Although it can be difficult to accept that your website is underperforming or unattractive, odds are that if you’re reading this, you’re considering redesigning it.

Your current website required hours of planning and creation. You toiled over colour schemes and pictures, either paid designer or painstakingly worked your way through guidebooks and internet sites to do it yourself. The thought of starting this process over again can be daunting to anyone. 

As with your first website design, a redesign or rebuild is a big investment, either in your time, energy or money. However, if your current website is missing the mark with visitors and isn’t performing as it should be, it may be worth considering redesigning your website. 

Here are 10 signs your website is due a redesign:

1. The content on your website is not up to date

When was the last time you updated your website? Has your company changed? Do you receive calls concerning goods or services you no longer provide?

It is not surprising that a website with out-of-date material will find it difficult to draw in and keep users. 

Simply updating your website with fresh content will boost its search engine rating, enhance its usability, and improve its overall quality, ultimately encouraging people to come back for more.

2. You want to add functionality to your website

You started off small but now you want to expand your business. Maybe you want to add a shop, blog, mailing list or members-only area to your current website. Adding new functionality to your website can really aid in increasing conversion rates and help your website perform better. 

3. It’s not secure

Have you ever gone onto a website only to be confronted with a pop-up to say your connection is not private or your connection not secure? Do you usually click straight off the website and go somewhere else? You’re not alone!

Most website users (90%!) will cancel a transaction if their data was sent over an insecure connection.

If there is no lock icon beside your domain in the browser this likely means your website is not secure – leaving it open to being hacked!

Businesses need to add SSL certificates to their websites to secure online transactions and keep customer information private. SSL is a security protocol which creates an encrypted link between a web server and a web browser. It uses encryption algorithms and prevents hackers from reading data as it is sent over the connection.

If it is unreliable if it is subject to various attacks if advertisements or unwanted links appear when a user tries to browse it… do not wait and quickly make a complete redesign of your site.

4. Your website is not consistent with your brand

If you have recently rebranded and your website no longer reflects your brand identity, it is definitely time for a redesign.  Every element of your website, from the logo to the font and colour scheme, must accurately reflect your brand, your business’s objective, and the services you offer.

5. Your website is not responsive

64% of websites are viewed on a mobile device. Today, mobile phones, tablets, smart TVs, games consoles, ebook readers and so many other devices are used to access more than half of websites worldwide. Having a website that is just mobile-friendly is no longer sufficient. Through adaptive design, your website must be responsive to all types of browsers and devices. 

When visitors encounter an unsatisfactory website on a mobile device, 51% will visit a competitor’s website and make a purchase there.   If your website isn’t responsive, it’s time for a redesign.

6. You have broken links 

Dead links, also referred to as broken links, are bad for the user experience on a website. They appear to be regular links, however as their name suggests, clicking on them does not take users to the desired page. Instead, broken links direct users to a 404 error page, which frequently prompts them to leave the website.

It’s helpful to know that you don’t need to manually check each link on your website to determine if it works. You can check if your website includes dead links by entering its URL at brokenlinkcheck.com. If you find any dead links, you should either delete them or change the target URL.

7. Your website is slow to load

Have you ever left a website after waiting too long for it to load? On your website, your visitors might be making the same choices. In fact, according to a study completed by Google, 53% of visitors abandon a website if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load.

Redesigning your website will help optimise content for faster load times and page speeds. 

8. Your customers can’t find the information they are looking for easily

UX design focuses on the user journey through a website. They should be guided through the website with ease with a layout that is not confusing. 

If customers can’t find out what your business does, what you have to offer and how to get in touch with you, that’s a big problem.  If you users are having trouble finding the information they require, even on a beautifully designed website you will struggle to see the results you want.

9. Your design is outdated

Businesses undergo a redesign process for a variety of reasons, but the main one is an outdated design. 

Did you know that 94% of complaints about websites are related to design?

If your website’s design is outdated, it can have a detrimental effect on your customer’s initial impression and their user experience as a whole.

 You won’t believe how many businesses still have websites that appear to have been created decades ago. They are out of date, even to those without any web design expertise. This might harm the company, especially if customers have to choose between multiple rivals. 

Customers are more likely to choose a business with a nice-looking, user-friendly website because it gives them confidence that the business is growing and aware of current trends and technologies.

10. You are not proud of your website

Do you hate your website? Do you avoid telling people about it? Have you taken your website address off your email signature and business cards? If you’re not proud of your website design, it’s hurting your marketing and crippling your business growth. This is definitely a sign that it’s time for a redesign.

To summarise…

If you’re experiencing any of the problems listed, it’s time to start thinking about redesigning your website.

If you’re still not sure what to do, get in touch. I offer website audits where I can have a look at your current website and give advice on where you can improve. We can start a conversation, discuss your goals and see how we can help your business succeed.