Onsharp

Eventually, your website is going to need a redesign. Many business people hesitate to take this step because of the cost. The key is to determine the point at which failing to update your website begins costing you money -- and change it before that.

 Take a good look at your current website.  Then look at this list of the top ten signs that your website needs a makeover:

1. Your website contains information that's no longer accurate. Few things give a worse impression than outdated information on a website. Photos of team members who no longer work there, hours or locations that aren't current, or descriptions of services that you no longer offer can lead to serious customer dissatisfaction, and a general sense that you're not on top of your game. If you have frequent changes, consider having a Content Management System built into your new site, so you can update the information yourself.
2. Your website is missing key information. Do you find yourself saying, "Well, it doesn't say this on our website, but..." to customers? When your website doesn't list all the services and products you offer,you're losing out on opportunities. People checking to see whether you offer what they need won't go ahead and call or visit to give you a chance to correct your website.
3. Your website no longer reflects your business. Businesses change. If your business used to serve primarily farmers and now you're working with a broader range of clients, you may want a look that reflects that. If you used to work only in Fargo and now you've got a tri-state service area, your website may need a new map and different photos. If you started out as a hair salon and now you're a spa, the image of your business needs a change -- and that means that your website needs a change.
4. Your website doesn't reflect current circumstances. Sometimes it's not your business that has changed, but the outside world. If your website was designed to say "Treat yourself to luxury" and the current economy makes you want to say "We're your best value," then you may need a change. If your website was built when your business was on the edge of town and a new neighborhood has built up around you, you may need a different feel to your website. If your website was built with the idea that customers would only use it to find your office, and now they all want to conduct their business online, it's defnitely time for an update.
5. Your website no longer works properly. Technology changes. If your website was built before 2005, we can promise you that it doesn't look the way you think it does to some of your visitors. It also doesn't look the way it should to the search engines. You could keep your old design and have it re-built with newer technology, but if you make that investment, it makes sense to update the look at the same time. 
6. Your website doesn't meet current standards for accessibility. In the past, websites were built without considering the needs of visitors with limited vision or other special circumstances. Older sites also aren't built to accommodate Blackberries and other mobile devices. Modern website design takes all visitors into account. Given a choice, visitors with special needs (and search engines) will choose a modern site. And wouldn't you prefer to have an accessible web site, just as you have an accessible workplace? Onsharp can check that for you, and let you know what needs updating.
7. Your website wasn't built correctly in the first place. Let's face it, a lot of websites have been put together by a friend of the owner's cousin who had a book that gave instructions. Or maybe you downloaded a template and did it yourself. Maybe you weren't sure this internet thing was going to last, or just didn't have the budget for a professional design to begin with. At this point, you know that most of your customers are online, and your website is important. Or it may be that your website was built well from a technical standpoint, but didn't consider search engine optimization or the realities of your business, and that animated introduction or grunge style is costing you visitors. It's hard to give up on a design you like, but it's better than continuing to support a website that isn't doing what you need it to do.
8. Your website is getting that Frankenstein look from having had a lot of little cumulative changes. Sometimes we make a little change here and a little change there, adding a picture of the second location in Moorhead and tucking in a note about a new service package till the whole site begins to look as though it was cobbled together instead of planned. When you get that look, your original design isn't working any more, and you need a fresh start.
9. Your website just looks dated. Just as an office can look dated when the color scheme or furnishings and decorations are never changed, a website can look dated. If your website has an old-fashioned air, then your business looks old-fashioned, too. Unless that's your goal, it makes sense to update your website every year or two.
10. Your website isn't performing the way you want it to. If you get fewer visitors than you used to, or fewer conversions, then it's time to think about a change. Even if you love your website, if the statistics show that it's not succeeding, a redesign is a smart move.

Call Onsharp today at 701.356.9010 if you're in the Fargo-Moorhead area, or toll-free at 701.356.9010 if you're further afield. Our experts will help you determine whether you really need a redesign, and if so, how we can make the best possible website for you.