Tired of your current website and want to get cracking on a new one? Not so fast! There are many things that need to be considered when embarking on a new website design. Otherwise you may find yourself with an additional cost rather than an activity that generates a great return on investment. If you are looking at changing your current site then read these 6 things you should consider before you do.
1. Identify your target market
Websites need to resonate with your ideal customer, if you haven’t identified who they are specifically then you’re going to have a hard time targeting them efficiently. It’s not just about making something that you believe looks good. It needs to be constructed and designed with strategy and purpose. The more your website developer knows about it the more they can incorporate the best strategies for you into the design.
Some things to consider include
- What is their online behavior?
- Age and interests?
- What browsers and technology do they typically like to use?
- How do they like to consume their content?
2.What are your goals?
You want to ensure you are incorporating your business goals into your website redesign project plan. After all if you don’t have goals it’s unlikely that you will achieve the most you can. Are you looking to drive more sales? Introduce a new offering that you would like people to sign up to? Have more quotes requested? Outlining the journey you would like your customers to take is going to aid in you being very strategic with your site redesign. Discuss this with your digital marketing team so you are both working towards your business goals. A new website without this kind of strategy inbuilt is unlikely to satisfy users or skyrocket your conversions.
3. What is the possible impact on your search visibility?
How is your new site going to impact your current search engine visibility? Traffic driven to your website via search engines typically converts amazingly, if not the best out of any traffic source to your site. These sessions, if you are working with a great SEO agency that focuses on qualified traffic, are typically a huge source of converting revenue for businesses. So it’s important to review and work with your digital marketing and website development experts to cover your bases when it comes to search. There have been cases where business owners had great organic traffic and revenue, worked with a developer who wasn’t involved in website marketing or affiliated with an SEO agency and the person’s site tanked, leaving them with having to spend on Pay-Per-Click advertising to generate sales in the interim while embarking on a new search campaign and website redesign. Thereby, reducing profit margins and creating a bad time all around. Don’t be that person, work with a search expert.
4. Where is your current site lacking?
There are many reasons a business owner may decide that their site needs a redevelopment. Some of the common points raised are
- The site looks dated
- It doesn’t convert as well as it used to
- Our competitors have all launched new sites
- The site is missing functionality that would be beneficial to the business.
It’s really important to look at the current gaps in your existing site and to identify some of the key items that would really benefit your business with the new site design. If your site is relatively new and functions great but perhaps isn’t converting, it’s worth consulting a conversion rate optimisation agency or specialist to guide you. You may not need a full design, but rather some tweaks and changes that can be made within a smaller time frame and budget. To determine your site’s weaknesses you will want to leave nothing to chance and make no assumptions. The analysis and breakdown of analytical data in addition to customer feedback can help you and your team identify areas that you weren’t aware of before and that should be addressed in your new site design.
5. Will it convert?
Conversion rate optimization is a pretty big deal in the digital marketing world. Yet many agencies and digital marketers are not incorporating it into their websites and marketing plans. This is because it takes expertise to identify how to generate more conversions on your website so ask yourself is this website likely to convert users? If you don’t have the experience in this industry yourself it’s best to speak with a professional to avoid leaving sales on the table that your competitors can scoop up.
6. Are you choosing the right agency to work with?
Are you working with a digital marketing and website development agency? If so, do they take a holistic approach to your website and business, incorporating long term marketing strategies and set up for ongoing search engine visibility? If not, you need to ask yourself if they are the best people to team with. Websites and any online marketing can be a valuable investment to your business’s future but it also can be a costly mistake if you partner with marketers and developers not geared towards the long term success of their client’s online business efforts.
Get in touch with our team if you would like to explore our responsive WordPress web design services. Don’t risk working with a digital marketing team that doesn’t have a track record of success. Do the right thing for your business so that you can achieve your revenue and growth goals.
