Whether you're an aspiring influencer trying to succeed in the industry or a business wanting to market your offerings, having an outdated website is a universal marketing sin. Not regularly updating your online platform can lead to declining online visibility, decreased traffic, and lost potential customers. It can also negatively affect the user experience and your online reputation.
Therefore, you must learn to keep it updated. Although a redesign may be your first choice, you should consider a website refresh before getting a total revamp. Refreshing means updating or changing a few on-site elements rather than starting from scratch.
This article will define a website refresh, how it differs from a redesign, and why you should choose the former.
A website refresh is like applying a new coat of paint on a car or replacing the wall decor in your living room. It involves minor changes to the site's visual appearance without changing its structure. Changes like changing the colour of menus can significantly impact the site's overall look and feel to the users.
With ongoing testing and optimisation, a website refresh can happen simultaneously or gradually. Professionals constantly update websites for improvement opportunities, as they're never truly finished.
A website refresh only impacts the site's visual appearance by implementing minor changes. On the other hand, a website redesign is a significant overhaul, which can involve changing the content management system, designing a new theme, and even altering the site's functionality.
A website refresh is more cost-effective than a redesign. Professionals can do refreshes incrementally and focus on small changes like call-to-action buttons. In contrast, redesigns require more time and money, especially if you want to add a lot of functionality.
Although a site redesign can be costly, it may be the best option if you have an outdated online platform or lack resources for ongoing maintenance. It can result in increased revenue or leads, making it a cost-effective decision in the long run.
A refresh is better if your website's content management system (CMS) works well and changes are only visual or minor. However, if you need significant revisions or the CMS is causing issues, you may need to reschedule a redesign.
Also, refreshing your site is ideal for minor updates, while a complete redesign is necessary if your CMS is difficult to use or if your site looks outdated, causing complaints and high bounce rates. Refreshes allow for testing, and nothing has to be permanent, while you require a redesign for more significant changes.
You must allow professional designers to redesign your website if you have a static site, need a complete rebrand, or use outdated technology. Making minor changes can address issues like dated design, poor user experience, and tech not meeting current standards.
If you add marketing technology (MarTech) to a website, you may need a redesign. For instance, integrating an eCommerce platform can change the site's navigation, callouts, and structure. That's especially true since a comprehensive digital strategy relies heavily on a website and its content.
Also, changes in content marketing, social media, advertising, and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategies may require minor changes.
Whether you need a website refresh or redesign depends on your situation. You can determine the best action for your site by considering your needs and working with professional designers.
If your business needs a professional Enfield website design, consult Kickass Online! Our digital marketing company in London creates effective campaigns to help our clients generate leads and increase sales online. Contact us now to see impressive results!
