10 Signs Your Website Needs a Redesign
Last updated on Tuesday, September 5, 2023
But, if you see user engagement diminish, then there must be something wrong that makes visitors bounce before they even take a look around.
In this case, it may be the perfect time to redesign your website.
That all said, redesigning a website needs a lot of commitment, money, and time. Therefore, it is important to recognize the signs that you need to redesign your website before it’s too late.
We've listed some telltale signs that it’s time for you to consider a website revamp.
What Does It Mean to Redesign a Website?
Image via Freepik
First, it’s important to understand what redesigning a website means. In simple terms, website redesigning is the process of improving existing design and content elements on a website. The whole point is to create a fresh face and make it look and function better.
You can make significant changes to the overall website structure, codebase, visuals, layouts, and possibly the content management system (CMS) itself. You can say that it's more than just a refresh or a small tweak.
The brand colors, logos, fonts, and textures can also be implemented in an ideal web design workflow for a better user experience.
When you give the website a revamp, you're opening opportunities for your business to reexamine your messaging hierarchy. Therefore, you make it much easier for visitors to navigate through everything you offer and achieve your business goals.
10 Signs It's Time to Redesign Your Website
Bad conversion rates are low user engagement rates are some obvious reasons why you need to redesign your website. But, there are some other signs that can lead to those two. Let’s dive into the signs that indicate it may be time for a site facelift:
1) Outdated Design & Poor User Experience (UX)
Does your website have graphics, colors, and fonts that look dated? A dated design and poor UX/UI can be one of the biggest turn-offs for visitors.
Anything old-school can bring nostalgia, but when it comes to a website, it can make it looks unprofessional and can create a bad impression of your business instead.
If the design of your site feels like it’s stuck in the past or looks like something from early 2000, visitors are likely to move on immediately because they don't trust it or simply don't want to waste their time exploring a site that looks so unappealing for the first place.
But, what's outdated design looks like?
Cluttered with poorly sized images
Terrible color palletes
Bad content placement
All-over-the-place layouts
2) Slow Website Speed
In this fast-paced world, people expect websites to respond quickly. A second counts when it comes to loading a website. It takes no more than 3 seconds for a page to load, according to Google. And, if it takes longer than that, almost one-third of visitors will abandon your site immediately.
Website speed is important for both attracting new customers and retaining existing ones. A slow website causes visitors to click away before they even have the chance to get what you offer.
Google also takes page loading speed into consideration when determining your website's ranking in its search engine results pages (SERPs). You can use tools like Google's Lighthouse tool to test your website speed.
3) Not Mobile-Friendly or Responsive
More than 62% of website traffic comes from mobile devices. With more and more people accessing the web from their mobile devices, it is important for businesses to ensure their websites are optimized for different screens.
A responsive website should be able to adapt its size and layout according to the device it’s being viewed on. If your website looks jarring on a smartphone or tablet, then you must consider giving it a redesign as soon as possible. Hiring a skilled vue.js developer can help revamp your website into a responsive and mobile-friendly experience, ensuring that you don't lose visitors or potential customers.
Google now bases its ranking on mobile-friendliness, so your website needs to be optimized for mobile users as well. If it's not, then you'll end up losing visitors or potential customers, and it can be almost impossible to appear in the top search results.
4) Unclear or Messy Navigation
A confusing navigation system is another reason why people might abandon your website without exploring it any further. A well-designed website doesn't only look visually appealing but also informs visitors where they are and where they have been and shows them where they can go.
Poor navigation makes it difficult for visitors to find what they're looking for, resulting in frustration and eventually a lost lead. Use landing page builders with an easy drag-and-drop interface to simply select the elements you want on your page and drop them into place.
The navigation should be simple and intuitive. It should help users get to the information/pages they want quickly without any difficulty. If your website is struggling with this task, then you must consider giving it an overhaul.
5) Outdated Content
It's not all about your website look but also about the content you place there. This includes blog posts, explainer videos, service pages, product descriptions, product reviews, etc.
Outdated content is not only unappealing but also makes a website look stale and irrelevant, as it will fail to meet user expectations. The trends come and go in the blink of an eye, so you need to keep up with them.
Thanks to the rapid growth of AI. Now, you can streamline your whole content production and distribution using AI-powered content marketing tools.
If you notice that some of your posts are no longer relevant or up-to-date, then it might be time for a refresh. Having fresh and up-to-date information not only helps you attract more users but also establishes your authority in the industry.
6) Not SEO-Friendly
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) plays an important role in getting found online by potential customers and is one of the most cost-effective ways for businesses to increase their visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs).
If your website is not ranking on Google or other search engines, then this might be an indication to rebuild your website, and consider using content writing tools for SEO.
Having a website that is SEO-friendly can make a big difference to your online visibility and help you attract more leads.
What does a poorly-optimized website look like?
Too many links
Keyword-stuffed content
Poor internal linking structure
Lack of meta tags and descriptions
7) Unclear or Inconsistent Branding
It’s essential for businesses to have clear and consistent branding and messaging on their website. The design should be consistent with the company’s voice, tone, visuals, and other marketing assets.
When you do a rebranding or grow as your market and target audiences evolve, it's important to keep your website up-to-date. Inconsistent or unclear branding can lead visitors away from the website, and potential customers will be confused about the company’s message and offerings.
A constant message and branding will reinforce the company’s identity and values and help to create a strong relationship with its customers. This can lead to a sense of comfort, approval, and trust from visitors.
8) Too many CTAs
A website without any clear calls-to-action is ineffective as it fails to lead visitors through the sales funnel. CTAs should be easy to find, relevant to the user and the content, and should direct visitors to the right page.
Having too many CTAs on a single page can be overwhelming and confusing, leading visitors away from your website instead of guiding them through it. If you notice that users are not engaging with your CTAs, then it might be time for a website redesign.
9) Security Issues
Security breaches are a serious issue and can have disastrous consequences for businesses. It’s essential for companies to take their website security seriously and ensure that it is up-to-date.
Having an outdated website or an unpatched web server can leave your site vulnerable to malicious attacks, resulting in data theft or disruption of services. This can lead to a loss of trust, a damaged reputation, and lost customers.
10) Your Competitors Have Better Websites
Your visitors have almost endless options to choose from. When they find a website that offers a better user experience and is more attractive, they will not hesitate to switch. Therefore, it’s important that you keep an eye on your competitors' websites and ensure that yours offers the same or better features and content.
If you notice that your competitors have recently redesigned their websites, then it might be time for you to do the same so you never get left behind.
So, take a look at what your competitors are doing and see how you measure up. If their websites are more modern, user-friendly, and engaging than yours, then you might want to consider redesigning yours in order to stay competitive.
Website Redesign Do's and Dont's
Now that we understand when it's the best time to consider a website redesign, it's essential to understand the do’s and don'ts when undertaking this process.
Do:
Research your target audience and their needs.
Establish clear goals for the redesign.
Make sure that your website looks modern and is up-to-date with the latest design trends.
Optimize for different devices and browsers, including mobile.
Improve website usability, and accessibility
Don’t:
Try to do too much at once.
Reuse old content or design elements.
Neglect SEO and website visibility.
Rush the process by cutting corners.
Overlook user experience and accessibility requirements.
Over to You
Having an outdated website can lead to a loss of business, so it’s important that you pay attention to the signs and take action before it’s too late. A website redesign is an investment that will help you stay ahead of the competition and boost your online visibility in the long run.
If any of those signs sound familiar, then it might be time to consider a redesign. Take the time to plan your project, research the latest web design trends and technologies, and ensure that you create a website that meets your visitors’ needs.
Article by:
Andre Oentoro
Founder of Breadnbeyond
Andre Oentoro is the founder of Breadnbeyond, an award-winning explainer video company. He helps businesses increase conversion rates, close more sales, and get positive ROI from explainer videos (in that order).
