Around this time of year, the large majority of us make half-baked promises to ourselves. Most last for two weeks or so before disappearing into oblivion, along with Tamagotchis and Lindsay Lohan.
Overhauling your looks, health, or even your entire lifestyle are all good choices, but they’re pretty difficult when it comes to actually doing it. In other words, they all involve getting out of bed. Making the decision to redesign your website is both a sturdy investment into your business, and requires very little back-crunching movement, if any.
So start. Now. Heeding our tips is the fuel for your rocket boots.
Restructure
This is where you play your thespian card. Act the part of the visitor so you can imagine what your website would look like to fresh eyes.
Can you navigate your way around? Can you minimise the number of clicks it takes to get from point A to B, and does the flow feel natural from one page to another? If you built the maze and are unsure what works and what doesn’t, give the computer to a friend, family member or Leonardo DiCaprio before the dream collapses and he’ll tell you whether it’s a convincing construction.
Responsive Design
If you’re a citizen of the 21st Century and are looking to redesign your website, you’re missing a trick if you don’t optimise it for different devices.
Failing to optimise for mobile is one of the biggest no-nos of web design. No one wants to be zooming into pages just to decipher the minuscule font, so take the time to adapt it – that way you’ll be able to capture a wider, more mobile-savvy audience.
This point isn’t an option. You’re doing yourself a disservice to own a domain and not optimise for mobile and tablet devices.
Fresh Content
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that a website with regular updates, and in possession of a witty blog, is always in receipt of higher Search Engine rankings. Jane Austen would have little idea of the meaning of the above sentence, but you should.
When you redesign your website, make sure you have a blog tab. New content also helps visitors to feel that a website is alive and active. Don’t forget that the existence of well-written, regular blogs are shining beacons to new visitors. Attracted like bugs to a light by your wit and charm, they’ll get a good look at your company’s tone, and be scrambling for the checkout or sub button in no time.
Reassess Speeds
It’s not just WiFi or data speeds that can cause a lag in the time it takes to load a website. The page itself could be to blame, and if your visitor has to wait for longer than two seconds, chances are you’ve already blown it.
When you redesign your website, the temptation might be to include colourful images, lots of words, and moving parts, bold and bright like a New Year’s Day float. And it’s perfectly possible to do so, but just be careful. Reduce the size of your files, declutter and make sure your landing page is easy to load and makes a clear statement about your brand.
Reflect Your Brand
Who are YOU? What are YOUR brand aims? A user needs to know this from day one (or, millisecond one – we are talking about internet users here).
Great web design isn’t just about making your website work with lots of shiny links and functions. If anything, it should be a compelling and interesting introduction to your brand, and what makes you different in the market. Redesign YOUR website, not someone else’s.
Those are just our top five.
There are so many other ways to optimise your website, but these are a solid base to start from. And remember, you can do all of these from your bed. Literally. If I can write this blog whilst hangry on a rickety train, you can open your website right now and check the links work properly.
Not the 1st January. So what? Today is resolution day.