Redesign vs. Realign : What Does Your Website Need?
Now that you have designed the website you can sit back, relax, and wait on potential customers. Right? Now that the site is designed, the website will require constant tweaking due to ever shifting market trends. Right?
Not exactly, neither of the two statements are entirely true. Websites are goal based and focus on increasing sales. To stay competitive in the online market it is essential to understand the concepts of redesign vs realign for a return on investment. The distinction is critical – Understanding the difference between redesigning and realigning can result in happiness with attaining website goals: increased sales, credibility, and long-term clients.
What do Redesign and Realign Mean?
The difference between redesigning a website and realigning a website isn’t always black or white. To put it simply, the need to redesign is based on aesthetics and the need to realign is based on purpose. Redesigning is all about reimaging aesthetic changes: color schemes, graphics, typography, layout, structure. Redesigning keeps the overall structure and functionality of the website while modifying aesthetics and layout. Is your site 6 years old and no longer visually appealing to your target audience? Has your company branding changed? Is the visual design of your site causing users trouble when trying to reach content? These are questions to consider when thinking about redesigning your company site. Another question to ask yourself is, am I merely looking to refresh or fully reposition?
When To Realign
A realign focuses on fixing the functionality of your site. The designer will consider the usability and accessibility of your site. Usability and accessibility of a site deal with whether or not it is easy for a user to complete the goal they set in mind when visiting the site. For example, if a user visits a camping site wanting to learn more about the best camping equipment, are they able to find that information quickly, and is that even an option provided for them on the site? Users shouldn’t be searching for hours trying to find important information, the site’s content should be relevant and easily accessible through links, and the links on your site should all be working. All of these are examples of possible functionality issues that should be addressed with a realignment. A lot of research goes into the realigning of a site. Learning everything there is to know about your users is an integral part of creating a functional site. Overall, realignment is needed when users are visiting your site and their user goals are not being met.
When To Redesign
Is a redesign needed? Reinvigorating market efforts should be full of digital tools: search engine optimization (SEO), social media integration, blog and news templates, conversion-focused pages, compelling visuals, etc. Mobile-friendliness is also very important in the current climate. A redesign is in order if the website is not offering a good experience for mobile users. Is the site built on a suitable CMS and code is well-structured? These are things to consider when thinking about a redesign.
The need to add new technology and functionality lays down a foundation with an eye to the future. Developing a strategy and assessing how the current site is working and the goals for the site can lead to the right decision when determining redesign vs realign. Remember it’s up to the designer to gauge which will effectively meet your companies needs and exceed goals.
Want to work with an agency with the knowledge and guidance to create the best website for your company? Creative Juice will be happy to help, be sure to contact us!
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