Running a business without a website sounds impossible these days. You cannot miss out on being visible online, with most buyers looking for products and services on this channel. Moreover, with almost 73% of American businesses already having websites, there’s hardly a chance of survival in the competitive market without one.
But set-and-forget is the last thing you should do with your business website. Business2Community notes that organizations must consider redesigning projects every 1.5 to 2.5 years. You may need to invest in it even sooner in some situations.
A website design revamp can add a new lease of life to your online presence, keep your brand on trend, and help you win customers for the long haul. While a refresh entails some effort and expense, it is the last thing you should miss out on. Clearly, you must take a proactive approach to a design revamp instead of just doing it when your website looks outdated.
Here are a few signs indicating the need for a fresh website design sooner rather than later:
Sign #1: A Mismatch Between Functionality and Business Needs
Businesses evolve over time as they pursue their growth targets. For example, you may expect to target a broader customer base, expand your offerings, or sell online at some point. These changes should be reflected on your website as soon as you adopt them.
If you have product descriptions only for a small line, you will have to add more for a bigger catalog. Likewise, you need to integrate an e-commerce module into your website once you start selling online.
A website redesign is impending if there is a mismatch between its functionality and current business needs. Realigning them is the key to making the most of the growth opportunities for your organization.
Sign #2: Your Website is Not Visible in Search Rankings
Did you know that 75% of users scroll past the first page when searching for products or services? That means your website hardly has a chance of attracting traffic and conversions without being visible at the top of search rankings.
Consistent SEO is critical in this context, but your website’s design and UX are equally significant. Remember that topping SEO results is about constant technical adjustment and content updates. It also requires close attention to site navigation, loading speed, and responsiveness.
A website design from Operation Technology is an instance of a balance between aesthetics, user experience, and SEO. Lagging on any of these aspects is a red flag indicating the need for a design refresh.
Sign #3: The Conversion Rate of Your Website is Low
Is your website only an online business card? Do visitors drop in, browse, and leave without contacting you or converting? Are they not staying long enough to navigate a few pages? A low conversion rate means it is time to rethink your design strategy.
The average conversion rate for websites varies according to niche, with the highest being 3.1% for food and beverage businesses. Beauty and wellness follows closely, with 2.9%. You must watch the conversion rate in your industry and ensure your website is doing well enough.
If it doesn’t, you may consider checking UX elements such as your website’s navigation, call-to-action buttons, and content. A design refresh by addressing these elements can get the conversion rates up to the mark.
Sign #4: Your Website is Not ADA-Compliant
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines have multiple requirements for websites to ensure accessibility compliance. Web accessibility is more than a legal requirement in the US. Missing out on it means you may never reach a massive buyer base, with statistics showing that 62% of users with disabilities own digital devices.
If your website’s design and content are not accessible, a redesign should be a priority. This way, you can reach a larger audience base and protect your business from hefty penalties.
ADA-compliant websites have the following features:
- Keyboard accessibility
- Alternative text for images
- Captioned videos
- Color contrast
- Text resizing
- Consistent navigation
- Form labeling
The Bottom Line
An outdated website isn’t the only reason to give it a design refresh. Of course, you must keep pace with aesthetic expectations, design trends, and competitor sites. But you should go a step ahead and dig deep into the specific requirements of your business and target customers to achieve design finesse with a quick makeover.
Although the project involves a commitment of time and money, you should go ahead without second thoughts. Consider it a worthy investment for your business because it will likely pay back more than you imagine.
