“How frequently should I redesign/refresh my website?” is one of the most common questions posed to us by current and prospective clients. Putting the question to a search engine will return more than a few suggestions, most of which advise redesigning/refreshing a business website every two to three years. That tracks with evidence that suggests the average “lifespan” of a design is about 2.7 years. But, as with most nuanced topics, the discussion can’t really be made that simple.
A better (though in some ways less precise) answer would be something like, “You should redesign your website whenever it ceases to be effective for you or your customers.” In other words, don’t think of your website as a consumable that needs to be swapped out at set intervals; think of it as a tool that, for ideal results, must be sharpened frequently and replaced when it’s worn out.
What Do You Want From Your Website?
The first thing you need to keep in mind is that, regardless of what you want out of your website (increased sales, new/better customer interactions, qualified leads, etc.), it needs to conform to the expectations of your customers if you expect them to use it. If you setup an online storefront that doesn’t allow customers to pay for goods with credit/debit cards, then it’s very unlikely that you’ll see a bump in sales because your website won’t function in a way that nearly every prospective customer will expect.
This also holds true if your site’s design doesn’t function properly on mobile devices or just feels out of date; 48% of users say that a website’s look is their primary measure of a company’s credibility. Anytime your website isn’t giving you what you need—or, more generally, anytime you notice your search rankings and traffic declining—you should look at a redesign. It’s as simple as that.
A Fresh Coat of Paint
There will, of course, be times that you want to refresh your website for cosmetic rather than functional reasons. That’s a completely valid justification. If you dislike the way your website looks then a redesign will certainly help, and there’s no reason to wait for an arbitrary amount of time to pass to initiate that process. Consumer tastes change as the Internet evolves, and that doesn’t happen on a set schedule; a website that was “modern” just a year or two ago might already look old or dated if it relies heavily on flash-in-the-pan or otherwise dated design features. You shouldn’t look at keeping pace with audience preferences as a luxury expense—it’s necessary.
This “fresh coat of paint” logic also applies to messaging in the form of content updates or additions. There may come a time when you realize that your organization has partially pivoted away from or grown beyond your original business model, but your website doesn’t reflect those changes. In those instances, a complete overhaul of your website may not be necessary unless your company’s identity has completely changed; updating or adding content that reflects your new business model may be all that’s needed.
This is an especially important point for small businesses that frequently add new products, services, and/or market segments as they grow. Those companies can little afford to lose business over inaccurate or incomplete information, yet many do because they neglect to update the messaging on their websites.
IDMI.Net Can Help
If your organization doesn’t currently have a website or you want to revamp/replace the one you do have (either in part or in whole), our team can help. Whether you need an intricate website with numerous, design-heavy pages or something elegantly simple, IDMI.Net’s professionals will deliver a final product that aligns with your vision. We can also integrate many different customizable modules into your website, including blogs, news, job postings, portfolios, executive profiles, and more. Part of our business is being aware and staying ahead of emerging trends so that we can incorporate the most cutting-edge design elements into your website and ensure the longest life possible between redesigns/updates.
We are also able to integrate new content into existing websites; our expertise is available on almost any scale you might need. We’re also able to add a slate of useful functions and features to your website, including LiveChat for digital customer service and accesiBe’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance tools. For our customers in the sanitation world, we have a slew of add-ons for websites/catalogs—banners, featured category tables, trending item highlight pieces (up to five items), and more. Maybe you’d like to add a login page and dashboard for your clients. We can accommodate almost any changes to content or functionality that you can imagine.
The Bottom Line
If you haven’t refreshed your organization’s website in the last three years, then there’s a very good chance that you’re overdue. But rigid adherence to that kind of timed schedule is of little benefit; in fact, it might be causing you leave revenue on the table. The reality is that your website needs to be redesigned more purposefully. Consider these questions regularly:
- Does your website look or feel old? Consult an expert if you aren’t sure that you can make an unbiased judgement.
- Do the features and tools on your website still work? A collection of broken utilities could be actively hurting your business (remember that almost 50% of users judge a company’s credibility by their website).
- Does the website itself display and function correctly on modern devices?
- Is your website still consistent with your organization’s branding and messaging?
- Do your direct competitors have “better” or more user-friendly websites?
If you aren’t quite sure how to gauge your answers to those questions, that’s okay! Contact us today and our team of experts can get you started with a free quote.