Getting The Most From Your Website Redesign
A website redesign project can feel like a daunting task, especially for smaller businesses with limited resources of time and expertise. Many factors go into the decisions that lead to the outcome. Often, though, one of the easiest places to start is to look at your existing site. What reasons are compelling you to start this new project? Seeing what’s wrong with your existing site can help lead you to design a new site that will satisfy your, and most importantly, your clients’ needs. Here are a few elements you will want to incorporate in your new site.
Responsive Design
To start off, is your current site responsive for mobile? Over 50% of website traffic now comes from mobile devices. Consumers expect sites to format to their phones, are easy to navigate, and have one-touch functionality for calls and form submits. Mobile friendliness is so important that Google indexes websites based on their mobile view.
Content Organization
Speaking of navigation, you will want your new site to be logically organized with content grouped thematically. For example, if you are a plumber and offer both emergency service and bathroom renovations, you will want a separate page for each of those areas of your business. That makes sense for both the user and the search engines when they index your content. Pages organized by products and services are helpful for improved SEO.
Conversion Paths
What actions do you want users to take when they are on your site? Is it to schedule an appointment? Fill out a form to get more information or buy a product? Your new site should have multiple conversion paths. That is, make it as easy as possible for someone to take a desired action no matter what page they are on at your site. You want them to accomplish this action in as few steps as possible. Don’t make someone navigate to a separate page to contact you or hunt around on a page to find your phone number, fill out a contact form, or find directions to your business.
Page Load Speed
You’ll also want to make sure your page loads quickly. Finicky consumers will quickly navigate away from a site that takes too long to load. Especially on mobile devices. In fact, one study by Google showed that 53% of mobile site visits were abandoned if a page took longer than 3 seconds to load. Fast loading time is important for SEO as well. Load speed is a ranking factor that Google uses for indexing sites.
Visually Appealing
You want to make sure your site is aesthetically pleasing to your users. Things like authentic photos and images of your services, products, and staff will give more of a sense of your company’s personality than stock images. This is where utilizing the services of a professional web design firm can really help as it can take the guesswork out of the design process.
Social Media and Review Site Buttons
Today’s consumers do online research more than ever. It’s vital to have as many options as possible for consumers to learn more about your business. Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter & Instagram, review sites like Yelp, and business accreditations like Better Business Bureau are all places that a site visitor may check out when vetting you. Having these buttons on your website are not only helpful to your customers, but also showcase the positives about your business.
Putting all this information together may seem overwhelming at first. But by being proactive, you are more likely to have a finished website that will accommodate your customers’ needs and lead them to a positive impression of your business. Often times getting input from and working with a professional web marketing company will help make this easier. At Connoisseur Digital, we have built 100’s of websites for local businesses and are happy to talk to you about your next website project. Contact us today to get started!
