At Future Access, we always tell our clients that once their website is built, they should actively update it if they want to be successful on search engines. Most website owners make an effort to maintain their website to ensure search engines, such as Google, know that their website is active by both owner and users.

Although updating content, images, and blogging on a regular basis is a good thing – it doesn’t necessarily fix everything. That is when a website redesign should be considered!

When is a Website Redesign Needed?

When load time is affected

According to research, 2 seconds and under is the ideal load time for websites. We, as human beings, are very impatient creatures, so if the homepage of a website takes longer than 2 seconds to load – it is safe to assume that, that person is now a bounce rate in your website analytics.

To ensure your website is up to par when it comes to speed, run a site speed test on it! If the speed test reaffirms your concerns, it is now time to determine “why is my website slow?” There can be a number of reasons – from large, high resolution images to too many plugins,  it is tough to determine what the main factor may be.

When features or content are not being displayed properly

Improper display of images or media content is not uncommon to the website world, however, it is a definite red flag that your website needs to be redesigned and updated. Since this issue is visible for both website owner and user, it is important to tackle it as soon as possible as it will impact your users’ experience. Broken images or content are also considered ‘bad’ by most search engines – ultimately and potentially impacting your website’s search engine ranking.

When your website is not mobile-friendly

Smart phones have been a game changer for many people – for the business owner who’s always on-the-go, the super-mom who’s juggling a million and one things, and for the typical, every day Joe who just wants to access the Internet anytime, anywhere.

This is why having a responsive, mobile-friendly website is so important! The number of people viewing websites on their phone, tablet, and other smart gadgets over their computer has increased drastically over the years. You want to make sure your website is made for those people. Having a mobile-friendly website gives your business the opportunity to grow – not just in users but also on search engines!

When your analytic insights are lacking

Google Analytics is a tool many people, including us, use to track their website traffic and engagement. We suggest you take a look at your insights on a monthly basis to better understand your audience and market based on the information provided daily. If your website’s traffic and engagement is lacking, then you know there is a problem and a website redesign may be needed after discussing with your website developer.

When your website no longer matches your branding

Like most brands, your brand will most likely go through a ‘face lift phase.’ Your brand may change – whether it be something big like a whole re-branding from your brand’s purpose, values, and products or a small upgrade such as a logo or colour change, change is always needed to stay ahead of the curve. If your website no longer suits your current brand’s appearance and meaning, it should be clear to you and your clients that a redesign may need to be made in order to upkeep your brand’s image.

What do you do when your website needs a redesign?

Reach out to your web developer! Or depending on your situation, you can also hire a new web developer for a complete change. Working with a professional will provide you with a sense of security and you can bet that proper procedures and care will be taking place in order to upkeep your website.

At Future Access, we understand that redesigns can be necessary. If you are an existing client wanting to come to us for a redesign, we can promise you that we won’t be offended by your request. In fact, we would be extremely happy to see that you care about your online presence and took notice in those details! A great example of a client who came back to us for a website redesign is, Beyond Montessori School and now, they have a website branded to match their spiffy new location.