Websites have become essential marketing tools for businesses and it’s mandatory to keep them up to date and fresh always. This can be justified with the help of the statement made by a Danish computer scientist, Jakob Nielsen: “A bad website is like a grumpy salesperson.”
This is where the need for website redesigning comes into the picture. Your website can never be static, but it should be constantly tweaked so that to be in sync with the changing market scenarios and specific customers’ requirements. This task is a bit challenging but can be easily executed with the help of a seasoned website design company.
Usually, entrepreneurs overhaul their entire web presence to ensure a better user experience, increased conversion, and enhanced online visibility. But the real challenge is to plan for it strategically and effectively. Let’s explore the top eight steps that you should take in order to make your web redesign project successful.
1. Determine The Right Time
First of all, you need to evaluate that when is it the right time to redesign your company’s website? Assess the overall look, feel, technology stack, content, fonts, images, videos, etc. If you find one or more than one of these elements outdated then it’s the right time for you to invest some money in revamping your site. Also, you also have to decide whether you are going for a mild redesign or a complete overhaul.
2. Research Extensively & Define Clear Goals
Before anything else, you need to create an early sitemap on the basis of SEO research and define specific goals for the website redesign. With the help of research, you can discover the areas of your website which needs improvement. Also, you can identify the pain points that your current and potential customers are facing. You should analyze the current web design and find out where it’s falling behind?
Document all your ideas and ways in which you want to improvise your web presence. You should also find out ways in which you can make the overall design of your website much more impressive and appealing.
3. Coordinate With The Head Of Design & Finalize The New Site Structure
In order to redesign your website efficiently, it’s mandatory for you to consult with the head of design. Mostly, they are occupied with making website updates that are tedious and time-consuming. But they will be the best person to advise you on how to find a better and efficient solution.
In addition, you can discuss and finalize the new site structure with the head of design. Also, you can have a comprehensive plan of what type of content are you going to incorporate in your site? How will you storyboard the entire concept? What will be the site layout? And, how a sample of the landing page will look like?
4. Gather Referrals & Involve The Major Stakeholders In The Project
Before moving forward, you have to get consent from all the stakeholders of your business. Show them the design layout that you finalized and get their feedback. Also, answer the initial questions they may have.
In addition, you should also seek referrals from the people in your network so that to find the best design agency. Research about those companies and filter the ones who built your favorite sites. Document all the potential design agencies and have an introductory meeting or a call with them.
5. Create The Project Brief
On the basis of your meetings and calls, you should create a brief of the redesign project that you can present to the agencies you finalized. The brief should be straightforward and contain a background of your company. Also, you should specify the goals of your project and target audience.
In addition, you can also add a few supporting materials such as the branding guidelines, storyboard, main marketing assets, sample landing page, etc. Moreover, enrich the brief by mentioning the websites that are developed with the vibe, look, and feel that you want in your revamped site.
6. Pick The Best Design Agency
After presenting the potential design agencies with the project brief, give them some time to come up with their ideas and designs. Collect all of them and have a discussion with the head of design.
You can select the firms that seem apt according to you by evaluating the proposals on different criteria: the portfolio, price, the content of the proposal, creativity, etc. Ultimately, choose the agency that is in sync with your vision for the redesign and also has a robust portfolio to prove their calibre.
7. Manage The Entire Project Efficiently
Once when you are done with choosing a design agency, have a discussion with them and decide the timeline and costs. Also, during the entire redesign process, you should be always willing to give answers to the questions and give reviews and feedback about design layouts. This responsiveness will only keep your project moving forward.
It is quite possible that in the redesigning process, you are also required to deliver design assets, choose high-quality imagery, plan a team photo shoot, etc. Also, you will be needed to be on your toes when it comes to transforming and incorporating these innovative ideas into the fully functional design.
8. Get It Accomplished Successfully
This is the most challenging part of the entire project – making sure that the redesign is aligned with your vision. You should get all your stakeholders involved in the progress and take their consent on delivery date and budget. But remember that it’s advisable to schedule a launching date that’s at least one month later than the date given by your design agency.
Review the design several times, be sure that it’s coming out to be what you actually expected. Then, decide a final launch date to publish the revamped website and make sure that you commit to it.
In this way, you have to plan for the redesign project very logically. Your website is the asset that has the power to evolve with your brand so make sure that it’s redesigned in the best way so that to provide the end users with a mesmerizing experience.
