With the dawning of a new year, it is common for business owners to take a look at their operations— both from a traditional customer-facing approach as well as online—and assess what action items need to go on their to-do list in order to remain at the top of their game. However, if 2020 taught us anything, it’s that “business as usual,” meaning having regular facetime with customers is likely not to become commonplace again anytime soon. Therefore, your digital presence, and namely your website, is more important than ever. So, with that thought in mind, how often do you really need to redesign your website—and have the rules changed in the time of COVID-19?
Traditional Thinking on Website Updates
In days’ past, a standard rule of thumb amongst website designers has been that a website should be updated regularly—this is simply because technology moves very fast as do search engine algorithms. If you fail to keep up with updates then not only might your site look less than relevant, but you also run the risk of not being found as regularly by search engine crawlers.
Now, at the same time, in order to ensure your business website’s relevancy, understand that you do not necessarily have to do a complete overhaul every year, rather, confirming that you are working with a trusted partner who is able to perform necessary upgrades and updates as they are rolled out is key.
Think about it this way, say you have a car, but you have neglected to take it in for regular oil changes, tire rotations, and other maintenance, or only paid attention to these important tasks every few years—suffice to say you might spend a lot of your time walking instead of driving. The same holds true with your website. If you set it on autopilot and simply expect it to keep running and operating correctly without attention or administration, you could be in for a nasty surprise.
Couple normal website concerns such as changes in search algorithms with the challenges that COVID-19 has presented in how you interact with your customers—and namely, your website is the face of your business like never before. Therefore, make sure that having a partner who can perform ongoing updates and maintenance is on your list in 2021.
When a Redesign is Needed
At the same time, you are going to face the fact at some point that you need to overhaul and redesign your website. Typically, you can expect to encounter this scenario every 2-3 years. New trends in website design come out all of the time, and if your site looks like it was designed over a decade ago, then visitors to your site might start to think that your business hasn’t been able to keep up with the times and consumer demands.
Yes, it’s true that redesigning your website might seem like time intensive and expensive endeavor—but it doesn’t have to be if you have the right partner. Ensure you collaborate with a company who is eager and willing to pick your brain, engage in ideation with you, and listen to your needs. When this occurs, the website redesign process is typically smooth, efficient, and in the end, satisfying.
The Benefits of Redesigns & Updates
By staying on top of website updates, upgrades, and redesigns, you will realize many benefits, including boosted SEO and ensuring visitors can find your site. Plus, confirming regular updates and upgrades are completed can safeguard your website design’s responsiveness and its ability to look great on multiple devices, including mobile and tablets, which has the power to set you apart from your competition.
Additionally, it is important to use your website as a tool. Over the course of two or three years, a business owner develops additional clarity about what customers want to know, what works best in terms of sales and marketing, and more. Refreshing your website with that deeper level of knowledge allows you to better use your website as a really effective sales tool.
Finally, a major benefit is simply verifying that your users know that your business is alive and plugging on during this time of uncertainty in our world. You are letting people know you are thriving and open for business—and what business doesn’t want that?
In closing, a website redesign doesn’t have to be done every year—but ensuring your website is updated in an ongoing manner is going to be important. Of course, the team at Woland Web would love to help you with either endeavor—and be your partner so you are aware of up-and-coming trends and technologies that could help your website look and function that much better.
Reach out to us today to learn more about our service offering. We would love to help you reach all of your digital goals in 2021. Contact us today.
