How often should you do a website redesign? It’s a common question, but it’s not quite right. The better question isn’t how often, but why?
If you’re reading this article and thinking about a redesign, why? Are you bored? Dis-satisfied with how the current design feels? Or are you encountering a particular problem, and hoping that a quick redesign will help solve it?
You’ll need to answer “why” before you answer “how often.” There’s no hard-and-fast rule for when to go for a redesign. However, there are some general principles that you can use to help guide your decision-making process.
We can of course help with your next website redesign – read about our web development and design services here.
1) Generally, do a redesign every 2-4 years.
Obviously, this is quite broad, but there is a general recognition that every now and then it’s worth refreshing your web site. Design principles and aesthetics change; that’s as true for websites as it is for clothing, although thankfully it doesn’t change quite that quickly!
Regardless, it’s a good idea to do a redesign every few years. Your mileage will vary, depending on your industry and if there are any other issues that you think a redesign will help to resolve.
If your industry is generally fast paced e.g. technology then it’s easier to fall behind on visitors expectations than if your website is in a slower paced niche. If you are selling the cutting edge, then you need to come across as cutting edge, whereas if you are a more stable and consistent industry then redesigning too often can actually give the wrong impression.
When a full redesign is too much, design tweaks can keep things looking fresh.
2) Don’t redesign randomly.
Websites take time and money to design and build, so don’t just jump into a redesign for no real reason. No one likes to visit a website that changes its appearance every three weeks. Stay with a design until you need a new one.
Redesign with a purpose – know what you’re trying to accomplish with your reworked website.
Collect as much data as you possibly can before a redesign:
- What is the feedback on your current website
- How well does it convert
- What is the average time on site
- What are your competitors doing better with their sites
Use this data to lead you redesign. You want to redesign for aesthetics but it should also positively impact the bottom line in the long run.
3) Multitask your redesign.
Make your new website do multiple things at once. In other words, redesign to achieve multiple goals. Maybe your old website wasn’t driving the conversions you need, or perhaps it wasn’t SEO-friendly. Maybe it wasn’t mobile friendly, and you finally realized how many clients you were missing out on!
Redesign your website when you have more than one good reason to. Then, make your site solve more than one problem – make it mobile-friendly AND give it a fresh look. Solve those old bugs AND update your content with SEO-friendly copywriting.
Keep those principles in mind. “When” you redesign your website isn’t as important as “why.”
Once you have decided to go ahead with a redesign, your work is just beginning. Designing a website is just that – figuring out a purpose for your site, a look, a brand – and then designing a way to get that vision onto an appealing but user-friendly website.
Seven principles to consider during your website redesign.
To that end, most designers refer to the “Seven S’s of Design.” In no particular order, these are:
- Structure
- Scalable
- SEO
- Simple
- Speed
- Social
- Sales
Most of these ideas feed into each other. A simple website is more likely to be scalable – you’re more likely to make it look natural on both desktop and mobile devices. Having a redesigned, mobile-friendly device should draw in more sales, as well as be faster to load.
We could go on, but it’s easy to see how a redesign gives you the chance to address multiple issues at once rather than dealing with them piecemeal.
Perhaps the most important point for any redesign is to have clear goals for your new website, and to make it as future-proof as possible. Website designs change, markets change, technology changes – even SEO strategies change. But a good website redesign can prepare for those changes by adapting the “Seven S’s” and by keeping a clear goal in mind.