From concept to launch: how to plan and execute a website redesign in 2023
Any company that wants to succeed needs a shiny new website that draws in customers. If an online resource is made properly, it is straightforward and easy for users with any degree of digital proficiency. But if the site is a little outdated, and you see that it does not bring as much value as it used to, it's time to think about how to approach a website redesign.
Starting from zero is easier than redesigning. Upgrading the site should not decrease income. This text explains when to rethink and redesign your website.
What is the distinction between design and website redesign process?
Website design includes plotting access, content, and page layouts. To build a website from the scratch, you need:
make user-experience research
chart the course of a customer's interaction with a product (CJM);
create a working model of the graphical elements (color, typefaces, motion, forms, etc.) of a future website by the customer's specifications etc.
When a website is redesigned, the layout is altered. While the basic framework and reasoning haven't altered, the interface's features, content, and visual style have. All of this is to improve site usability.
A pre-audit is for what purpose?
A high conversion rate is not guaranteed even with a brand-new, sleek, properly designed website. SEO marketing requires effort, so keep that in mind. To avoid breaking the bank, you need only avoid making any major adjustments at all. Change the menu's motion and the icon styles, for instance.
The audit and measurement review should inform the decision to implement an entirely new design or upgrade components of an existing one. The website redesign project timeline is affected by which pages need to be updated, which components should be replaced and which can be left alone.
When is a redesign necessary?
Your site is up to three years old; while its structure follows current UX guidelines, you'd like to update its features and give it a facelift.
You've added services or products to what you already offer. To accomplish this, new content must be organized and the navigation structure updated.
Your organization has shifted its focus or adopted a new business persona. The website must be updated to reflect the new design aesthetic.
Your client base has diminished over time, prompting you to launch a marketing effort in search of fresh blood.
You've researched the competition, scoured their websites for useful features, determined that you do need those features, and are now planning to implement some innovative changes.
The mobile-friendly architecture of the site is a necessity.
Remember that a good website redesign company will tell you not only if you need a redesign, but also help you complete it, find out more by contacting Lounge Lizard.
Redesigning when it's not possible
If the site was developed more than three to five years ago, its framework and design will likely be antiquated as well. And most importantly, the methods by which consumers are communicated with. In this instance, a fresh site concept that adheres to current standards for user experience design is preferable.
When search engine optimization (SEO) and promotional efforts fail because the site was built without user experience in mind (typically done quickly and autonomously). Again, extreme action and the assistance of a UX expert are required.
Website redesign planning guide: What to Think About
Site results often drop after a bad change. The site owner must choose between high rankings and "beautiful buttons" on the UI. Some people want to "rewind the clock."
And to accomplish this, you must have:
Put the previous website version in an archive.
Whenever feasible, use the same Title, Description, and URL structure as before.
Be sure to connect everything properly using the website.
A fresh Sitemap must be uploaded immediately.
Store prior source info for future use.
Redesign's Unbreakable Rule of Thumb
Sites with clear navigation and a high degree of usefulness are safe bets for redesigning. Redesigning a website that already has a user-friendly layout won't hurt business.
When pages need major changes, changing the visual style and point correction is like painting over rust. Thus, avoid a big redesign that essentially changes the site.
Redesigning? Here are some pointers
Don't know how to plan a website redesign? Think about it:
A/B test a group of users and pay heed to their feedback before adding new features. If the new UI is confusing, behavioral cues and SEO may suffer.
Plan early for search engine optimization (SEO) and routinely update content that appeals to search engines and provides the most value to customers. Search engines may dislike new texts or broken links. A poorly set test site could harm performance before the new design is applied.
Sum up
Website update is complicated. SEO, UI, and coders are needed. Remember that the best and easiest way is to seek qualified help and not rack your brains with the question of how to project manage a website redesign.