9 steps to a successful site redesign

Your website is the window to your company. The internet is becoming the most accessed form of media, and websites have become the most essential marketing tool for businesses. It's no longer a question of whether or not you have a site -- it's all about having an effective one. One click from a customer is a valuable opportunity that can make all the difference. If created properly, a website should instinctively lead visitors where you want them to follow.

Despite the known value a good website can bring, take a moment and think about just how many poor websites you encounter every day. While not every business needs its site to be a high-budget, multimedia extravaganza, every business does need its site to be effective, and properly targeted to its audience.

Certainly no one sets out with the goal of producing an ineffective website. Why, then, are poor websites so prevalent? The answer is almost always that there was not enough time spent planning. (The harsher reality is that many do not even have a plan at all.) People rush into putting up a quick site because they think it will hold them over until they get around to the big launch.

This is a fallacy -- it is almost always far more difficult to rebrand an existing website than to start with a good one. In many industries there seems to be a huge gap between resources devoted to "old-world" marketing strategies and newer forms of media. Make no mistake about it -- great websites result from an ideal combination of marketing, branding, fresh content, and matching the right technology to the right design.

Time and time again my team is asked what it takes to successfully rebrand a website. All too often we're asked specific questions, such as "should my site be programmed in Flash?" or "are drop-down menus a good idea?" Sadly, questions like these do not get to the heart of the issues that need to be considered when rebranding your website.

The biggest -- and most common -- mistake we see is that people begin their redesign without clear goals for the initiative. Most sites are redesigned for purely cosmetic reasons, which overlook the more crucial content, navigational, and marketing challenges that lie underneath.

Here are nine tips that can help ensure that the site you design today will be an effective investment for years to come.

Have a plan; be wary of technology

1. Start with a plan

Just like blueprints in architecture, a properly executed plan shows you how the new site will function before it's built. It is far easier to move a wall during the planning stage, as opposed to an actual wall during the construction phase.

Those same principles apply to websites. Intense focus should be placed on a site's functionality and content before the more subjective design phase begins.

Below is a sample plan our agency prepares in the early stages of our web projects. The overall plan view shows every page in the website, focusing on navigation and sub-navigation.




2. Don't be seduced by technology

A website that is well thought out and easy to navigate will always outperform the latest technology in the long run. Hot technology features should be integrated only if they serve the needs of the site. Don't feel that you need to include the latest feature du jour just because everyone else is doing it. Forget about dancing babies and dazzling light shows.

In the end, it's the clarity and overall "stickiness" of the content and ease-of-use that will make the best impressions.

Get everyone on board; consider user feedback

3. Get buy-in from all stakeholders

Too often we see one person (or division) within an organization pushing for a website overhaul without seeking a buy-in from their colleagues. Website redesigns are an enormous investment of time, and the late entry of a key decision maker almost always undermines the intentions of the group. Anyone worth getting feedback from at all should be involved during the planning stage.

4. Consider the writing on the wall

This is no time to go it alone, and certainly not the time to rely on gut instinct. Take a look at the statistics on your current site traffic. What pages are visited most frequently? Where are visitors becoming disengaged and exiting? Seek feedback from your audience about what is and is not working on your existing site. Send out a questionnaire, conduct a phone interview, or form a focus group -- whatever it takes. You need to hear what the people who use the site are saying, even if it's not what you want to hear. Again, it's far better to know this now, rather than after a costly overhaul.

Guarantee freshness

5. Rotate content

One of the biggest challenges with any website is to keep the content fresh and encourage repeat visitors. Choose specific areas on the site to update regularly, along with designated areas that can be freshened up seasonally.

This flexibility allows your site to evolve naturally over time without changing its fundamental structure. In addition, this can tie into larger marketing plans. When refreshing your messaging to match current trends, your website will be able to round out campaigns and connect the dots.

The Wall Street Journal's Weekend Edition website uses bi-weekly updates from the print edition to pull fresh content onto the homepage. By mousing over the image, the window opens to reveal an expert.





Be memorable

6. Do something interesting

Websites should give something back, rewarding the visitor with every click. That means turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.

In the online world, it's all about first impressions. In the minds of web users, a better impression translates into a better reputation. Be aware of this notion and strive to stand out. You can do this through an interesting navigational element, an engaging feature that sets the tone, or simply the way the content is written with soft sell techniques.

If people are looking at your site, they're probably also looking at your competitor's.

Be better.

Check out the unique interface below that our company designed for M Studio. Each "page" in the stack opens up to reveal a different project. This intuitive navigation suited the information well, creating a unique, unforgettable experience.

Promote from the start; remember SEO

7. Plan to promote from the beginning

If you don't tell people about your new site, trust me, no one will ever hear about it! We have seen others invest significant funds to launch a great website -- only to see no results. A detailed marketing plan will enable you to create innovative promotions, online and off, that will drive traffic toward the new site. A website is the mere beginning in a chain of marketing tactics, and while engaging features on your site will spread the word, marketing in other media will help drive them to your site in the first place.

8. Search and succeed

We currently search online for information about anything and everything under the sun. That's why your site needs to be in the top 10 when people are searching for you. The best websites are ones that make effective use of search engine optimization practices. The internet has a plethora of information out there, and the higher ranking you have on a search engine, the easier it is to get noticed. Scoring higher rankings on search engines is an elusive art. However, there are standard practices that should be considered from the outset, as they can affect the site's very content.

Call the pros

9. Hire a professional

Your website will likely become your most important marketing tool. So why would you hire your nephew, ask an intern to learn HTML, or generally trust your success to anyone other than the very best?

Websites are very complex pieces of software requiring an ever-increasing level of expertise to build. That's why you should interview qualified teams to lead this initiative. The best way to evaluate their work is to see examples of their sites and speak to their previous clients. Search for someone who best suits your needs and personality. The time it takes to find the right fit will pay off in the long run.

Conclusion

Following these steps will ensure that your investment of time and money results in a site that generates income for you and interest among your audience. Your website is the greatest opportunity to engage and educate consumers about your products and services. Now, more than ever, you cannot let poor web design and navigation cost you sales.