When to redesign your website

Here's what we're talking about today - changes, improvements, and updates to websites and everything that matters to them!

Technology is advancing very fast. Trends in website design are changing rapidly, and the overall experience of information on the Internet is improving. That leads to the fact that a website, your personal hub on the Internet, must keep pace with the modern trends.

What does this mean for you? You may have the best designer who made your website perfect for your business and brand. But, it comes a time when you need to refresh it. Today we write about situations in which your website needs a redesign. What are some small or big mistakes that need to be avoided? And, what are the secrets of designers who know if your website has a problem or needs some improvement? We will swiftly cut it all into pieces and serve these problems to you, piece by piece.

‍

Problems and mistakes

Your website may have a bigger or smaller problem from the beginning. Maybe you didn't even know it until you saw the live version, as from the User's point of view. That is not a big deal, anyway. Mistakes happen even though we try to have as little of them as possible.

That is why the redesign is like polishing work that needs to correct those errors that sneaked up.

‍

Unresponsive website

...is when the website starts to fall apart…

Yes. We know you did everything right, on the screen your pages shine bright. Then you visit your website through the phone, and all you see are glitches in your valuable information. Eh... This can happen on other devices as well, with different screen sizes. The website does not look as it should, everything is distorted, the reader cannot cope, information is lost. In the end, customers are lost too.

Why? Because we all are some serious phone users. Website traffic from mobile devices is immense, and if a customer cannot visit your website from the phone, you can lose a large number of them. That is why the responsiveness of the website is first thing in the morning! It just has to work!

‍

Not SEO friendly

It happens that the architecture of the website is just bad and that its elements, therefore, have no effect. That means that whatever is on your pages means nothing to the search engines through which people search. 

Google, for example, considers how the website is optimized. It actually helps customers find you by extracting information from the website about you, your brand, and your products. So, it kind of focuses on your website. Therefore, SEO (search engine optimization) should be well studied, and the website should be optimized so that its content makes sense to search engines.

Poor content strategy

When we talk about content, it just must not be a pile of information. Visual and textual elements on the page must be created and integrated thoughtfully. Let's say strategically. If, after analyzing your content, you see that it is not sending the message it should be sending, consider changing it. ‍

Content can be bad in several ways:

• It is irrelevant to your brand
• It is too long or too short
• It is poorly organized

Generally, this kind of content does not mean much to the client. It does not inform him, it does not attract attention, it does not guide him through the experience of the website. It is very easy to notice such flaws in the content. For example, if you put yourself in the role of a client, you can see what the content of your website provides and what does not. And you should work on it. All the time.

‍

Slow performance

There is nothing worse than a slow website!

That is one trap that is easy to fall into. Because, it happens when you want your website to be ultra interactive, full of clickable stuff, rich in CTA elements, etc. Of course, it's wonderful to have content that keeps the user's attention and interacts with him all the way through. But with content like this, some web pages become terribly slow.

Keep this in mind, because website speed is a priority when searching. And the Internet is practically synonymous with speed and efficiency. Users quickly give up pages that take years to load, so the bouncing rate becomes huge. The bottom line is that you should give up content that slows down your website because it is more of a minus than a plus for you.

Unresponsive elements

Checking. Checking. Checking.

Due to some mistakes, it is possible that something is not doing what it should be doing. CTA elements or links that do not work on your pages are useless. Moreover, they send a wrong message inviting the User to take some action. And when he clicks in the end, nothing happens. Don't ignore things like this. Don't leave them there thinking that they are not harming because they actually are. If you notice dead elements, redesign the website as soon as possible!

Lack of originality

This is about style and a good portion of content. As we have already said about content creation strategy, it must be done carefully.

So, the copy of the website should be long enough and clear enough to give all the relevant information to the User. The main message can be carried by media elements supported by copy, or vice versa. The content must not confuse or tire the User, and there should not be many details to follow. Because of this, a whole team of designers, developers, and writers work on the content of the website. But, what is very important is that that content needs to represent YOU authentically.

If the atmosphere of the website does not reflect your brand, ethics, and work dynamics at all times, the website is not good. The brand is the essence of your work, and if it is not displayed properly, everything on your website will be uninteresting and unconvincing to customers. After all, you need to present who you are, and that must be clear and undeniable. If your website does not have your vibe and your voice, redesign it immediately!

‍

Lack of credibility

People love to see the results of someone's work! What draws customers to work with your company is the confirmation that you have done a good job in the past. Simple as that. So let your work speak for you and gather all the evidence of your development. If your website does not have testimonials, trust badges, policies, reviews, you should insert them as soon as possible. That is your signature and recommendation to every client, so one must find it on your website pages.

Improvements and updates

Bonus. In addition to repairing, correcting, and renewing, improvement is essential. Sometimes your website has everything, but it can be better anyway! So, pay attention to the following things.

Security

You try to be up-to-date with the security of your website! Every day, new security systems are getting better, and other systems are becoming old-fashioned. That is both good and bad news. To make sure that your information is kept as a treasure, the security system should be one of the first things you will update. And always improve.

New building tools - easier to maintain

You have already created a website, and your building platform is the best in the world for you. However, if your website was created a few years ago, you may find it harder and harder to maintain. Why? Because there are constantly appearing easier and faster to creating and maintaining websites. No matter how loyal you are to your website's platform, newer tools will refresh it and make it easier to maintain, edit and use. So, always pay attention to the new building tools, like Webflow.

Adding new content - fresh and informative

And finally. You must always have fresh informative content!

No matter how good and successful your website is, time is passing. Trends and people's interests change very quickly. If you are creative enough your content can adapt to the new demands and still remain authentic. See to it that your brand itself becomes something that will always be newfangled. Therefore your website should look sharp too.

One extra advice in the end:

Aim for minimalistic style in design. Having a small number of highly functional elements solves many of the problems that we mentioned. Content is tidy, the media looks elegant, and the atmosphere is relaxing. Minimalism and clean design styles really work for you. So, if it is possible, you should use the advantages of this kind of design.