As a professional in Internet technologies and a leader in website design for over 20 years, people ask me how often they should redesign their website. My answer varies depending upon what industry the person is in, as some industries are more Internet savvy than others. Tech-related companies have to be on the edge of emerging technology and must have a fresh design at least once a year, while other industries may not have the need to have a completely different design that often. In each case, the business has to remember that first impressions are integral to success. What impression does your website or your employer’s website give to a new visitor?
Regardless of industry, a good rule of thumb for redesign is when any of the following situations occur:
• Technology has greatly changed making the display of your site difficult to viewers
• When it no longer accomplishes the intended goals
• External factors result in decreased performance of your website’s rankings
Unfortunately for many organizations, one if not all of the above have happened in 2015. In April, Google announced that having a mobile-friendly website was imperative to achieving and maintaining top rankings. This is due to the importance of mobile devices. It is very possible that your website is not mobile friendly, and you have lost search engine rankings, as well as potential sales. Most small businesses rely on their website as a valuable sales tool. So when orders stopped coming in as they once were, business owners scrambled to find out why.