Redesign

Definition

Redesign is a visual upgrade or rearrangement of an existing web presence. While a relaunch focuses on technical changes and readjustment of the content, a redesign is mostly about the layout. It does not change technical properties like switching to a new content management system or a new URL would. Launching a redesigned website can help you with implementing new corporate design strategies or improving your website’s usability and user experience.

Possible reasons for a redesign

There can be various reasons for a redesign of your website, but it mostly comes down to user experience. The biggest issues are:

Unattractive web design

Colors, shapes, and fonts can affect our mood and encourage us to take certain actions. This is why a visually unattractive design can negate all marketing efforts. Users tend to leave within seconds if they do not find a website appealing.

Poor usability

Users that come to your website often have a specific goal such as finding certain information or making a purchase. A confusing layout that makes it difficult to navigate through your website and find the desired content can drive them away. This is why your website needs good usability, a clearly defined structure, and intuitive navigation. All of these aspects can be achieved with a redesign.

The website no longer follows current web standards

This is one of the main reasons for the redesign of a website. An outdated internet presence has a negative impact both on the perceived quality of your products or services and on all of your marketing measures, including search engine optimization. A website without a clear structure and professional look might keep visitors from buying your product.

Goals of a Redesign

There are many goals that can be pursued by redesigning a website. One goal could be increased usability or to make your website appear modern and up-to-date without having to spend a lot of time and effort. While the redesign is mostly about a website’s layout and looks, it can have a measurable impact on other aspects. For example, rearranging visual elements can bring individual products into focus which increases a visitor’s willingness to buy.

Improving your website’s layout by a redesign can help with dwell time, too. An appealing and user-friendly design makes visitors feel more comfortable and stay longer on your website.

Redesigning buttons and other visual elements on a web page can also lead to a better click-through rate (CTR). The CTR measures the relation between site impressions and clicks on an ad, button, link, etc. If 30 out of 100 visitors click on such an element, the CTR is 30 percent. The higher the click-through rate, the better.

Another aspect that might benefit from a redesign is branding. A visually appealing website can lead to a stronger identification of customers with your brand.

Steps of the redesign process

Redesigning can be split into three phases:

Definition of goals (What do you want to achieve with a redesign?)

You should define specific goals before starting to redesign your website, as this will save you money and time. Do you want your page to be up-to-date and comply with the latest standards? Should it address a new target group? The more specific and realistic your goals are, the easier it is to implement them. Once the objectives are defined, you can work on finding effective solutions.

Who should design the new website?

There are multiple options available when looking for a designer, depending on your budget. If your company does not have in-house web developers and designers, you can hire a design agency. Web agencies usually employ a team of specialists that can handle all of your requirements and design your site the way you need it.

The actual design process

The design of a modern website typically includes the following steps:

Wireframing - a rough outline of the new website
Creating the page template - the foundation of the finished design
Programming - the developer programs the website with the new design
Add content - the website is enriched with textual and audiovisual content
User tests - the last step is to observe how users react to the new design

You can choose how much you want to be involved in each step of the actual design process and how much freedom you want to give to the designers.

Opportunities and risks

Redesigning your website can yield significant benefits. An error-free technical performance and an appealing, modern design can present added value to your customers and help you stand out from the competition. It can also improve user interaction which increases the chances of converting them into customers. However, a redesign also bears risks for marketing and search engine optimization, e.g. because of a poorly designed and implemented layout. Programming errors, semantically incorrect HTML code, and other anomalies, too, can negatively impact search engine rankings and user-friendliness, leading to a decline in visitor numbers.