Ctrl+R - Website Refresh
Websites Don’t Last Forever
Ever heard of the term ‘website lifespan’? Just like the lifespan of a piece of clothing, websites don’t last forever. Whilst they’re not something you’ll necessarily need to update daily, they’re not just a set-and-forget. Whether you’re running an eCommerce business or are service-based, your website design, function, and content all need to be updated regularly to ensure that it’s working, it’s on-brand, and is visible to search engines, and most importantly, your customers. Several factors come into play when considering the lifespan of a website, including your industry, new technology and integrations, platform updates, and user experience.
LinkedIn recommends that ‘a website should be re-designed every 2-3 years’ to ensure it is up-to-date with the latest design trends, user behaviour, and search engine algorithms. So when should you refresh your website? Here are a few things to keep in mind…
The Online Face of Your Brand
Your website acts as the online face of your brand, doing the hard yards for you, reaching new audiences, and helping to sell your products/services. It’s where your customers or clients will look to for information about your offerings, your brand story, and your staff.
If you’ve recently rebranded, now may be the time to consider a website refresh. Trust is a huge factor in purchasing decisions for both eCommerce and service-based businesses. An outdated brand or a mismatched brand fails in the consumer trust department. Imagine this. You want to purchase a new phone. You know the brand and what it looks like, but when you go to their website, it looks old, the branding doesn’t match what you know, and you just feel like something is off. Chances are you’re not likely to purchase from that website as it can feel like a scam. A brand refresh or new identity is a critical time to ensure your website matches.
Keeping Up Appearances
Not only does your website need to look and feel like your brand, but it should feel easy to use, keeping up with industry trends and new platform technology. If your competitors are using the latest plugins and a more modern interface, they’ll feel more trustworthy. An outdated website can also load more slowly, increasing your bounce rate (the rate at which people click out of your website). A high bounce rate can indicate a few issues, such as an incorrect hierarchy of content or slow loading times.
Form And Function
Understand the goal of your website and its primary function/s. Are you looking to drive sales of your products, increase leads for your services, or educate your audience on the latest industry news? Ensuring you have the correct integrations that allow you to track users across your website is key. Tracking lets you see where people have come from, how they are using your website, what web pages they are viewing, how long they are spending on your site, and what buttons they are clicking. This data can be vital in allowing you to update the correct parts of your website to increase user engagement and boost results.
Platform Issues
You may have a site that is up-to-date and looks good, but you may be having issues with your current CMS or just looking to move to one that is more user-friendly. Studio Blackardt’s digital team can move your current site over to a new platform, allowing you to have the integrations and features you want.
Unsure of what platform to use? Read more about our preferred platforms and why we love them here.
Is It Time For A Website Refresh?
If it’s been 2+ years, or it’s just time for something new, a website refresh might be exactly what you need. Get in touch with our experienced web design team today to set up a meeting. We’ll chat through what you’re looking to get out of a refresh, your website goals, and what to expect.
