What Questions Should you Ask Before Redesigning your Site?

Redesigning your website is an exciting step for your company to take. Whether your site hasn’t been updated in a few years or your brand message has altered, a new website can help breathe new life into your business’s marketing efforts. However, we do see quite a few redesigns that aren’t necessarily needed. Would you paint a wall that has a hole in it without first repairing the underlying sheetrock? I doubt it. In that same vein, a website redesign isn’t always going to be the answer to your company’s marketing problems. What questions should you ask before redesigning your site?

How will your marketing efforts change?

The first question to ask yourself is: if I redesign my website, how are my marketing efforts going to change? If you don’t know the answer to that question then keep track of how your business is doing its marketing regarding your website, whether it be email blasts with a CTA, social media posts, ads, etc.

If your list is long, and you are consistently directing people to your website, then a redesign could be a potential solution. Your website may be outdated or in need of an aesthetic update. If your list is short, and your marketing is not focused on redirecting traffic back to your website, then you may consider focusing your time on enhancing your marketing instead.

Is your flow of content changing?

Businesses are always changing. It could be anything from new products, updated processes, or completely new lines of business. All of which are good signs of business growth, however, these shifts typically require content changes on your website in one of two ways.

Is your overall message going to change?

As a business grows and evolves, the way they communicate with the world evolves with it. It’s common for many companies to have shifts in the core definition of their brand over time; this could be updating their mission, vision, and values or creating them for the very first time.

Finding yourself in these situations typically requires a repositioning of your brand, and thus your website should follow suit. If you find yourself in a similar position, redesigning might be your company’s best option. You want your consumers to always be kept up to date with the current version of your brand. 

What new sitemap structure needs to take place?

Your sitemap consists of the connections your website has between its pages, buttons, and navigation bar.  If your current sitemap doesn’t have the functionality to allow for necessary changes your business has made, and therefore prevents you from selling products or services, then a redesign should be considered.

As I talked about above, if your brand has undergone significant changes, this typically means how you talk about your services has also changed. You should revisit your sitemap immediately after a rebrand to ensure the structure of your website is in alignment with how you are going to sell to potential customers. However, if your sitemap would remain mostly intact during a redesign process, you may want to reconsider. 

Has your visual identity changed?

Your website’s visual identity is very similar to its message in that it could change while your business grows. Since I get a lot of questions around the topic of “should I redesign my logo?” I want to bring up a few key questions I ask anyone who wants a new logo/visual identity designed:

1. How is your current logo holding you back?
2. What brand/message changes are now put in place that redefine your identity?
3. What will change in your marketing efforts with a new identity?

If the answers to those questions are mostly spun in the direction of “no” then I’d recommend taking a step back from designing a new identity and re-evaluate other efforts in your business. Visual identity adjustments can become very expensive for minimal modifications.

For instance, suppose you are planning to redesign your website with minimal changes, for example, only the logo and colors of the site. In that case, it might be beneficial to wait until you have developed more significant adjustments you would like to make to your website to ensure that you are making the right decision on visual identity alone

However, if the answers lean more toward “positive,” then designing a new identity would be worthwhile. It is also crucial to ensure that your website is updated aesthetically and developmentally.

For example, suppose your website is outdated, or you have updated your logo, and your brand’s aesthetic has changed significantly. In that case, creating a new visual identity for your site is best to ensure your online presence matches your company’s core identity. 

Recap

There are a lot of things to ask yourself when deciding whether or not to redesign your website, so we have created a checklist for you to go through, so you can determine for yourself whether or not a website redesign is right for you.

◻️ Your marketing efforts consistently redirect traffic to your website

◻️ The message you want your clients to receive has changed

◻️ The message you want your employees to receive has changed

◻️ The way you want your website to be organized is significantly different

◻️ Your current sitemap no longer reflects your sales process

◻️ You have changed your logo

◻️ Your brand’s aesthetic is significantly different

◻️ Your website is outdated

◻️ Your website has not been redesigned in more than 5 years