Even thought the internet is a relatively new medium, things get old pretty quickly. The problem with being at the cutting edge of technology is that it isn’t cutting edge for long. After enough time has passed, everything begins to look old and out of date. Technological progress marches on without a second thought to those it leaves behind.

If you have a website that you use for business then you appreciate that it must be current and up to date. Old and tired looking sites aren’t going to give a good impression of any business, let alone make sales. That said, not every site needs a makeover as soon as the next big thing arrives, some more neutral designs can stand the test of time.

The main reasons a site should be redesigned is to improve usability, or when the company changes its brand. There is always the desire to take advantage of newer, more powerful technology but that only works if the site design will take advantage of it.

If there have been advances that will significantly improve the user experience then it’s well worth the upgrade, as anything that engages the audience more is a good thing, however much it costs. If you have an older HTML only site or one with frames, then moving to a CMS would also be a good move. It allows updates to happen quicker, provides for sleeker designs, and less downtime, plus it needs less maintenance in the long run.

If you’re planning a site makeover, thought must be given to the effect the new design will have on your visitors. Most people have habits, and like consistency in their lives. We don’t always appreciate it when things change, especially if we don’t know the reason why. Changing an established website is much like changing a company brand. You need to ensure that there is enough of the old identity in the new design that customers old and new can still identify with it. If they can’t, you may lose them.

A redesign takes much longer to plan than building a new site from scratch. Building a new site is pretty much a blank canvas. All that has to be borne in mind is the existing brand, the rest is freedom. A redesign is different in that it has to build on what was there before and improve on it. It has something to live up to and a legacy of existing users to retain as well as attract new ones. It has to offer new things to the user without alienating existing visitors.

The decision to redesign a website comes down to a choice between aesthetics or purpose. If you just want a change then a redesign may do more harm than good. If the redesign will change and improve the functionality then it might not be such a bad idea.

Posted in Web Design