Is it time for your website redesign?

As Seth Godin famously said: “Build it, and they will come” only works in the movies. Social Media is a “build it, nurture it, engage them and they may come and stay.”

Notice that these three words: build, nurture, engage all have one thing in common: they are powerful, dynamic words – and your social media campaign should be exactly that, for your business to become relevant in this ever-evolving digital age. But again, social media integration could only go so far in promoting your brand, if it is not working seamlessly with your website. So the more important question here is: Is your website designed to do the job it’s supposed to: mainly to expand your client base and ultimately increase sales?

But change could be a risk an established business owner may not consider, especially when the old formula still works. Or does it? You may be losing potential interactions and conversions because your site is not equipped anymore to reach out to your target market.

Consider internet giant Yahoo, who changed their interface in July 2009. As the audience share of their toughest competitor, Google, skyrocketed in the mid-2000s, Yahoo took the risk in redesigning their site. Their website facelift was very purposeful and effective, although Yahoo maintained the same layout and overall look and feel that they were known for. Yahoo’s redesign efforts have increased their homepage visits to as much as 20% and 76% increase in click-through rates as reported by Adotas.com. It was a gamble that paid off big time, and Yahoo remains one of the most visited sites with a third-place ranking on Alexa.com.

So how do you know if your website is ready to get a facelift? Here are the top 3 questions to ask that that time has come:

Is your website giving you the results you want?

Your website is your virtual real estate, and if no one, if but a few, have come to visit in the last few months then it’s time to work with your architect a.k.a web designer to do some serious remodeling. Remember that the main reason your website was built in the first place is to expand your customer base and the site must be designed— or redesigned— with that goal in mind.

A related question to ask is if your website conveys the overall image of your brand. Your website is your global storefront, and if the design is not engaging enough or worse, it even makes you shrink from sharing your website address, and then significant changes ought to be made.

Does your website meet modern functionality standards?

With the boom of digital marketing, it is likely that your website is embedded with widgets for social media integration. This and other third-party tools enhance the functionality of your website but if they are not up to current standards, then an update is in order. It’s also best to ask these questions:

1. Are these 3rd party tools necessary for your site?
2. Have you installed/ updated to the latest versions?

Is your website responsive and mobile-friendly?

If you haven’t incorporated mobile marketing into your business strategy, then it’s time that you seriously consider doing so. Mary Meeker’s 2015 Internet Trends Analysis showed that “Mobile digital media time in the US is now significantly higher at 51% compared to desktops (42%).” And if your website is not even mobile optimized, chances are you are losing leads and customers. Considering the statistics, it’s official to get your website a facelift with a more responsive design.

Remember, your website is the worthy investment for the success of your business. Establishing a solid online presence should be a vital element in your marketing strategy and what better way than to have a website that is attractive, engaging and most of all, getting you the results that you want.

Check out this video summary of website redesign project for Vancouver’s Green Leaf Medi Spa.

Looking for a custom affordable website redesign in Vancouver? Our web development team creates responsive websites that are user and search engines friendly. Learn more…