Website Redesign – Is it Time to Consider a Website Refresh?

If your business’s website is looking a bit dated or not performing as you want, you’re probably thinking about making some changes. But is a full website redesign what you need? Or can you get by with a website refresh? How do you know when it’s time to make some changes? What’s the difference between these two, and how do you know when it’s time to take action?

5 Ways to Tell If Your Business Website Needs Some Attention

Whatever industry you’re in, things are evolving quickly online. If your business’s website is falling short in any of these five areas, it’s time to consider making some immediate updates:

1. It Loads Slowly

One of the primary things that will turn potential visitors away and tank your website rankings is a slow-loading website. Today’s customers and Google don’t have the patience for it. If your site takes longer than two seconds to load, it needs help.

2. Your Traffic is Down

If your website’s traffic isn’t steadily increasing over time, it’s probably time to take some action. A site makeover or redesign can give you the increased performance you need.

3. Conversions Have Dropped

What if your traffic is steady or growing, but conversions have dropped? This means that people are finding your site easily enough online but aren’t happy with what they see when they get there. You can address high bounce rates through changes to content, navigation, style, and calls to action.

4. It Doesn’t Convey Your Message

How you present your message is vital to engaging your target audience. If your current website doesn’t offer an engaging and consistent message, you’ll want to make some changes.

5. It’s Technically Outdated

In today’s digital world, various technical aspects of your website are vital to its performance. For example, to be effective, websites must be responsive, secure, and accessible. If you are missing any of these elements, it’s time to address them.

What is a Website Refresh?

A website refresh doesn’t alter your existing site’s overall structure. You might breathe some new life into your website by updating some of the graphics and colors but leaving the underlying code and functionality intact.

What is a Website Redesign?

A website redesign is much more involved than a refresh. You might switch to a new content management system, such as moving from Drupal to WordPress, or you may choose a new custom theme or skin for your site. A redesign can also involve adding pages to your site, redoing navigation, updating SEO, and choosing a more attractive color palette.

Major Differences Between a Website Refresh a Redesign?

If you are struggling to decide between a website refresh and redesign, here are the major differences between the two:

Cost

Since a website refresh involves fewer changes, it will cost less than a redesign. But this isn’t always going to save you money since a website redesign might be what you need to produce the best results for your business.

Scope

A full redesign will always involve more changes than a refresh. But you get to be part of the creative team that chooses navigation and key design elements for your site.

Time

A website redesign will take longer to complete than a refresh. But the time investment is usually worth it when you achieve the results your business needs.

When Is It Time to Do a Website Refresh?

A few of the scenarios when a website refresh could make sense include:

• You want to update your path to conversion to improve performance.
• You just want to introduce some new colors or graphics to update the look.
• You’re happy with your current CMS and navigation and only need minor updates.
• You are adding some video marketing elements or polished landing pages.

When Is It Time to Consider a Website Redesign?

A website refresh won’t always get your business the results it needs. In some cases, a full redesign will benefit you more. A few of these include:

• It’s been three or more years since your last website redesign.
• Your visitors are frustrated with your current website and unable to locate the information they need.
• Your business messaging and/or goals have significantly changed.
• You are unsatisfied with your current CMS.
• Your website traffic and conversions are terrible.
• You don’t have an accessible or responsive website.

Which is a Better Option – A Website Refresh or Redesign?

It can be challenging to figure out whether you should just make a few changes or completely alter your website’s structure. If you’re still on the fence, here are a few questions you can ask yourself:

• What is your goal?
• How much do you want to spend?
• How quickly do you want your project completed?
• Are you trying to drive traffic to your website?
• Is your current CMS user-friendly?
• Do you want to change your site’s functionality?
• Is your current site fast and responsive?
• How much do you want to improve your brand’s online presence?

Once you have some of these basic answers in mind, you can sit down with a trusted digital marketing agency to discuss your options. A good website design company will tell you what it’s going to take to achieve your goals.

Get the Results You Need with a Website Redesign or Refresh

At Too Darn Loud Digital Marketing, we are passionate about using our creative problem-solving skills to drive growth for clients. When you work with us, you get a customized solution designed to provide value and boost your online results.

Not all websites are created equal. We won’t assume you need a complete website redesign if you only need a refresh. But our team will thoroughly assess your current site for elements like ease of navigation, accessibility, speed, responsiveness, SEO, and style before making a recommendation.

Never underestimate what a great website can do for your business. With more customers than ever taking their business and research online, digital marketing is the key to your business’s success. Contact Too Darn Loud Marketing today to schedule an initial assessment with our website team to discuss your needs and goals.