Should You Get A Website Redesign or Fix Your Website?

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Should You Get a Shiny Website Redesign or Fix Your Old Clunker Website?

Should you continue to improve your existing website or rebuild from scratch?

Seems like a simple question, but it doesn’t have a simple answer.

Oftentimes, we’re approached by businesses dissatisfied with their current ecosystem. This can be for a number of reasons, but generally, it’s a lack of relationship and communication with the current designer or management team.

Websites sometimes go weeks and months without updates, and unfortunately, the owners aren’t capable of updating their websites by themselves.

Some Web Design Problems Require A BIG Fix

In many cases, it makes a lot of sense to rebuild a website when one is dealing with an outdated and problematic situation. The underlying theme, any custom code, and many other factors play a role in the question…should you keep pouring money into an old website or start fresh?

Now, I understand the perspective of not wanting to continue to pay and pay to redo something without results.

Unfortunately, the web design business is one in which it is not uncommon to hear clients saying that they’ve done several iterations of their website without achieving their goal.

Asking Tough Questions To Get The Most For Your Money

From a 30,000-foot view one should ask themselves, will the money that I continue to invest bring me the website in which I truly desire? Or am I just putting a Band-Aid over a problematic situation that will likely not be resolved for whatever underlying reason?

Whatever you do decide, make sure you ask the question, “Are you a custom designer or are you just downloading a template and changing text and images?”

That is a fundamental question to ask any web design firm prior to hiring them.

The right firm will also make sure that you have relevant data about who’s visiting your website and how they’re interacting with it, so that you can make business decisions that are based on facts.

Custom Website Redesigns Are An Investment

It’s worth noting that investing in a custom design requires an upfront investment of both time and money.

But if you choose your design company wisely, the benefits can be realized in both the short and long term.

A custom design can help you achieve your business goals and provide a better return on investment compared to continually investing in an underperforming website.

So, if you’re looking for a website that’s tailored to your specific needs and delivers better results, investing in a custom design may be for you. Give us a call and let’s discuss your project.

What The Heck is WordPress Website Redesigning Exactly?

WordPress redesign involves updating the visual design, layout, and functionality of a WordPress website to improve its user experience and engagement.

This can include changes to the website’s color scheme, typography, navigation, and page layouts, as well as updates to the website’s backend code and plugins. The redesign process can be done using an existing theme or starting from scratch with a custom design.

Why Is Website Redesigning Important?

WordPress redesign is important because it can help improve the user experience and functionality of your website.

A well-designed WordPress website can attract more visitors, improve engagement, and ultimately lead to more user conversions.

Redesigning your WordPress site can also help keep your website up-to-date with the latest design trends and technologies, ensuring that your website stays competitive and relevant.

Ok…Give Me Some Other Reasons to Redesign A WordPress Website

Beyond the reasons just mentioned, here is why you should redesign your WordPress website:

Improved user experience

A website redesign can help improve the user experience by making the site more intuitive and user-friendly. This can lead to increased engagement, longer time spent on the site, and ultimately, more conversions.

Refreshed design

A website redesign can give a website a fresh new look and feel, making it more visually appealing and modern. This can help the website stand out from competitors and improve its brand image. Very important if your website is outdated.

Updated content – Less Boring

Website redesigning provides an opportunity to update and refresh your website content. This can help ensure that the website’s messaging and information is up-to-date and relevant.

Your readers will appreciate this, and it may increase your returning visitor rate.

Improved functionality

A website redesign can improve website functionality by adding new features, improving site navigation, and making the site more mobile-responsive.

This can improve the user experience and make it easier for visitors to find what they are looking for on the site.

Ease of use is fundamental here. How easy or difficult a website is to use can make or break the design.

Increased traffic = More Money $

A website redesign can help increase website traffic by improving the site’s search engine optimization (SEO), making it easier for search engines to crawl and index the site.

This is a necessary step to increasing your traffic and ultimately getting the phone calls, emails, and texts you need to win business.

Fixing An Old, Shabby Web Design

If you have an outdated design, consider getting a website redesign to do the following:

Improve user experience
Stay up-to-date with design trends
Increase brand credibility
Boost search engine rankings
Adapt to new technologies

Awful User Experience

Outdated designs can be difficult to navigate and use, leading to a poor user experience. Users may become frustrated and leave the website, resulting in lost traffic and potential sales or conversions.

Compatibility Issues – Does Your Website Even Work!?

Outdated designs may not be compatible with new technologies, such as mobile devices or newer web browsers.

Updating the design can ensure that the website is accessible and functional on all devices and platforms. Given the high use of mobile devices today, this is a major issue.

Mobile Responsiveness

Responsive web design aims to create websites that can adapt and respond to different screen sizes and devices. This means that the website will look and function properly on desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and mobile devices.

To stay competitive, you NEED a website that is mobile responsive.

Low Conversion Rates – They Suck

A professional and modern design can increase a website’s credibility and brand image. An outdated design may give the impression that the website is no longer maintained or that the business is not up-to-date with current trends.

This could affect your conversion rate.

Slow Page Loading Speed Headaches

An outdated website is going to run slower than a website that is fully updated and optimized.

The faster your website, the better, as customers only have a 9-second attention span, at most.

Even a short delay of a few seconds can seriously hinder your website’s user experience.

Reasons to Keep Your Old and Faithful WordPress Website

While redesigning a website can have many benefits, there are also some situations where it may be better to keep your existing website rather than undergo a complete redesign.

A. Cost – Won’t cost you an arm and a leg

Redesigning a website can be expensive, and if you have limited resources, it may be more cost-effective to make incremental updates to your existing site rather than a complete overhaul.

B. Familiarity and Branding

If your website has a strong brand identity and following, a complete redesign may not be necessary as it may confuse or alienate your existing audience.

C. SEO Performance

If you have invested heavily in search engine optimization (SEO) and have achieved high search rankings, redesigning your website could potentially harm your SEO efforts.

Changing the structure or content of the site during a redesign is always somewhat risky for SEO.

D. Functionality – You can screw up your site

If your website has complex functionality, such as e-commerce or user accounts, a complete redesign can disrupt these systems and create a poor user experience.

When Should An Average Joe Redesign A WordPress Website?

There are several signs that indicate it may be time to redesign your WordPress website.

Bad Look

For example, if your website’s design looks outdated and unprofessional, it may be time for a refresh.

Impossible To Navigate

Similarly, if your website is not mobile-friendly or is difficult to navigate, it may be time to redesign it to improve user experience.

Slow

If your website is slow to load or has technical issues, a redesign may be necessary to improve its performance.

Not Relevant

If your website’s content is no longer relevant or is not generating the desired results, a redesign may be necessary to make it more engaging and conversion-oriented.

Launching Nifty New Products or Services

Additionally, redesigning your website while launching new products and services can be a great opportunity to improve your online presence and generate interest in your new offerings.

To make the most of your redesign, consider creating a dedicated landing page for each new product or service, with clear calls to action and compelling content that speaks to your target audience.

Rebranding Your Brand

Rebranding your website is an excellent opportunity to revamp your online presence, update your brand identity, and attract new customers. To successfully rebrand your website, follow these steps:

Research your target audience, competitors, and industry trends.
Update your brand identity by creating a new logo, color scheme, and other visual elements.
Revise your website’s content and messaging, including headlines, product descriptions, and blog posts.
Optimize your website’s layout and user experience to improve navigation, responsiveness, and overall user experience.
Promote your rebranding through press releases, social media, email campaigns, and other marketing efforts.

How to Redesign Your WordPress Website – Super Easy Overview

To redesign your WordPress website, you want to follow a core series of steps.

In brief, these include:

Evaluate your current website

Start by evaluating your current website to identify what’s working well and what needs improvement. This will help you create a list of goals and objectives for your redesign.

Identify your target audience

Determine who your target audience is and what their needs and expectations are. This will help you create a website that meets the needs of your users.

Set your redesign goals – Duh

Create a list of goals and objectives for your redesign. These could include improving user experience, increasing conversions, or enhancing your brand identity.

Create a sitemap

Create a sitemap that outlines the structure of your new website. This will help you ensure that your website is organized and easy to navigate.

Choose a new theme – Mix it up and get creative

Select a new WordPress theme that aligns with your design goals and brand identity. You can choose from free or premium themes available in the WordPress theme repository or from third-party providers.

Customize your theme

Customize your theme to match your brand identity and design goals. This can include changing colors, fonts, and layouts.

Plan your content

Develop a content plan that aligns with your redesign goals and target audience. This can include creating new content or updating existing content.

Determine your budget and timeline: Determine your budget and timeline for the redesign project. This will help you allocate resources and ensure that your project stays on track.

Test and launch

Test your redesigned website on different devices and browsers to ensure that it is functional and user-friendly. Once you’re satisfied with the design and functionality, launch your website.

Hire A Professional; Don’t Take Unnecessary Risks

When hiring a professional website redesigner, there are several steps you can take to ensure you find the right person or agency for the job.

Look at their portfolio

Review the portfolios of potential website redesigners to ensure they have the experience and skills necessary to deliver the results you’re looking for. This will give you an idea of their design style, industry experience, and project scope capabilities.

Is it legit or crap?

Use freelancer platforms…cautiously

Some freelancers are amazing. Some are terrible and will waste you a lot of money.

Consider finding freelance web designers and developers on platforms like Upwork who have a lot of high ratings.

Get referrals and recommendations

Reach out to your network or contact the business owners of websites you admire, and ask who designed their website.

In some cases, this may lead you to a full-time employee, a freelancer, or a design agency with a proven track record.

Check reviews and testimonials – DEFINITELY do this

Look for online reviews and testimonials from previous clients to gauge the quality of work and customer satisfaction provided by the website redesigner.

Never ever…ever hire someone without checking their reviews and testimonials first.

Request a proposal

Ask for a detailed proposal outlining the project timeline, deliverables, and pricing. This will enable you to compare different website redesigners and choose the one that offers the best value for your investment.

Communication and responsiveness

Ensure that the website redesigner you choose is easy to communicate with and responsive to your needs.

Seriously…do they actually respond?

Technical expertise

Hire someone who knows what they’re doing and isn’t just going to throw a half-baked project together.

And make sure the website redesigner is knowledgeable in the latest web design trends, technologies, and best practices to ensure your new website is up-to-date and effective.

Backup Your Website or Lose It!

Backing up your website before a redesign is crucial to ensure that you don’t lose any data or information during the process. Here are some steps to follow:

Log in to your website’s content management system (CMS).
Export your website’s database using a plugin or built-in functionality provided by your CMS.
Download all website files, including images, videos, and other media, using an FTP client or file manager.
Create a compressed backup file of your website’s database and files.
Store the backup file in a secure location, such as an external hard drive or cloud storage service.

Migrate – Take Your Website on a Digital Exodus

Migrating your website to a new server or platform is a critical step when redesigning your website. Here are some brief steps to follow for a successful migration:

Choose a new hosting provider or platform that meets your website’s requirements.
Create a new account with the hosting provider or platform.
Install the necessary software, such as a CMS or website builder, on the new server or platform.
Export your website’s database and files from your old server or platform.
Import your website’s database and files to the new server or platform.
Test your website thoroughly to ensure that everything is working correctly.
Update your domain name servers (DNS) to point to your new server or platform.
Wait for the DNS changes to propagate, which can take up to 48 hours.

Testing the site for Major Pains and Problems

Testing a website redesign is an important step to ensure that everything is working correctly before the site goes live. Here are some brief steps to follow for testing a website redesign:

Create a test environment

Set up a test site or staging environment for testing the redesigned site. This will allow you to test the new site without affecting the live site.

Test the functionality

Go through the site and test all the functionality, such as forms, links, buttons, and navigation. Make sure everything is working as expected.

Test on different devices and browsers

Test the redesigned site on different devices and browsers to ensure that it is responsive and compatible.

Check for broken links and errors

Use tools like Google Analytics and broken link checkers to find any broken links or errors on the site.

Test the load time

Use tools like GTmetrix or Pingdom to test the site’s load time and optimize it if necessary.

Get feedback

Get feedback from users or stakeholders to ensure that the redesigned site meets their expectations.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it’s important to evaluate your current situation and ask yourself whether you should continue investing in it or change your approach with a website redesign.

Contact Sage Digital Agency

At Sage, we design, build, and manage WordPress websites.

So… should You Get A Website Redesign or Fix Your Website?