When to redesign your website
I sometimes get asked the question: "how often should we redesign our website?" If I don't have any additional information to go on and there is no time to dig deeper, I will usually give a standard answer of "every 2-3 years." However, it actually goes much deeper than that and there are some very good reasons to redesign your website that are not dependent on any particular schedule. Obviously, if your website is ugly, you'll want to redesign it as soon as possible. However, there are other factors at play.
So when should you redesign your website?
1. When your organization re-brands. If you are changing anything about your organization's branding such as logo, colors, tagline, name, or target market, it's important to make sure your website stays in sync with these changes.
2. When design trends have changed significantly. Design styles and trends generally follow user experience and how people interact with online contact. For example, many years ago many websites were designed using Flash because the web was still new enough that eye candy and cool effects got people excited. Since then, Flash is becoming much less relevant in favor of more information-driven design techniques. Even within short spans of time, design trends can evolve enough that it may make sense to redesign.
3. When your content outgrows your current structure. If you have added enough content over time that you are having trouble "fitting in" new content, it may be time to redesign your website to create a better framework for new content.
4. When new functionality is added. If you are adding new functionality to your website, such as a blog, e-commerce, or other interactive tools, it may be time for a redesign. It depends on the situation, but it's sometimes more effective to refresh the entire website to support this new functionality rather than try to retrofit these modules in the current design.
5. When technology changes. If the landscape of technology and communication tools changes, it's important to keep your online presence in sync with the expectations of your constituents. For example, five years ago, no one really utilized social media that much and websites were fairly isolated. Today, constituents expect tight integration between websites and various social networks and any website that ignores this point tends to appear antiquated, which can reflect poorly on your organization.
Though the standard answer of "every 2-3 years" can sometimes line up appropriately with these guidelines, it's important to understand why you are redesigning your website so that you can make intelligent decisions during the process.
When do you think it's time to redesign your website? Comments are welcome.
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