How often should you renew the design of your website?
If you're reading this, you're probably thinking about your current website and whether it needs a redesign. Redesigning a website is not always something a company wants to do, but it is often necessary.If you're reading this, you're probably thinking about your current website and whether it needs a redesign. Redesigning a website is not always something a company wants to do, but it is often necessary. Time is one of the factors that can tell you it's time for a redesign. Technology is constantly changing, and many older website designs are now obsolete. Your website has a life expectancy before it needs updating. It is not a small task or investment, but it is one that will give you a strong long-term advantage.
The life expectancy of a website
The average lifespan of a website is 2 to 3 years, the most active and successful companies on the web tend to redesign their website every 2 to 3 years. The life expectancy of a website redesign can vary from 6 months to 5 years.
Here is a rough timeline:
Every 6-12 months - If you are a market leader, then you need to be continually updating your website to keep things exciting and engaging for customers.
Every 2-3 years - In a competitive industry, it's time for a new website. In a non-competitive environment, you should start planning.
Every 3-4 years - Analyse your current website and plan immediate updates or plan a new site.
Every 5 years - You should consider a new website design.
While there is no set timeframe for website renewal, if your site is more than three years old, it is very likely that it is due for an update.
Reasons why you need a website redesign
El tiempo es sólo un indicador de que necesitas un rediseño del sitio web, hay muchos otros factores que debes considerar. Los siguientes 6 factores deberían ayudarle a determinar si su página web ya no es adecuada para su propósito. Debería considerar un rediseño de su página web incluso antes si se aplica uno de los siguientes factores:
1. Redesign to address a problem
The main driver for most website redesigns is the need to solve a problem on the web. For some companies, this may be a decline in their business or a decrease in visibility in search results. Another problem could be security issues, unfortunately many companies only realise the true value of security after a difficult or costly episode.
2. Your website does not work
If your website is not working well, it is a pretty sure sign that it is time to invest in a website redesign. Your website doesn't work the way you imagined it would for a few reasons. It could be that the loading time of your website is too slow or that the navigation on the website is confusing for users. A redesign will give you a great looking website that runs smoothly and builds customer loyalty.
Whatever problems you have or want to prevent, discuss the challenges you want to overcome with the team involved in the design of your new site. A professional web design company can create a functional website that works smoothly, is optimised for search engine ranking and converts viewers into customers.
3. Your current website doesn't work on mobile devices
In today's world of technology and mobile devices, your website must look good on all platforms. It is extremely important to have a responsive mobile design.
Over 50% of all web traffic is on mobile, and people have very little patience for sites that don't work on their phones. If your website is difficult to use on phones and tablets, then it will have an impact on both the user experience of your site, and your Google ranking.
4. You need to re-align your website with your marketing objectives.
Another reason you may need to redesign your website is because your business may be undergoing a major change. When you buy a business, merge with another company, rebrand, or sell a new product or service, that business may need a website redesign.
5. Your website design is outdated
As design trends are constantly changing, websites are becoming outdated. Even people with no experience in web design can tell that they are outdated. This is one of the reasons why the life expectancy of a website is an average of 3 years. What looked good in 2018 may not look so good in 2021.
6. To create a better user experience
Finally, websites that use the latest design trends and understand user behaviour tend to be way ahead of the game. Web designers can really help you get the best out of your website, not only by implementing new and innovative features, but also by providing the best possible user experience and potentially converting them into customers.
When is the right time to redesign a website?
There is no right or wrong time to go between redesigning and overhauling a website. Many factors go into the decision, you should continually strive to improve your website. It is recommended to give your website a good redesign every 2 to 3 years, especially due to the constant changes in design and technology.
There are several ways to approach a redesign based on urgency and severity, but you are likely to take one of two paths; incremental changes or a complete overhaul. You can choose to approach a website redesign in leaps and bounds by making incremental changes or choose a new redesigned website, scrapping the old one.
Future-proof websites
Is it possible to avoid the constant stream of changes, updates and redesigns?
A website redesign today will last you a few years because current design trends tend to follow a fairly minimal approach and are built to work well on any type of device. Therefore, minimalist designs are less likely to go out of fashion in the next year or 2.
Also, our use of platforms like Joomla and WordPress means that we can update software versions, add security updates, build new sections and update technical SEO factors without having to start from scratch every time.
But it is still impossible to predict future trends, Google algorithms, user preferences and the growth of your business. You can extend the half-life of your website by upgrading your web design to a professionally built Joomla or WordPress website today.
To conclude
At Gekkota Studio we understand the importance of designing a website that stays up to date and provides the best experience for your users for years to come. We use the latest CMS systems that allow your website to be easily managed and updated. You will be able to update the content and elements of your website yourself after the redesign, so you can make changes keeping your website fresh for longer.
If you would like Gekkota Studio to update your website design, please contact us.