So your website is looking a little dated and it’s time to make some changes and improvements.
One of the biggest things to consider is whether you should you have someone alter your existing design, or start a new web presence from the ground up.
It’s not always an easy decision to make, and you will probably hear differing opinions on the subject. Never forget, however, that upgrading or replacing your website should be a business decision first and foremost, not one based on a sudden desire or artistic sensibilities. That means you should base the outcome on a set of business criteria, such as:
Your budget.
All things being equal, it’s almost always going to be cheaper to add a few pages or a new look, to your existing website then it is to build a brand-new web presence. But most people seem to forget, is the more changes you make, the faster those hours can add up. And launching a new website is more about impact than anything else, so you’ll want to be sure you don’t save a few dollars now just to hurt your sales and marketing potential later.
When you need the new website launched.
In the same way, making some quick edits or renovations to your current website is generally going to be faster, but also limits you in how much you can actually improve your web presence. So plan early and think carefully about your calendar. If you have a bit of time to work with, you can be more ambitious with your plans.
Current versus needed functionality.
What does your website not do that you wish it would or could? Until you can really answer this question, deciding what kinds of changes to make to your website – and on what scale – is kind of pointless. Often, businesses that think they just want to switch a few things in their layout find that what they really need is more marketing and lead generation power. In those situations, attempting to “fix” what they have doesn’t make as much sense as starting over.
Whether your existing website is responsive.
Responsive web designs, which adapt to viewers’ browsers and screen sizes, are becoming increasingly important because more and more people are viewing web pages through smartphones and tablets. Unfortunately, it can be expensive and time-consuming to re-encode an old website for responsive capability, so adding this incredibly important feature could mean starting from scratch.
Your longer-term sales and marketing goals.
If your current website already fits perfectly into your sales and marketing plans, and gets good results, then there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. On the other hand, if you’re trying to do big, ambitious things with your company, you don’t want to let an out-of-date website hold you back. So a minor facelift to your site may be the only thing you need.
Getting a “new” website doesn’t necessarily have to mean getting a new website, but the reality is that it’s sometimes faster – and even less expensive – to start from the ground up than it is to renovate the foundation of your old web presence. If you’re not sure what you should do, or how it will affect the final product and profitability of your business, why not speak with a member of our team today to get some advice based on your specific situation?
If you are looking at renovating or rebuilding your current business website, don’t hesitate to contact me today.
