Time to Redesign?

By: Aubrey Brown

It goes without saying that you only have one chance at making a first impression. So, why not make it a good one?

There is no exact amount of time to know when it is time to redesign your business’s website. But if you’re wondering if it’s time, then it probably is. The world of technology is everchanging. However, don’t let that stress you out, look at it as an opportunity to give your business a fresh new look. Depending on the industry you’re in or your business’s goals you have set will play a role when it is “time” to update the design of your website.

For a redesign, there are a couple of factors to consider. First, what do you want the aesthetic of the website to be? Do you prefer a modern, clean look with simple accents, or do you prefer a little fun with a more colorful, poppy website? The next would be what information should be designated to the homepage. Remember that you don’t have to load every detail onto the one page. That is why it important to develop tabs that visitors can click to find organized information, without feeling bombarded within the first click.

If you don’t feel confident in redesigning a website or technology is taboo to you, don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are teams of people or individuals out there with the knowledge and experience to revamp a website fast and accordingly. A solid color scheme can make a site look cohesive. Having fun or eye-catching font can reel in visitors. Take the font choice beyond what the online template spits out at you. Think about what is attractive and stands out. Play with font sizes. Have the heading a different color than the rest of the text. Mix fonts. If the industry you’re in allows for creativity, then go for it! Add a personal touch by hiring a photographer to come into your business and capture who your business is or what it has to offer. If your business sells products or is a restaurant, then have photos presented on your site of what it is you’re selling or your best dishes. Images help break up a large block of text that can seem a little daunting for visitors to sift through an abundance of information when they just want to find one tidbit of information. Now, if you are someone who finds joy from the satisfaction of accomplishing things single handily, then take advantage of free resources that will still leave you with professional results.

Have consistency when it comes to your content. Regardless of the size of your business or even if you run a blog, you should be producing quality content regularly. Promote events, achievements, or plans on your website. People love being in on all the know. Look at your website as if it were a live stream. People aren’t interested in what happened five months ago when they click onto your site, they want to see that you keep things up to date and most of all, that you’re accurate.

If your website already isn’t mobile friendly, then make it. Technology has conditioned people to expect things to work automatically. No one wants to waste time by trying to navigate on a non-mobile friendly site. It causes things to look distant and disproportioned. People will try to clock on a tab, but due to the small size of the tabs, they end up on a separate page. So, if you want to keep visitors on your site longer, make sure they can access your site from their mobile website.

It is important that the redesign does not get drawn out for a long period of time. A way to avoid that headache is by prepping and giving the process thought. One final thing to keep in mind is that appearance isn’t everything, but when it comes to website design, it is.