You did it! You spent hours designing your website, picking the colors, the fonts, the images, writing the content. It’s out in the world and you’re thrilled! So now you can set it and forget it, right? Like an alarm clock? Unfortunately, no. A website is more like a succulent – sure, it can be low maintenance but even succulents need water and nutrients every now and again.

How can you tell if you should redesign your website? As a Charlotte web designer (and Charlotte web redesigner, I might add), we can spot when your website needs a revamp. What follows are some of the signs we’ve learned to watch out for.

How is the website audit performing?

First off, you should start with a website audit. Read our post about that but in essence, during a website audit, you’re determining if your website is doing what you want it to do. What’s your traffic like? What are your conversions like? Do people spend time on your website?

If you don’t like the answers to these questions, it could be because your website needs a redesign. Why? Because people want to visit pretty websites. And also, search engine optimization (SEO) isn’t only about keywords and the like, it’s about web performance. If your website is buggy or out of date, search engines will say, “Hard pass” and your ranking will drop.

How does it compare?

Related to auditing your website, how does your website compare with the competition? Have you checked out their websites lately? It doesn’t have to be anything too major or in-depth but if you visit your competition’s website and say, “Wow, this looks slick and mine does not,” it’s time for a web redesign. Lucky for you, you know of a Charlotte web redesigner, and you can contact us for help.

It may also be that you don’t have a direct competitor. That’s OK! What are the benchmarks for your industry? That could be things such as the conversion rate, the bounce rate, and the average time on pages. It’s worth it to learn these things. As you’re running a business, you do want to keep up with the Joneses.

Has your branding changed?

Sometimes you need a website redesign not because your performance is off or your competitors are miles ahead. Sometimes you need to redesign your website because your branding and design style are different. Maybe you had a cutesy logo but now you want something more sophisticated. If that’s the case, your website needs a revamp. Your website is a reflection of your brand so if your branding has changed, so must your website.

Linked to branding is the user experience (UX). What that translates to is how easy is it for people to navigate your website? Is it clear? Have your customers’ needs changed? If so, redesigning your website will more accurately reflect your customers today.

Time for a Website Redesign: Expert Advice from Web Symphonies

If none of the above applies to you – your website still performs well, your branding hasn’t changed, etc. – if it’s been more than five years since you updated your website, it’s time. I hate to say it but design elements change. What used to be fashionable years ago is outdated now. That’s true for clothes but it’s also true for websites. As an N.C. web design company with decades of experience, we’ve seen this firsthand. Websites look vastly different now than when we first started and we’ve had to keep pace with the trends. It’s not only about aesthetics, it’s also about the technology that undergirds your website.

If it’s been more than five years since your website had a refresh, there could be issues lurking beneath the surface like a submarine just waiting to attack. One day your website might break or drop in search rankings all because you’re using old technology. It’s important to have a trained professional take a look to make sure your website is functioning properly.

There you have it, four signs you need a website redesign. Does your website fall into any of these categories? If so, we’re here to help. As a Charlotte web design company (and Charlotte web redesign company), we help with this all the time. Get in touch with us via email or call (704) 336-9113.

Ready to Transform Your Online Presence? Get Expert Guidance on Website Redesign from Web Symphonies and Take the First Step Today!