Is it time for a website update? When to update your website design
When was the last time you gave your website a facelift?
If it’s been more than a couple of years, it might be time for a refresh.
Think about it.
When you go to a website and find that they’re still using designs from 2015 or earlier, will you trust them with your business?
You might think they’re no longer in business or that they just don’t care enough to keep their online presence. They might be just as sloppy with their work.
It’s hard to trust that.
Your site visitors will definitely feel the same way, especially if they don’t know your brand and don’t trust you yet.
In 2024, your online presence can make or break your business.
You’re actively losing customers if you are still using an outdated web design!
Keeping your website up-to-date is not just an option, it’s kinda mandatory. You want a modern website to keep your brand relevant and competitive.
In this guide, we’ll run you through the reasons why keeping your website updated is important, signs that you should be updating your website, and the ways you can update your website.
Let’s get it started!
Keeping up with design trends
Design trends change over time. What looked sleek and modern a few years ago might seem dated now. You can even tell the difference when a website was made before 2020.
That’s just 4 years ago!
A fresh, contemporary design shows that your business is forward-thinking and in tune with the times.
You give the impression that your site is up-to-date because your business is detail-oriented and organized enough to handle regular site updates.
Enhancing user experience
A well-designed website isn’t just about looks; it’s about how users interact with it.
If your site is difficult to navigate, slow to load, or not mobile-friendly, visitors are likely to leave and not return.
Imagine a potential customer trying to browse your site on their phone, only to find it hard to navigate because it’s not optimized for mobile.
Frustrated, they leave and find a competitor’s site that offers a seamless mobile experience. That’s an important customer lost to the competition just because your site was lacking!
Improving functionality
New functionalities and features are constantly being developed to make websites more efficient and user-friendly.
By not updating, you miss out on these updates that could enhance the functionality of your site.
Think about the rise of chatbots and AI-driven customer support, for example.
These tools can help you provide immediate assistance to visitors, improve customer satisfaction, and increase conversions.
Improve your SEO ranking
Search engine algorithms change frequently.
Google and other search engines are constantly optimizing their search results to offer better experiences for their users.
They often filter out sites that are outdated or have low engagement rates. You don’t want your site to be part of the ones getting kicked out of the search results!
An outdated website might not be optimized for the latest SEO practices, resulting in lower search engine rankings.
Updating your site helps ensure it meets current SEO standards, improving your visibility online.
Common signs that your website needs an update
It’s not like you’re too attached to your current website design. You just might not know how often you need to update your site.
To be fair, there isn’t a set time limit on when you should be updating your website. Instead, there are some clear signs that your website is due for a refresh.
Here are a few common ones to look out for:
Outdated design
If your website still looks like it belongs in the last decade, it’s time for a redesign.
Modern web design emphasizes minimalism, clean lines, and high-quality visuals. Websites with old-fashioned graphics, heavy text, and cluttered layouts stand out like a sore thumb.
Compare that to sites with ample white space, engaging visuals, and the intuitive design of today.
It’s just no match!
Poor mobile experience
This is a glaring sign of outdated design that people often forget about.
With the majority of internet traffic now coming from mobile devices, a mobile-friendly design is even more important.
If your website doesn’t look good or function well on smartphones and tablets, you’re losing potential customers.
Try accessing your website from a mobile device. If you have to zoom in to read text or if buttons are hard to click, your site definitely needs an update.
Slow load times
Everyone in 2024 functions on instant gratification.
A slow-loading website can be a deal-breaker. If your site takes more than a few seconds to load, visitors might leave before they even see your content.
You can use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to check your website’s load time. If your score is low, it’s time to optimize your site’s speed.
High bounce rates
If visitors are leaving your site quickly, it’s a sign that something is wrong.
After all, they found your site and clicked on the link but they immediately left without browsing.
They were interested at first but they didn’t find what they were looking for or they found a broken feature instead.
It can be one issue, or it can be a combination of all the issues we listed above. High bounce rates can indicate poor design, slow load times, or irrelevant content.
Check your analytics.
If you notice that most visitors are leaving within a few seconds, investigate why. It might be time for a redesign or content update.
Security concerns
Cybersecurity is a major concern for any online business.
(Hello, Crowdstrike nightmare!)
If your website isn’t secure, you risk data breaches and loss of customer trust.
Regular updates ensure that your site uses the latest security measures. Ensure your website uses HTTPS, which secures data between the user and your site.
If your site is still on HTTP, it’s definitely time for an upgrade—you’re probably a few years late on that one!
Steps to update your website
Yes, it can take a lot of planning, but updating your website doesn’t have to be a daunting task.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started.
Evaluate your current website
Start by assessing what works and what doesn’t.
You can view the site as a user or have several people on your team test it out.
It’s even easier when you look at your analytics to understand user behavior, identify high-performing pages, and pinpoint areas that need improvement.
Check which pages have the highest bounce rates and consider why visitors might be leaving those pages quickly.
Define your goals
Now that you have a baseline of what parts of your website work and don’t, figure out what you want to achieve with your website update.
Whether it’s improving user experience, increasing conversions, or enhancing SEO, having clear goals will guide your redesign process.
If your goal is to improve SEO, focus on updating your content, optimizing images, and ensuring your site structure is search-engine-friendly.
Need some help with your website goals?
Here are some guides:
➡️Tips to design your website to convert visitors into customers: conversion-focused web design
➡️Everything you need to learn about SEO for web design to create a high-ranking website
Plan your redesign
Work with a professional design team (Deer Designer!) to create a plan for your website update.
This includes redesigning the layout, updating the content, and adding new features. Consider hiring an on-demand design service like ours to handle the redesign process.
We can design a modern, user-friendly site that aligns with your brand and goals.
Implement the changes
Once you have a plan and mock-up designs, it’s time to put them into action.
This might involve working with developers, designers, and content creators to bring your vision to life.
If you’re adding new features like a chatbot or improving your site’s mobile responsiveness, ensure that your developers have the expertise to implement these changes smoothly.
Getting started with your web design refresh
Updating your website is more than just a cosmetic change. It’s about keeping your business competitive, improving user experience, and staying secure.
If your website is showing signs of age, it’s time to invest in a refresh.
A modern, well-designed website can make a significant difference in how your business is perceived and how effectively it can convert visitors into customers.
By keeping your website up to date, you’re not just keeping up with the times—you’re setting yourself up for future success.
Do you need some more guides for your website design? Here are some you might find useful:
➡️30 professional web design tips every non-designer needs to know
➡️5 good web design principles and examples for your web design inspo!
➡️How to write a website design brief to keep your team aligned on your web design project
Whether you need a complete overhaul or just a few tweaks, Deer Designer is here to help you design a website that truly represents your brand and meets your business goals.
Just send us a request and our professional designers will be on it!
