When is it time to redesign your website? Is there a set time period or list of criteria that can determine when it’s time? Yes and no. Here is where experts tend to be divided. It seems there is a big disparity between what the designers, programmers, and SEOs think.
From the designers perspective fads and trends are always changing. So, if you ask a designer when it’s time to redesign they would say sooner rather than later. This logic seems to make sense, especially considering your competition. Any advantage you have is good. However, there is a fine line between keeping it fresh and confusing visitors. Updating a site with revised graphics and minor copy changes can be a good alternative to a redesign.
Programmers, the back-end development, are prone to resisting design/layout changes. They figure that if the site functions well, is dynamic and constantly updated why fix what ain’t broke, right? This logic also makes sense. Google still loves lots of relevant content. If the site always has fresh content whether by way of blog, news, or articles it does not matter.
The SEO folk are all over the map on this one. And I believe it is a good thing. Google, just like most search engines, is evolving. And because no one really knows the algorithms or formulas there is a debate on what will work. Does Google frown on certain activities it used to find acceptable? This question will continue to be asked. As the web evolves so does strategy.
Now, back to the point - What is the lifecycle of a website? You are absolutely right, there isn’t one. Putting a time frame on the life of a website is like guessing the winning lottery numbers. It’s a crapshoot. There are guidelines, I guess, but you have to be on top of your incoming site data. From analytics to surveys, you need to know what the latest trends are on your site. Because if your website isn’t working for you then what good is it?
A website has a process more than a lifecycle. Instead of thinking in terms of time, think in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. Throughout the life of a website there is a constant process that should be happening. And whether or not that involves a major or minor redesign is beside the point. If your site doesn’t perform well, a new design will not help as much as we would all like.
Granted, UI design is a critical element, but if the site traffic isn’t there and the marketing effort isn’t there a pretty site won’t make it better. It could be said by some that design is a byproduct of a methodical breakdown of the website goals and mission, nothing more. However, on the other hand, a great design can extend and magnify to a great degree a branding effort. From a marketing standpoint a polished design is money.
I won’t disagree that a design can work wonders under certain circumstances. Though a redesign doesn’t always guarantee success. If a redesign doesn’t take into consideration all the site data then it’ll be useless. Without some type of feedback and plan a redesign won’t do the trick.
A website should change as a business does. It should be a reflection of the business and work with the business model in every way. After all, a website is a tireless employee, toiling day and night for the benefit of the business. Make that most loyal of employees, the website, work with you and not against you.
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