It is quite difficult to make peace with the fact that your online store’s website is no longer performing the way it should. When this happens, many owners feel quite overwhelmed. Designing a good website is no easy task. It requires hours of work, research, and dedication. On top of that, it is also important to mention that designing a website is not cheap. So, after everything you’ve put into making your online store, it is quite daunting to think you have to do it all over again. So here are some factors that will help you figure out the right time to redesign your online store.
However, having an online store that misses the mark is not the way to go. If your conversion rates and overall ROI are suffering, and your business is not showing constant growth, chances are it is high time for an online store redesign. But how do you approach this?
Website redesign is no easy task and it shouldn’t be approached lightly. The first thing you will need to do is try and identify exactly what’s wrong with your current design. Only then will you be able to start implementing the necessary changes. With that being said, here are some tell-tale signs that your online store is due for a redesign.
Why you should redesign your online store and when is the right time to do so?
Your bounce rate is high
The sole purpose of every online store is to turn visitors into customers. Now, if your site is doing the exact opposite, meaning it has a high bounce rate, it might be high time to redesign it. Bounce rate measures the percentage of visitors that only visit a single page of your website. One of the most common reasons behind this is a less-than-great user experience. That said, it is understandable why you want to ensure that your bounce rate is as low as possible. Luckily, this is something that is easily fixable with a good website redesign.
It takes too long to load
Simply starting up your online store and measuring the time it takes for the site to lad is not a great idea. But this also can be a good sign that it is time for a change, especially if your site is not loading quickly enough. Ideally, you should test your website with a reliable speed tester and see how long does it take to load. If the loading speed exceeds 3 seconds – it is time for an overhaul. The more time it takes for your website to load, the greater the chances that your visitors will simply abandon it and go look elsewhere.
It’s missing on-page SEO
On-page SEO is absolutely mandatory in this day and age. So, if your online store is lacking in this field, make sure you do something about it and fast. In order for your website to rank high on Google, you need to ensure that it is well-optimized. This not only goes for your website, as a whole but every single page as well. Therefore, make sure your every page has a unique title tag, is loading fast, has the right meta descriptions, and all other factors that make for a well-optimized website.
Of course, the mentioned examples are only some of the aspects of proper on-page SEO, so make sure you research and include all of them.
It feels too personal
When first designing a website, many inexperienced owners let their personal tastes guide their decision, particularly when it comes to the choice of colors. But the study shows that color choice and placement can greatly affect the effectiveness of a design. So, if your online store feels a bit too personal, make sure you do something about it. You can easily find a reputable custom web design agency that can help you come up with a good web design. Ideally, your web design should appeal to a wider audience and not just your personal taste.
It’s lacking content
In the world of online businesses and digital marketing, content is king. So, if your website is lacking content, you already know what we are going to say – make sure you fix it. Fresh, engaging, and original content will help you not only attract but retain visitors as well. Aside from producing quality content, you also need to make sure you do it often and on a certain schedule. According to HubSpot, businesses that created content on a regular monthly basis managed to attract three times the amount of traffic than businesses that produced no content.
It’s not secure enough
Online security is and should be everyone’s top priority. So, if your online store is not secured properly, you can’t really expect visitors to come flocking to your website. One of the easiest ways to secure your website is by implementing an SSL encryption. This way you will let your visitors know – at first glance – that your website is properly secure and that any information shared between them and your online store is secure as well.
Your customer service is poorly-optimized
Another factor that can greatly influence the success of your online store is your customer service. This is true for any website but it becomes even more crucial when online stores are concerned. For stellar online customer service, make sure you first offer various lines of communication. By enabling your customers to reach you easily using different channels, you will make the entire experience far more seamless. On top of that, make sure your online customer service is up to date to avoid having to work on it again in near future.
It’s not mobile-friendly
With 5.22 billion mobile users in the world, not having a mobile-friendly online store design seems simply irresponsible. With 3 out of every 5 users browsing the internet on their mobile devices, it is extremely important that all of them can access your website. On top of that, simply being able to access it won’t make them stay either. Instead, you will need to take care of your website’s design and offer your mobile visitors a chance to browse an online store that’s fast, secure, and easy to navigate.
It’s not easy to navigate
Navigation is also one of the crucial elements of a good website design. It can significantly affect bounce rates, conversion rates, user experience, and overall user satisfaction. So, if your online store doesn’t provide a seamless and intuitive browsing experience, chances are that your visitors will abandon it even if all of the previously-mentioned aspects are great. That’s why you need to ensure that your online store offers seamless navigation so that your visitors can easily find what they are looking for when browsing your website.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should you redesign your website?
If your website is not facing any issue and generating sales in healthy amount then you only need to update the design of your website every 2 to 3 years of time period to maintain the modern look on your site. But if this is not the case then you may need to reconsider redesigning sooner than later.
How do I redesign an existing website?
You can redesign your website by hiring a freelancer or leave the work to a website redesigning agency. Also you can do it yourself, there are lots of resources available on the internet.
How long does it take to redesign a website?
For a general website with 8-10 pages it generally takes 5-7 days to redesign your website. But if you wanted everything to be perfect not missing out a single details then it might take a bit longer.
How much should I pay for website redesign?
If you handout your website redesign to a agency they may cost you from $300-$3000 depending upon your website.Also you can hire a freelancer and negotiate the price accordingly.
Final Words
While choosing to redesign your online store is not something that can be done overnight, it is still mandatory if your website no longer drives the desired results. By determining what exactly is it that’s preventing your online store from reaching its full potential, you will be able to pinpoint the exact aspects of your website that you need to change. Once you do that, monitor the performance of your new online store design and see if the results are starting to improve.
Since the technology continues to evolve, you need to stay on top of the changing trends if you want your online store to remain relevant and competitive.
Author bio
Tomas is a digital marketing specialist and a freelance blogger. He is focused on new web tech trends and digital voice distribution across different channels. In his spare time, he writes a lot about new business strategies and digital marketing trends for DigitalStrategyOne
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