How to plan a website revamp
Without the hassle or headache
15/03/2024
Website revamps are probably the last thing on your mind. As a marketer, you’re already busy trying to get more leads for your business. You don’t need another initiative that could drag on for months and distract you from other more demanding projects.
But to stay relevant and competitive, your online presence demands constant updating and fine-tuning. It’s not enough to have an online presence. You must ensure your presence is dynamic, current, and consistently meeting the needs and expectations of your audience.
Revamping your website is also a powerful way to breathe new life into your online image and provide an improved user experience enhanced by fresh content, relevant information, and inviting design. Yet, effective website revamps require careful planning, a creative vision, and a coordinated approach.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the crucial steps of a successful website revamp and share pro tips to ensure your new website doesn’t just look better but performs better too.
5 signs you need a website revamp
Think of your website as your virtual storefront. Just as brick-and-mortar businesses refurbish their physical locations to attract and retain customers, so should you refresh your website to maintain its relevance and appeal.
Various factors can lead to the need for a website revamp. These factors may include:
1. The user interface is broken
It’s possible that your website’s user interface does not appeal to the ever-changing digital aesthetics. This is similar to a physical store with a faded paint job and a weather-beaten sign, which doesn’t attract many customers.
2. Your website is performing poorly
Your website might not be performing optimally, with slow page loading times and broken links pushing existing and potential customers away. Today, people need information quickly. Room for patience – not to mention tolerance for error – is slim to none.
3. You’ve updated your brand strategy
Your website might require an update to align with a recent rebranding or significant change in your business direction. Your online presence should mirror your offline evolution and ensure a coherent brand experience across all touchpoints. Therefore, keeping your website updated and aligned with your current brand identity is crucial.
4. The technology has changed
Web technology is another factor to consider. Perhaps your website isn’t mobile-friendly – a significant issue, considering that more than half of global web traffic now comes from mobile devices.
5. To enhance your online visibility
Finally, you might want to improve your SEO performance with up-to-date strategies. A revamp can better tune your website to search engine algorithms, resulting in higher visibility, more traffic, and increased conversions.
5 steps to plan your website revamp
Planning a successful website revamp requires a well-thought-out strategy. Whether you’re kick-starting the project from scratch or improving an existing interface, numerous elements come into play. Let’s dive into five steps to guide you along.
1. Set clear objectives
Identifying and stating your primary business objective will guide your website revamp. For example, you might focus on improving user experience, increasing site traffic, or boosting conversion rates. With these objectives, you can plan a revamp that meets your business needs.
2. Conduct a website audit
Before reinventing your online presence, closely examine your current website. Outsource your website content audit or use tools like Google Analytics to track page views, bounce rates, and visitor engagement. This data will help you identify what’s working and what needs improvement.
3. Understand your audience
Understanding your audience is key to designing an effective and engaging website. Conduct customer surveys or focus groups and gather feedback for insights into their wants and needs. Learning about your audience’s preferences will help inform your design and content creation strategy.
4. Plan your site structure
An effective website revamp also involves a well-planned site structure. Organised page layouts ensure easy navigation for users, ultimately leading to a positive user experience. Creating a site map can be a useful tool in visualising and planning this structure.
5. Choose the right technologies
Consider the tools and technologies that will best support your objectives. This might involve choosing a new website platform, web development tools, or analytics software. Do your research to find products that suit your requirements and budget.
Aligning content and design teams for an effective website revamp
No website revamp is a one-man show. It requires collaboration from diverse internal and external team members – from product managers, web developers and graphic designers to content creators and marketers.
For a successful website revamp, perfect synchronisation (especially between your content and design teams) is a necessity. Here are four crucial collaboration elements you need to consider:
- Sharing a vision: Initially, it’s crucial everyone on both teams shares a common understanding of the project’s objectives.
Regular meetings, brainstorming sessions, or team-building activities can drastically foster this unified sense of direction. Having distinct, data-driven goals is vital; everyone should appreciate how their input contributes to those goals.
- Cross-functional collaboration: Fostering consistent communication between the design and content teams is never easy, but it’s absolutely essential for keeping the website revamp process on track.
To facilitate this dialogue, use online project management tools like Trello, Asana, or Slack. These platforms can help teams share files, feedback, and keep updated with the project’s timeline and progression.
- Respecting the process: Content and design teams have different and unique processes that must be acknowledged and respected. Creating a harmonious workflow between the two can optimise the overall revamp process.
For example, having the design team provide a brief for the content team can help align their creative concepts. At the same time, the content team could include SEO targets for the design team to consider in their visual designs.
- Consistent feedback and iterations: A culture of consistent feedback can facilitate learning and iterations, ultimately leading to a better end product. Remember, you’re all working towards the same goal, so constructive criticism and suggestions should always be encouraged.
Regularly review your project’s progress and be open to making changes along the way to ensure the end result is the best it can be.
Creating content for your new website
In creating compelling web content, you’re not just developing material for your website. You’re telling your brand’s story, engaging your audience, and establishing a connection that could turn casual visitors into loyal customers. Your website content should be intriguing, useful, and easy to digest. Here’s how you can get there:
- Know your reader: Understanding your audience is essential to crafting content that resonates with them. What are their interests? What problems are they trying to solve? Mould your content to meet these needs and speak directly to them in a language they understand and prefer.
- Craft captivating headlines: Headlines are your first impression, your opportunity to grab a visitor’s attention. They should be concise, intriguing, and relevant. If your headline can stir curiosity while accurately representing the content that follows, you’ve hit the jackpot.
- Create value-driven content: Each page on your website should offer value to the reader. Whether educating them on a topic, offering a solution, or providing entertainment, ensure your content has a clear purpose. Consider using clear sub-headers, bullet points, graphics, videos, and infographics to make your content more engaging and easier to scan.
- Be consistent in your tone and style: Maintaining a consistent tone and style across your content helps you build a defined brand persona. Be consistent, whether you choose to be formal, casual, playful, or professional. This will help your audience recognise and connect with your brand more easily.
- Use SEO-friendly content: Content isn’t just about pleasing your site visitors. It’s also about making Google happy. Using SEO strategies, like relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and alt descriptions, helps improve your visibility on search engine results. But remember, while SEO is important, don’t let it compromise the quality of your content. Always write for your readers first, search engines second.
Dealing with a busy schedule or lack of manpower shouldn’t be a reason to compromise on your website’s aesthetics or functionality. When your time and resources run short, it’s worth considering bringing in an expert third party. Outsourcing your website’s content creation can take a huge weight off your shoulders, leaving you free to focus on what you do best: running your business.
Besides saving you a considerable amount of time, outsourcing content creation also ensures you gain access to professionals who understand the craft, nuances, and strategies required for engaging web content. They are well-versed in producing high-quality, SEO-optimised content that speaks to your target audience and drives them to action.
Choosing to outsource doesn’t necessarily mean losing control over your brand message or identity. A good content agency will take the time to understand your brand, goals, and audience, delivering content that is true to your messaging and voice.
Getting started with your website revamp
Now that you’re armed with insights and strategies to tackle your website revamp, it’s time to take action. Remember, a successful website revamp isn’t just about giving your site a fresh coat of paint—it’s about aligning your online presence with your business objectives, user needs, and industry trends.
By following the steps outlined in this guide, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the complexities of a website revamp and emerge with an online platform that looks great and drives results.
Ready to kickstart your website revamp journey? Contact us to discuss how our team can help you create a website that captures your brand’s essence and engages your target audience effectively.
