Does your website need a rebuild or a re-think?

Posted by craig on February 2nd, 2010

One of our biggest frustrations here at Sticky is seeing organisations pay little attention to their web presence. They run old, rarely updated websites that provide the user with little information and a generally poor experience. These organisations are finding it increasingly harder to compete and will be left behind unless they totally re-think (or start thinking about) online.

However, at the other end of the scale is the organisation who is enthusiastically online but is constantly thinking about a rebuild, or a new look, or an expensive new addition to their under-performing website. We see them all the time. I can think of a few examples where a site is going through its 2nd rebuild in as many years, when the original site was fine.

The thing is….if a website is under-performing the first thing everyone should look at are the real reasons why. In many cases its not the layout / design / format that necessarily needs work.

If the site isn’t getting enough traffic, the first thing you should look at is the quality of the content. Is it up to scratch? Does it really speak to the desired audience? Does it demand attention?

If the answer is NO to any of these then start improving and focusing your content NOW.

If you honestly think the content IS good enough then you need to address your traffic sources or and connections. Look at your web stats (surely you have web stats) and determine where the traffic is coming from.

Most under-performing websites get the bulk of their traffic from their URL (direct) or a Google search for their name. This means that most of your visitors already know of you and you are not using the web properly to grow your market.

If the majority of it is direct traffic then you need to bolster your search and referred traffic. You might need proper search engine optimisation, you might need to build your social networks.

Once again, if you don’t have many links coming into your site from other sources, there’s a very good chance your content is not working for you.

Finally, if your traffic IS at reasonable levels but you are not getting the sales or leads you desire / require then you need to quickly address your conversion strategies (you do have conversion strategies don’t you?).

Too many organisations think that a “Contact Us” page is a conversion strategy. Its not. Smart inbound marketers provide multiple opportunities for visitors to become customers. They’ll have conversion strategies littered throughout their website.

So, by all means, consider rebuilding your website, it might really need it. But before you do, re-think its content, connections and conversion.

Note: you can get a quick idea of your website’s strengths and weaknesses with our Free Web NLYZR

2 Responses to “Does your website need a rebuild or a re-think?”

Heidi Cool Says:
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:19 PM
I think many site owners approach redesigns for all the wrong reasons. I’ve spoken with people who don’t even have analytics installed on their site, they just have a feeling that it’s not working or are bored with the current look.

Unless the site is really poorly organized or looks really 1995, in many cases a modification focusing on content and calls to action as you describe can be more useful than a full redesign. The trick is to focus on the goals and the needs of the target audience. I suspect many people focus on the graphic design elements because they’re more fun, but a new shiny site with big pictures, Flash and video won’t improve a thing unless those features are delivering the content end users seek.

When I work with clients I like to have them focus on their goals and target audience first then evaluate their content accordingly. I put together a series of blog entries as a Planning Your Web Site Tutorial that helps walk them through this. (It also includes a post about redesigns.) I find that when they go through this process they will often see how the content and it’s organization can better support their end goals. Thinking about the audience in particular seems to help. If they can imagine themselves in their visitor’s shoes they can get a new perspective on what works and what doesn’t.

Your post is a good reminder that Web design doesn’t end with visual design. If we also pay attention to SEO, user interfaces, navigation and of course content, we’ll go a lot farther than we might pondering color choice and various design fads.
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Carlee Potter Says:
February 3rd, 2010 at 2:47 PM
I’d just like to throw my hand up in defence of someone who is onto their 2nd website rebuild in 15months (if we count the 1st build, then I’m on my 3rd version of the same site). Actually, that does sound a bit crazy now that I see it in print!

But nonetheless, I’d like to say to anyone who is thinking about an update for their own site – and this is in agreeance with points made by Craig and Heidi – you should ABSOLUTELY go for it IF everything you’ve learnt about websites since you mapped out yours, tells you that you didn’t map it out very well.

My last site was too picture-driven (totally my fault; I’m mad about aesthetics and let myself get carried away).
The really quality content was too difficult to find.
The thing my site focuses on the most (featuring readers) was not obvious at all.
And I don’t think I even knew what “conversion strategy” meant back then.

Of course, with this rebuild has come the temptation of dazzling widgets and bright colours… and admittedly I am changing the sites colour palette but, that too, is in line with the project focus to:

Simplify (navigation, colours, imagery, everything)
Improve usability
Increase interaction and conversions
Make content (and the contributors who bring it) the star of the show

There’ve been plenty of times I got amped up about some ‘cool new thing’ I saw on some ‘really cool’ site – and have been told by developers, advisors and financiers, “Yes, yes, yes, but just focus on what you’ve got right now and make the most of that.”

9 times outta 10 they were probably right. But YOU know your site. If research and experience is telling you it’s not quite hitting the mark, don’t spend another 6months trying to flog a dead horse.

PS: if you are considering a rebuild for improvement, Heidi’s link to ‘Planning Your Website Tutorial’ is a really great read.
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