Your website is your most valuable storefront for your business—it’s where people turn to learn more about your company or about your services. Yet, companies can be fluid, in that they are always changing and adjusting to meet the latest market demands. So, it makes sense that a website you had started with might not be the perfect fit over time. Is it back to square one?
The most important part of your website redesign process is making sure your website shares your story—highlighting what makes your business stand above competitors and shine, with clear descriptions as to your company’s mission, the services you provide, and where your passion lies within your field. If this story doesn’t resonate with the user, it can hurt your business and prevent potential clients from understanding who you are and how you can help them.
It’s Time for a Redesign…Now What?
When considering how to redesign your website and engage your target market, you need to narrow the scope in how your company serves others and provides a direct impact. It’s these types of influential experiences that can help you discover your true mission and message and how you’d like others to view you.
Talk to all stakeholders of the business and learn which parts are most important for them, filtering out the minor details and emphasizing the components that help you stand out against your competitors. With a clear direction in mind, you can get rid of the “fluff” and make a sleek, simple design that really resonates with the critical aspects of the business and can target your audience in a more productive way.
Start Designing
Once all feedback has been put together, it’s time to get started on the creative designing process. You want to avoid complex language, graphics, images, and videos that can create a distraction on the page or make your company appear ambiguous or too “flashy.” You want to be relatable and approachable to users, with authenticity at the core, which people are naturally drawn to. You also want it to be accessible and responsive, where the pages are readable on tablet, phone, and desktop, and the buttons and call-to-actions are easily represented and clickable. And, lastly, your story and service list should be obvious—avoid any contradictory language, jargon, or gimmicks that can get in the way of simple and effective engagement.
Review and Make Changes When Needed
After your first redesign draft, you might notice small changes here and there. It’s important to continually check up on your site’s status and see how it aligns with your vision and story, need there be any adjustments. Review and make changes to your site until you feel comfortable with the update.Look for opportunities that you may have missed in the discovery and design process, and tailor accordingly. You want your story to come through to all users who visit your site to make your business as successful as it can be.After your first website redesign draft, don’t think the process is done for good. First off, you just did a thoughtful redesign, so it makes sense you may need to do another one in the future. Plan ahead and keep your site up to date to avoid a painful process.
Telling Your Story
The most important thing to consider with a website redesign is telling your story.Start with a strong plan, craft a design that speaks to your business and audience, and maintain a strong review process will help you succeed. Don’t forget your mission and stakeholders. Telling your story is an ongoing effort. The goal of your website redesign should be to share what you need people to know and allow them to learn more as they interact with your business online.Once the site is live, you should definitely celebrate! Just don’t think the process is done for good. A website should be a free-flowing document, so it’s important to treat it that way.
