Redesigning your website can feel like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some questions that you should ask yourself before making any decisions on moving forward with your website design project.
What is the goal of your website?
The goal of your website is to provide content so you can engage with people. The information on your site needs to be clear, informative, and easy to navigate so the reader can finish their task. Content beyond browsing could also give reasons why they should sign up for an email list subscription, follow you on social media or purchase a product from your store.
There are three things people want when they visit a website: 1) find the content quickly; 2) find meaning in what they read after viewing it, and 3) share their experience with others by posting comments because it helps their peers make solid decisions about what to buy.
Related questions to ask here are:
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What are your company’s objectives?
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Are you looking to drive traffic or conversions with the new website design?
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How does this tie into your overall business goals, and what is essential for success in today’s digital world?
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What kind of experience do you want people to have when they come to your website (i.e., Are you looking for immediate interaction, browsing experience, etc.)?
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Do your research and know what kind of site visitors want to see when they visit your site.
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What do the people in charge of overseeing this project value most (i.e., ease-of-use, design aesthetics)?
Consider the opinions of decision-makers in your company about the website design plan. Make sure that this aligns with what you as a company are trying to accomplish.
Who are you trying to reach through your site, and what do they need from it?
Good user experience can be the difference between conversion or loss of interest. That’s why it’s important to know who your target audience is and what they want when visiting your website.
Before redesigning your site, you’ll want to know how to measure success with this new website. Don’t forget about metrics that pertain to business goals, such as conversions from pages visited or downloads.
Is your current website responsive?
Responsive design has become the standard for today’s digital landscape, which means that you should consider what kind of site visitors will see on desktops, smartphones, and tablets.
Think about how these groups interact with websites in different ways.
Don’t forget to conduct user testing to see how people interact with your site and determine if it fits what you need.
What are the most important things to include on this new website?
It’s easy to get carried away with all of the options that today’s web design tools provide, but don’t forget about being purposeful when making decisions about your site. Remember, it’s all about the customer. Knowing your customer base will enhance and ease the website design process.
It’s also important to know who will be updating this website regularly and how frequently new information should be added or changed regularly.
Is your current design hindering or helping that mission?
Take a step back and examine your current website design from the perspective of others. Look at what kind of content is provided, how it is presented etc., so that you can determine if there are any areas where improvement is necessary for your business goals to be met.
What are the most important elements of your website?
The “About” page, contact information, and other necessary content should always remain on a site.
Think about what kind of design is best for each section to align with business goals.
It’s also good to know how frequently new content should be added or changed regularly.
- What kind of brand do you want your site to convey?
- Are you looking for whimsy, professionalism, or something else entirely?
- Is it important that the design of this new website reflects the overall feel and tone of your company/business?
Think about what kind of site visitors you are trying to reach and what they will expect from your company/business.
A humorous tone is not appropriate for all businesses, so be purposeful in conveying information on this new website.
- What do the people involved with overseeing the project value most?
- Is there a clear sense of direction or vision for the project?
It would be best to get all of your questions answered before moving forward with a new website design. Think about what is most important to each person involved in this process and make sure that the information on the site aligns with their views. Don’t forget that user experience can be different for everyone!
How would redesigning the website affect other areas in which you’re involved, like social media marketing efforts or email marketing campaigns?
A website redesign can be a nerve-wracking process for any business, and like many significant changes, it’s only natural to feel apprehensive about the consequences. As soon as you begin to wonder, “How will this affect everything else we’re involved in?” it’s important to take a step back and consider the possibilities thoroughly. Lack of communication between departments is a common cause of frustration and even resentment among employees. Still, by understanding how your web redesign will affect other areas, such as social media campaigns or email marketing campaigns, you’ll be able to make informed decisions about those aspects before diving into whichever direction suits you best.
For example, if one department knows that they have manpower constraints that may not be solved post-redesign due to a lack of time or staff, they can ensure that the other areas are fully aware and prepared to pick up any slack. Once you’ve addressed these issues with your team members, it’ll be easier for everyone involved to focus on the future of your website rather than worrying about what’s happening right now.
As long as departments communicate clearly before moving ahead with any web design changes, the result will be a smooth and successful transition.
What do you want the site to achieve after it’s redesigned and launched? (i.e., sell more products, improve customer service, increase inbound leads)
Designing a website with specific goals in mind is one thing, but meeting those goals is a whole other aspect. We recommend thinking about your objectives and outlining a plan for success before you make any changes to your current site.
If you want increased conversion rates from this new site, the redesign must include an e-commerce option. This way, customers can easily add products to their cart or checkout on your site without transferring over to another platform.
To prevent costly issues later in the process, it’s wise to have someone familiar with various aspects of web design develop the plan for facility and content management during this development phase. It will help avoid additional edits or updates in the future.
Our website development team at ViviScape is highly experienced and skilled at planning and designing custom websites for businesses of any size. Contact us today to start your website redesign project.
