Site redesign: when is it time and what to save

A site that was perfectly good five years ago can work against you today. But redesign is not a cure-all, and a poorly done one can also spoil what is already working. Here's how to assess whether your site redesign really needed.

Signs it's time to redesign

The site is bad on my phone

If you have to enlarge the text, the buttons are tiny or the page breaks, you lose visitors. Most people today search from their phones.

Loading slowly

If a site takes a long time, people leave before they see the offer. Sometimes this is solved by optimization, and sometimes the base is so old that it is not worth mending.

Looks outdated or cluttered

A website is a first impression of a company. If it looks like the company stopped ten years ago, the customer will also think that this is the case with the service.

Don't bring inquiries

If you have visits and there are no calls or messages, the problem is usually the message, structure or call to action, not just the appearance.

You can't change anything on your own

If you have to call someone for every little thing and they don't answer, the system bothers you more than it helps.

Job's changed.

New services, new customers, new names. The site should talk about the company as it is today.

Technical problems

Unsafe connection warnings, page errors, outdated system versions. This should not be ignored.

When redesign is not required

Sometimes that's all it takes.

• refresh texts and photos,
• improve speed,
• add a clearer call to action,
• edit titles and descriptions for search.

These changes are cheaper and faster, and the result may be the same. So before making a decision, ask for a review, so you know what really doesn't work.

What to save when redesigning

This is the most important part, and it is most often forgotten.

1. Addresses of pages that are already getting visits. If you change your address without setting up a redirect, you lose your Google positions.
2. Texts that work well. Not everything has to be thrown away. A page that has been ranked should not be rewritten from the ground up.
3. Domain Is it contracting? Is it on a flatline?
4. Connection to your company's Google profile and tracking tools. It must not be interrupted.
5. Content that customers are looking for. Price list, contact, references.

What a reasonable redesign looks like

1. Analysis of the existing site: what works, what doesn't, which pages get visits.
2. Structure plan: what remains, what merges, what disappears.
3. New design and content.
4. Redirecting old addresses to new ones.
5. Testiranje prior to publication, in particular the mobile version and the form.
6. Visit Tracking a few weeks after the announcement, to notice problems.

Common mistakes

• It's just “to be new and beautiful,” without a goal.
• It changes everything at once, so we don't know what helped.
• Forget about redirects, and positions fall.
• The new design is heavier and slower than the old one.
• It is not tested on the phone.

How to know the redesign worked

Before you start, write down a few numbers you can track: how many visits you get per month, how many inquiries you receive, what are the most visited parts of the site, and your upload speed. Keep track of the same things after you publish. This way, you won't have to rely on “looking better” to see if the site really works better.

A positive sign is multiple queries with the same or higher number of visits, and the warning is a sharp drop in visits in the first weeks, as this usually means that something is missed around addresses or redirects and needs to be responded to quickly.

Also include people from the company who talk to customers on a daily basis. They know what questions are repetitive and what the site needs to answer them in advance.

How long it takes and costs

Depends on scope. Frame: Site starts from €20/month, and the final price is agreed according to the scope. The deadline is 7 days, and you get an estimate on the same day.

What next.

If you are considering a redesign, please refer to the page development of websites Podgorica and Montenegro. The new site is a good opportunity to link to Google and Meta Campaignsand if it is related to a larger investment, check EU projects and grants.

Free analysis

Not sure if you need a redesign or just a repair? We'll take a look at your site and speak frankly. Request free analysis and get three priority recommendations, no obligation.

Asenvirocon, Bulevar Mihaila Lalića, Podgorica · info@asenvirocon.me · 067 222 975