It’s January! We’re stepping into another year! Renewal! Huge goals! Time for big changes! Time to… redesign your website?!
That kind of energy is huge this time of year, in life and in business. We want to make the most of it, so it’s tempting to do ALL THE THINGS… and yet, you probably don’t have room to do ALL of the things right now, right?
So, if one of your big changes is about a redesign of your website, I’m going to suggest you pump the brakes for a second. (A web designer telling you to slow down with your website? What?!)
Yes, seriously, because as excited as you might be to dive in, it’s worth your while to do a quick sanity check! There are a few big things to think about that’ll help you decide whether the time is Now or Not.
Is your website actually reaching your goals?
Think about it: if your website is doing the job it’s designed to do, then there might be other parts of your business that need your attention more.
If it’s not bringing you those leads or sales or email newsletter signups, though, then now is the time to fix that!
If you’re thinking, “What do you mean, goals?” then the answer is probably No. That also means you have some thinking to do!
Before you start to redesign your website, you’ll want to know what results you want to see from it! Even a simple website plan can be a huge help for the web designer you plan to work with.
Does your audience know how to find what they need?
Outside of serving your goals, your website’s job is to give your audience what they want. So ask yourself: can they find it?
If you’re getting constant emails and phone calls with questions that you know your website is supposed to answer, your website likely does need a tune-up.
Or, maybe your website used to be a great fit! …But now it feels more like you’re trying to fit an entire circus’ worth of content into a tiny clown car. If you’ve outgrown what you have, it could be time for something new.
Does your website feel like a maze? Simply sitting down and planning your website can help you and your web designer get a handle on what content needs to be there–and what’s most important.
Does it look appealing to you and the people you want to attract?
I’ll be the first to tell you that even the prettiest, most dynamic website won’t sell a damned thing without appealing and inviting content.
Even so, I’m not going to tell you that looks don’t matter, because, well, they do.
Good content does a lot of the heavy lifting on any good website, but it can’t do any lifting if you’re embarrassed to show your website to anyone!
It may be high time to redesign your website if:
- it doesn’t visually align with the look of your other marketing materials
- the design doesn’t appeal to the audience you want to attract (note: the audience you want may not be the same as the audience you’re already getting!)
- the look and feel doesn’t fit with where you want your business to go next.
So, how much do looks matter to you? They could be a good enough reason for a redesign.
If you redesign your website, do you even have time to think about it?
This is a really hard question for small businesses, because we always seem to be busy! Still, even if you hire a professional to redesign your website, it’s still going to take some of your time.
Any good web designer will at least some of your time for things like:
- giving them a sense of what you want your website to look like
- telling them what you want your visitors to do on your website
- giving them feedback about whether things are headed in the right direction
- making sure all of the information that needs to be there is included.
If it’s your busy season, and you don’t even have 5 seconds to reply to your web designer with a thumbs up emoji, you might have to put redesigning your website on hold for a bit.
Do you know you’re too busy now, but want to make sure you don’t put it off? You can book a web design consultation now, and let them know when you’ll be ready to start! Your dream web designer may not even be able to start right away, but even if they are, no creative is ever going to complain about being booked out into the future.
If all of this talk about website goals and content has you reeling, my Simplify + Sell Website Planner is just the thing! Get your own copy, organize your thoughts, and get clear on your goals for the new year.
