website address on their business card because it was that embarassing to them. Don’t let that happen to you. There can be other reasons and here are some questions you might ask yourself:
- Is your website working for you? Is it attracting visitors?
Tip: When you have Google Analytics installed and setup, you can see this information. - What do want your customers or visitors to do when they come to your website?
- You need to identify the goal(s) for customers when they land on your website (e.g. do you want people to call you, fill out a form, or purchase a product or service on your website).
- Whatever your call to action is, it needs to be positioned at the top of the page, before scrolling.
- Is your website easy to navigate and can visitors find the information they are looking for?
- Within 5 seconds, a visitor should be able to understand what you offer. Interesting fact, marketers say that a 5th grader should be able to explain what you do after looking at your website.
- Also, they should be able to easily find to what they are looking for when using your menu options.
- Is your website outdated or old fashioned?
- A redesign takes a fresh look at updating what’s outdated (e.g. photos, services/products, team members, bios, blogs, etc.) and gives you the opportunity to create a new design to attract and retain visitors on your website.
- If your website is old fashioned may give off the wrong impression and turn off potential customers and future employees.
- Is your website S L O W?
- People are just not going to wait, especially if they are considering multiple options. For example, if you are a plumber who’s website is very slow loading, you might lose that sale. They will move onto the next business in the search results list! If you think about it, that’s exactly what you would do.
- Slowness might also indicate that you might not be taking your website/business seriously. There’s only so many times they are going to reload their browser, before they move on.
- Is your website responsive? This means that it works well on phones (mobile-friendly). A growing number of people primarily use their cell phone for browsing and purchasing products and services on the internet. Dare I say that the phone has replaced the laptop?
- Is your website leveraging SEO? SEO means Search Engine Optimization and is one of the ways your business appears on the Search Results.
- Has there been an advancement in apps and technology that would bring benefits or features to your website? Three of my favorite apps (plugins) are appointment schedulers, integrating website chat to your cell phone, and pulling in 4 and 5 star reviews automatically. Keep an eye out for my next blog on “10 apps to add to your website now!”
- Is your website platform or theme discontinued or no longer able to be updated? It may be time to consider a move to Wordpress, which is the #1 website platform for businesses.
Many businesses are aware that they may need a website redesign. However, the #1 thing that holds them back is concerns regarding costs associated with a redesign. No two websites are the same. At Zen Monkey Marketing, we’re here to simplify it for you. Reach out today for a free consultation.
