How do you know it’s time for a website redesign? While there’s no one answer to this question, there are several signs it’s time to switch things up.
Most businesses end up considering a website redesign due to things like:
- Low conversion rate
- High bounce rate (visitors quickly leave the site after arriving at a landing page)
- Non-responsiveness to various device and screen sizes
- Outdated design
- Poor user experience (UX)
- Lack of search engine optimization (SEO)
Maybe you’re noticing some of the same issues with your website. Still, a redesign isn’t something you should jump into without a plan. That’s why we’re going to dive into website redesign best practices to ensure you get it right the next time.
Why Redesign Your Website in 2021?
There are many reasons why redesigning your website is a great idea. Here’s a quick look at some of the top benefits of using the right website redesign ideas.
Improve User-Friendliness
If your current website isn’t easy for all of your visitors to use, then there’s room for improvement. A website redesign can ensure your site’s UX is intuitive and natural for anyone to grasp quickly. A well-designed site will be accessible for all users, regardless of whether they have a disability. This includes using a responsive design so it’s optimized for both desktops and mobile devices.
This is critical, especially with more users browsing the web on mobile. According to Statista, mobile devices (excluding tablets) made up 50.8% of global web traffic in the first quarter of 2020.
Enhance Your Branding
Does your website feel current and credible? If not, then it could hurt your site’s performance. In fact, you may notice a higher-than-average bounce rate. If you have an outdated website design, then this is a great time to rethink your overall branding. For example, you can update the color schemes, fonts, and overall layout so it’s more modern.
According to a report by Adobe and eConsultancy, 73% of companies invest in design — both digital and physical — to stand out from competitors. So make sure you’re also doing the same.
Increase Leads and Sales
Some businesses build a website to validate their existence (and to build trust and credibility). But if you’re looking to generate leads and boost sales, then you’ll need to design your site with this purpose in mind. If your current site isn’t generating the results you desire, then it’s time to work with a web design expert that specializes in lead gen. There are various changes you can make to enhance how visitors use your site. For example, something as simple as changing the color of your CTA button can yield a 21% boost in conversions. A redesign allows you to build a comprehensive plan for generating traffic and sales across your site.
Grow Organic Traffic
When your website is designed well, you’ll have an easier time ranking on Google. This means following SEO and website design best practices. Working with the right web developer to incorporate an SEO strategy will ensure you have both sides covered. For example, having a mobile-friendly website, fast-loading pages, and keywords in your content can all help attract your audience and increase your ranking in Google.
By ignoring these fundamentals, you can potentially hurt your SEO position. For instance, according to HubSpot, 93% of mobile users will leave a website if it’s not mobile-optimized. With more people now using mobile, this can lead to high bounce rates, which tells Google there’s something wrong with your site. In turn, you’ll see your rank demoted.
Website Design Ideas for 2021
The benefits of a strong website redesign are clear. But how do you get there? Let’s look at a few website design best practices to implement to ensure your site yields the results you seek.
Focus on the User Experience
According to HubSpot, roughly 90% of visitors will leave a website because of a poor design. So if your web design doesn’t offer a great user experience, then expect high bounce rates (which can hurt your SEO ranking).
You can do this by ensuring you have:
- Fast loading web pages
- Easy-to-find menu and sitemap
- Simple navigation from anywhere on the site
- Responsive design/mobile-friendliness
- Home page and landing pages that tell visitors what to expect on your site
One way to find out what your visitors dislike about your site is to survey them. Or you can use Google Analytics, heatmaps and session recordings to learn how visitors use your website. This will tell you what areas of the site they look at the most (excellent places to put CTAs) and how they navigate your website.
Update Your Branding and Design
If you have a website design and branding that looks outdated, then it will be difficult to capture the attention of today’s consumers. Outdated websites are less credible, which means it’ll be impossible to gain trust.
People today prefer to do business with modern, cutting-edge companies. Also, if you’ve made changes to your brand, then your website should be consistent with it.
When launching a website redesign, consider things like:
- What do I like and dislike about my current website?
- Do I need to modernize my logo?
- Does my site need new graphics?
- Should you change the colors of your website?
- What color schemes would better match your brand?
- Should I change my tone of voice and brand messaging?
Be sure you’re using website design ideas that align with what users are used to seeing today. You can check out some of the top website design trends to get ideas.
Improve Your Conversion Rates
Before you can expect higher conversions on your website, you’ll have to focus on the audience you’re attracting to your website. This means improving the SEO and copywriting throughout your site.
Take a look at your analytics to see if your bounce rates are high. If so, you’re likely attracting the wrong people, or your content and message don’t resonate with them. You can correct this by looking at the intent behind the keywords you’re using. It’s not uncommon for this to change over time, so be ready to switch up your keywords to best reflect the intent of the audience you’re trying to attract.
For your home page copy, be clear about what visitors will find on your site. They should quickly grasp your brand identity and understand where to find what they’re looking for. Weaving calls to action throughout the site will help to direct visitors in what to do next (i.e., subscribe to our newsletter, sign up for a free trial, etc.).
Understand the Goals Behind Your Website Redesign
Before you embark on a website redesign for 2021, you need to have goals established. Otherwise, you may waste valuable time on an ineffective design.
For example, if your SEO rankings are poor due to inaccessibility, this should be a primary focus of your redesign. If you’re unsure which website design ideas to pursue, you can always look at the data.
Google Analytics provides excellent insights into audience behavior such as bounce rate, time spent on site, conversions, page value and so on. A competitor analysis will also reveal ways you can improve your design to better position your website. You can also have a website audit performed by a professional.
Partner With a Website Redesign Expert
Having a website redesign strategy is key to getting the results you want. By working with a web development expert, you can ensure you get a beautiful and modern custom or semi-custom design while also focusing on reaching KPIs.
At Orpheus, we have a team of web designers that are knowledgeable in the latest web design trends and best practices for both design and digital marketing. So whether you’re looking to improve your branding or your conversions, we can help.
If you’re ready to change your website design in 2021, contact us today!
