Do you remember the first time you bought a suit? Remember how proud you felt? A flawless fit tailored to your exact specifications. How the clean lines and sharp cuts hugged your body?
As time passes…
The fit changes.
The fashion changes.
The fabric fades.
The seams fray.
What once was a glorious suit is now merely a shadow of its former glory.
It’s the same with your website. The only difference is that fashion is cyclical. What’s out of style today might become a classic, a trend, or a vintage piece with time.
Unfortunately, you can’t say the same for website design. It only gets worse. People become less patient and leave websites faster, so you need to redesign your site periodically to adapt to changing user behavior.
Despite its necessity, many people struggle to get the budget approved for a website revamp. If you’re building a business case to refresh your website, send this article to your boss or manager. It’ll lay out all the benefits of a website redesign.
Problems with outdated websites
The main objection against website redesigning is the investment needed. But people tend to overlook the fact that there’s a cost for not doing anything. The website is your online storefront, and like a physical store, you’ll lose the sale if it doesn’t make a good first impression. That lost revenue is your opportunity cost. A few of those sales would’ve covered the cost of your website redesign. Having a bad web design can lead to a whole host of problems that can significantly impact your bottom line. A lot of these can be avoided by asking the right questions during the redesign process.
Lost leads
Imagine a potential customer trying to find information on your website but getting lost in a maze of outdated content and confusing navigation. Frustration sets in, and they click away, resulting in a lost lead and revenue. Your website becomes a storefront with a locked door—it’s there, but it’s not doing anything to bring in revenue. This translates to a direct decrease in revenue potential.
Poor user experience
An unresponsive, hard-to-navigate, and unattractive website is a recipe for a bad user experience. Visitors will get frustrated, bounce off your site, and go elsewhere. You'll see an increase in bounce rates (how quickly visitors leave your website after landing) and a decrease in time on the page. Two red flags that indicate your current website design isn't working. You can easily find this in your Google Analytics dashboard.
Outdated technology
A website built on outdated technology might be slow to load, vulnerable to security threats, and unable to support modern features. It can lead to a bad user experience, making it difficult to retain customers.
Inconsistent brand messaging
Your web design makes up a big part of your brand identity. An outdated website or one that doesn't align with your current brand messaging can confuse your target audience. In the worst-case scenario, it could be perceived as intentionally misleading and damage your brand's reputation.
Advantages of a website redesign
Now that we’ve seen the problems of an outdated website, let’s look at the advantages.
Improved user experience
An effective website design is like a smooth, well-paved road that guides visitors to their destination effortlessly. It’s all about making it easy for users to find what they need, engage with your content, and take the desired action. Here are some things you should prioritize in your web development workflow for a positive customer experience.
- Simplified navigation: Good website navigation does wonders for your user experience. It makes information easy to find, keeps visitors engaged, and builds trust in your brand. Your site feels like a well-organized map, directing users where to go. This clarity helps convert curious visitors into loyal customers and boosts your site’s credibility and SEO performance. We’ve written about website navigation in detail if you want to dive deep into the topic.
- Streamlined information: Clear, concise, and well-organized content is like a well-written guidebook, providing users with the information they need in a way that’s easy to digest and understand.
- Intuitive UI: A user-friendly interface is like a good set of instructions—it makes it easy for users to interact with your website without struggling with confusing buttons, menus, or forms.
- Faster load times: When it comes to search behavior, patience is a rapidly fading virtue. Studies have clearly shown that your conversion rate drops as your site load time goes up. Faster load times improve user retention and reduce bounce rates.
Better brand alignment
Modern customers— especially GenZ and Millenials—prefer purpose-driven brands. In fact, studies have shown that customers don’t mind paying extra to do business with brands that are making a positive change. Use your website to convey your unique strengths, personality, and values.
- Brand positioning: A website redesign can help you clearly define your brand positioning, communicating what makes you different and why customers should choose you.
- Brand identity: From your logo to your color palette, every aspect of your website should work together to create a memorable brand image.
- Brand message: Your website should communicate your brand message clearly, leaving visitors with a clear understanding of what you offer and why it matters.
Enhanced mobile experience
With a projected 7.49 billion mobile users by 2025, not optimizing your site for mobile is like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole—it simply won't work. If 7.49 billion reasons are not enough to justify responsive design, here are three more.
- Better browsing experience: Mobile responsive sites offer an enjoyable user experience across all devices, ensuring that visitors can easily navigate and interact with your content regardless of whether they’re browsing on a smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer.
- Search engine optimization: Search engines like Google prioritize mobile-friendly websites, so having a responsive website can improve your search engine rankings, making it easier for potential customers to find you online.
- Competitive edge: In a competitive landscape, not having a mobile-responsive website means you’re at a disadvantage. You might be sacrificing a big chunk of your potential customer pool.
Increased accessibility
Accessibility isn’t just a legal requirement; it’s also a matter of good business practice. Making your website accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities, is a smart move that can expand your reach, improve your brand image, and create a more inclusive online experience.
- Broader reach: 1 in 4 people have a disability, so you’re alienating a big section of your customers by having a website that doesn’t meet accessibility standards.
- Inclusion: Accessibility is about creating a website that’s inclusive and welcoming to everyone, regardless of their abilities. It’s about ensuring everyone has an equal opportunity to access and enjoy your website’s content.
- Better brand image: Companies that prioritize accessibility are often viewed as being more ethical, responsible, and forward-thinking. It shows you’re committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming online experience for all.
Better search engine ranking
Search engine optimization (SEO) improves your website’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). You could have the world’s best website, but it doesn’t serve the purpose if nobody gets to see it. SEO can boost your website traffic and make it easier for potential customers to find you.
- Good SEO practice: A website redesign is a great chance to implement best practices for SEO, such as using the right keywords, optimizing your site’s structure, and speeding up your site.
- Internal linking: Internal linking is a powerful SEO strategy that involves linking to other relevant pages on your website. This helps search engines understand the structure of your website and improves user navigation. It's a low-hanging fruit to get more organic traffic.
- Better site structure: If you’re a local business, optimizing your website for local search can help you attract customers in your area. This involves listing your business in local directories, using location-based keywords, and keeping your Google My Business profile current.
- Local SEO: If you’re a local business, optimizing your website for local search can help you attract customers in your area. Here’s a screenshot showing how Trajectory shows up in the map pack when someone searches for web design in Atlanta.
Local SEO involves listing your business on local directories, using location-based keywords, and ensuring that your Google My Business profile is up-to-date.
Align content strategy
A website redesign is a perfect opportunity to reassess your content strategy. Is your website delivering the right message to the right audience?
- Content refresh: A content refresh involves reviewing your existing content, updating it with fresh information, and aligning it with your current brand messaging and target audience.
- Content decay: Over time, your content can become outdated and irrelevant. A website redesign is a great chance to identify and remove obsolete content, ensuring that your website delivers up-to-date and valuable information.
- Better information architecture: A well-structured information architecture makes it easy for users to find the necessary information. A website redesign can help you improve your information architecture, making your website more user-friendly and effective.
Higher conversion rates
A website redesign can significantly improve your website’s conversion rate, turning visitors into leads, customers, and brand advocates. Here are some factors you should consider to improve conversion rates.
- Clear conversion paths: A redesigned website should guide visitors through the steps necessary to complete a desired action, such as purchasing, signing up for a newsletter, or requesting a quote.
- Compelling CTAs: Call-to-actions (CTAs) are the buttons or links that encourage visitors to take the next step. A redesigned website should feature strong, clear call-to-actions strategically positioned to maximize conversions.
- Frictionless experience: A redesigned website should provide a seamless and frictionless experience, eliminating any obstacles that might prevent visitors from completing a desired action.
- User trust: A well-designed website builds trust with visitors by showcasing your expertise, credibility, and commitment to providing a positive user experience.
- Social proof: Including social proof elements, such as customer testimonials and reviews, can increase trust and encourage conversions.
- Persuasive web copy: Persuasive web copy can compel visitors to take action, highlighting the benefits of your products or services and addressing their pain points.
Improved Website Security
A redesigned website can incorporate the latest security features, protecting your website and visitors from cyber threats. Here are some security measures to include in your redesign if you don’t already have them.
- SSL certificate: An SSL certificate encrypts data exchange between your website and visitors, providing a secure connection and building trust.
- Regular updates: Keeping your website’s software up-to-date is crucial for closing vulnerabilities and protecting against emerging threats.
- Secure hosting: Choosing a reputable hosting provider with robust security measures protects your website on the server side.
- Strong passwords and authentication: Strong passwords and multi-factor authentication can protect your website’s control panel from unauthorized access.
- Malware scanning: Regularly scanning your website for malware can detect and remove malicious software promptly, preventing damage and protecting visitors.
- Firewalls: A firewall acts as a barrier, preventing unauthorized access to your website and protecting it from attacks.
Future-proofing Your Website
A website should be able to keep up with your growing business, evolving technology, and rising cyber risks.
- Enhanced security: Up-to-date platforms and technologies can guard against the latest cyber threats, ensuring your website remains secure and protected.
- Scalability: A redesigned website should be scalable, allowing you to quickly adapt and expand your website’s functionality as your business grows.
- Sustained relevance: Staying on top of evolving design trends and search engine algorithms is crucial for maintaining your website’s relevance and ensuring it remains competitive in the long term.
Customer delight
Meeting customer expectations is a great strategy to have happy customers. Exceeding customer expectations is an even better strategy to turn strangers into brand ambassadors. Here are a few ways a redesign can help delight your customers.
- Ease of information: A well-designed website makes it easy for customers to find the information they need, reducing frustration and saving them time.
- Personalized content: Personalized content, such as targeted recommendations or tailored messages, can increase relevancy and engagement, making customers feel valued and understood.
- Interactive features: Interactive features, such as quizzes, polls, or live chat, can encourage participation and loyalty, creating a more engaging and memorable experience.
Supports business goals
A website redesign shouldn’t be a purely aesthetic exercise. It should be a strategic investment that aligns with your business goals and drives growth. Here are some ways your website can support your business goals.
- Awareness goals with social sharing buttons: Social sharing buttons make it easy for visitors to share your content with their networks, expanding your reach and increasing brand awareness.
- Lead generation with CTAs: Well-placed and compelling CTAs can encourage visitors to take action, such as signing up for a newsletter, downloading a white paper, or requesting a quote, generating valuable leads for your business.
- Warm leads with contact forms: Contact forms provide a convenient way for potential customers to contact you. It allows you to nurture leads and convert them into paying customers.
- Email subscribers with content upgrades: Offering valuable content upgrades, such as e-books or webinars, in exchange for email addresses can help you build your email list and nurture valuable customer relationships.
Want a website that pays for itself?
At Trajectory, we’re passionate about creating custom, functional websites that capture the essence of your brand and help you achieve your business goals.
If you’re looking for website redesign services, let’s chat. Book your free consultation with Trajectory today.
