Breaking up is hard to do, especially when it’s with your website.
Your business has grown and has new needs that your current website just isn’t capable of fulfilling. Plus, you’ll always have the memories. But how can you be positive that it is time to dump your site’s old design in favor of something new?
There are numerous indicators that signal it is time for a redesign, but for concrete evidence, it is best to look to your analytics. Slow load times, high bounce rates, a gradual decline in website traffic, lackluster engagement metrics or even an uptick in visitor complaints are all good signs that your digital business could benefit from a visual change.
Unlike real-life breakups, it is important to hold onto parts of the past when you breakup with your website. This is especially true for established sites with loyal followings, as throwing away a fan-favorite feature may frustrate your audience and discourage them from visiting again. In fact, finding a balance between new and old is a struggle StudyBlue faced during its redesign process.
Maintaining old technology and integrating it with new – is like dropping a Ferrari engine into a Fiat – that’s one of the been biggest challenges to overcome. Ditch ancient technology.
Then, there’s the basic challenge of balancing old and new. We want to make sure we address and improve upon usability concerns from our current site, without disrupting users’ familiarity and love for the app.
Revealing a brand’s new website to the general public actually represents the very beginning of a project.
Regular testing and monitoring analytics are required to ensure your new digital property reaches its goals going forward.
For instance, if the initial goal of the redesign was to increase traffic, it is important to monitor this metric once the site has gone live.
The same is true of other key performance indicators, such as conversions and engagement.
- You can also consider implementing a solution like Usabilla to learn how the new site is resonating with your audience.
- The Usabilla platform enables websites to collect both qualitative and quantitative feedback from their visitors through surveys and A/B testing.
- It is important to note, however, that some initial feedback may be negative, as loyal visitors might feel overwhelmed upon arriving at a completely different site.
The optimization period of a redesign is a continuous process.
By testing new features and monitoring customer feedback, however, your new site will be able to evolve with consumer preferences, which means you won’t have to deal with another gut-wrenching breakup anytime soon.
Read more: Breaking Up With Your Site’s Design