Why Do You Want To Do A Website Redesign?
A common customer enquiry is how to go about improving a website or doing a website makeover as cheap as possible, so in this blog post I'll go over some of the more common pitfalls and help keep you on the right path to digital marketing success.
Before you begin to redesign your eCommerce website, ask yourself these questions:
Why are you redesigning your website?
What goals do you hope to achieve with the new web design?
Are you trying to increase traffic, improve customer engagement or boost sales?
Once you have a goal in mind, it's time to start planning the redesign. This will involve creating a project plan and setting realistic deadlines. I've already written a comprehensive guide to managing your eCommerce project and that's a good starting point if you have no idea what the redesign process involves.
It's important to remember that website redesigns can be complicated and time-consuming, so don't try to do too much at once. Break the project down into smaller tasks and set achievable deadlines for each one.
Migrating From One eCommerce Platform To Another
Suppose you need to move from one eCommerce platform to another because your outdated installation got hacked or the rising maintenance costs of an open-source product are becoming unsustainable. In that case, migration is not as difficult as it sounds.
There are many tools available to convert database formats from one shopping cart to another and so moving from Magento to Shopify, for example, is feasible. You will still need to do a lot of planning and preparation to ensure everything goes smoothly, but it's not the prohibitive task you might assume it is. If you need help then call us.
Don't Assume That You Have A Broken Website.
It's common for businesses to assume that their website is broken and needs a redesign. Maybe the site looks dated, or it's not generating enough organic search engine traffic or conversions. Before you go ahead and launch into a full-blown website redesign project, take some time to assess the situation.
Often, all that's needed is a few tweaks to the existing design – a new logo, an updated graphic design or a change in layout – rather than starting from scratch. So before you spend time and money on a complete website overhaul, make sure that you definitely need one.
Building successful ecommerce websites can be expensive and time-consuming, so be sure that you're doing it for the right reasons.
Don't Make These Common Website Redesign Mistakes.
Not using a responsive design: A website that isn't responsive to the size of the screen it's being viewed on.
Using too many fonts or font sizes: Too many fonts make a website look unprofessional and hard to read; using too many font sizes makes text either too small or unwieldy large, depending on how many there are.
Not using enough white space: White space is the space between elements on a page. Not using enough makes a website look cluttered and hard to read.
Using too many images or graphics: Graphics can slow down a website's loading time, and too many can make it look cluttered and unprofessional.
Not using clear and concise text: Long blocks of text are hard to read, and can be off-putting to website visitors.
Having a cluttered layout: Too many elements on a page can make it hard for website visitors to find what they're looking for.
Not using effective calls to action: Calls to action are buttons or links that encourage website visitors to take a specific action, like signing up for a newsletter, buying an item or contacting the website owner. Using calls to action in the right places can dramatically increase conversion rates.
Mobile Responsive Websites Get Higher Priority
With the rise of smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices, website design has become more complex than ever. If your website isn't mobile responsive, you're losing business fast to competitors who are – especially for services that require user interaction like online retail or booking flights/hotels etc.
So if you haven't already made your eCommerce website mobile responsive (i.e. it works on all mobile devices), make sure that you take the time to do it right because website design trends are moving in this direction. Your business requires a website people can use anywhere they go.
SEO And Website Redesign
If you're planning an eCommerce website design, it's important to keep SEO in mind. You don't want to launch a new site that's going to tank in Google search results and lose search engine rankings – or worse, get hit with a penalty from the search engine giant.
One of the best ways to avoid potential SEO problems is to set up proper redirects from your existing website to the new one.
Visitors who type in your old website address into search engines are automatically redirected to your new site's corresponding page. You can also use redirects for broken links and other 404 errors.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you may inadvertently change or delete important pages or files that are ranking well in search results during a website redesign. So it's essential to do a thorough SEO audit of your web content before starting the redesign process.
Don't Rush Into An eCommerce Website Design
Don't dive headfirst into an eCommerce website design without taking the time to understand the root of the problem.
Maybe your eCommerce business isn't performing well in traffic or conversions, but is that a design issue? Or are there other factors at play – such as poor marketing or ineffective copywriting?
Before you start planning and designing your new website, take some time to research and analyse what's causing your current site to underperform. Then will you be able to address those issues with the redesign.
Have A Clear Vision For What You Want To Accomplish
Having a project management plan in place will help keep everyone on track and ensure that the website is completed on time – and within budget.
Be sure to factor in website visitors' feedback throughout the eCommerce website redesign process. You want your website's new design to reflect your company's values and meet the needs of your target audience.
So get input from stakeholders, employees and customers alike to create a website that truly represents your business.
Get Feedback From Customers Before Making Any Decisions
The eCommerce website redesign process can be a daunting task, but it's important to remember that you're not alone. There are plenty of people who are more than happy to offer their advice – including your customers.
So before you make any decisions about the redesign, reach out to your customers and obtain user feedback. What do they like about the website? What do they want? Is it easy to find what they are looking for.
By gathering this information and incorporating it into your redesign plans, you'll create a website that's not only visually appealing but also meets the needs of your target audience. And isn't that what we all want in an eCommerce website?
The Key Things To Consider When Redesigning Your Website Include:
Understanding your eCommerce websites current performance and addressing any issues
Keeping the redesign process streamlined with a project management plan
Getting feedback from stakeholders, employees and customers alike
Understanding the business objectives
Avoiding website design trends that are not feasible for most businesses
Test Out Different Designs By Creating Wireframes And Mockups
There's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution for an eCommerce website. What works for one business might not work for another, so it's essential to test out different web designs before making final decisions.
One way to do this is by creating wireframes and mockups – which will give you a better idea of how the website will look and function.
By taking the time to test out different designs, you'll be able to find the perfect layout that meets the needs of your target audience and reflects your company's values. So once again, don't rush into anything – make sure to take your time and plan accordingly!
Get Your Next Project Off To The Best Possible Start
If you're looking for a fresh perspective for your eCommerce site, look no further. We can help you do a complete overhaul of your current website or redesign one section for you.
Put our team to work providing the content to make your new eCommerce site more engaging and effective than ever before.
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