Alright, you’ve made the tough decision and are ready to redesign your website. Breathe a sigh of relief. This is a great direction for your business to head in. Your old site probably isn’t working, and it’s a good thing you’re moving on from it. Now, let’s focus on the exciting stuff: what your new site will be like! Here’s a list of things your new site should be ticking off in 2022 as standard
1. An eye-catching homepage
The homepage is the first place people see when they visit your website. It’s the first impression you make on them, so you want to do everything in your power to make it as good as possible.
There are several important factors that will determine whether or not your homepage is successful:
- It should be easy to find. If someone has found a page on your site through a search engine or link, they probably have a rough idea what they’re looking for, but are doing their research. Make sure that any links leading directly from here point them in the right direction, and provide clear instructions if necessary!
- It should be easy to understand. If visitors can’t figure out what type of content awaits them based at least one glance around this page, then chances are they won’t stick around very long – especially considering how many other things there are out there for people’s attention these days!
2. A clear purpose
A clear purpose – The purpose of your website is to help users achieve a goal in the most efficient way possible, and this should be clear from the get-go.
A clear call to action – Whether you’re selling products or services online, there should never be any doubt on what you want visitors to do next: sign up for an account, download an ebook or whitepaper, purchase something from your shop page—whatever it may be.
3. Easy navigation
Keep the navigation simple. This is one of the most common mistakes I see in websites that are just beginning to redesign. If you want your users to find what they’re looking for, it needs to be easy. If it’s not obvious where they need to go, they won’t be able to find anything on your site!
Make sure the navigation is consistent across pages. You don’t want a user clicking around and suddenly having trouble navigating because he or she was used to a certain type of menu on one page and then came across something completely different on another page (or vice versa).
Make sure the navigation is user-friendly. This means two things: firstly: making sure there are no glitches in how easily users can move around within your content; secondly: making sure there aren’t any annoying pop ups or ads popping up unexpectedly while trying navigate through each section.
4. A mobile friendly site
A mobile friendly site can be a game changer for your website, and it’s important that you include one in your redesign. There are many reasons to create a mobile site, but the most important is that Google now uses this as a ranking factor – meaning that if you want to rank well in Google, you need to have a responsive design (or at least be able to adapt your desktop version).
Having a responsive website means that your content will display properly on all devices – and this is good for SEO because when users are presented with an easy-to-use experience they’re more likely to spend time on your site and interact with it, which increases engagement.
5. Social media integration
Social media integration is important for your business. It helps you build your brand, connect with people who are interested in what you have to offer, and reach new customers. It also helps keep current customers engaged and can help you grow your business by saving money and developing new ways of doing things. Social media integration can help you save money by connecting with others on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn or YouTube (and there are many more!).
6. Security badges
It’s important that your website is secure, so make sure you have a security certificate and that the site is always served over HTTPS. With these two features in place, you can add a little green lock icon to your site to let potential customers know that their data is protected—and they can safely enter credit card information and other sensitive information without fear of hacking.
7. Client testimonials or reviews
- Client testimonials or reviews
This is an important one to get right as it’s a key way you can showcase your expertise and show new visitors what they can expect when working with you. Client testimonials and reviews are different, though they serve the same purpose: to share your client’s feedback with future leads.
Client testimonials are typically written by the person who hired you and include their name, role within the business (e.g., owner), and brief details about what services were provided (e.g., website design). They should also include some personal thoughts on working with you and why they chose to hire you in the first place—maybe because of your reputation for being good at getting results? Another option is for clients to leave a review on Google or other platforms where people might search for information about SEO services like yours; this could be done through social media posts too!
8. Simple contact forms
Your contact form should be easy to find, easy to understand, and ensure that the user can fill in the forms easily.
- It should be obvious where to find it on your site.
- The message itself must be clear, as well as its purpose (for example: “Contact us – we’d love to hear from you!”).
- It should be possible for visitors of all ages and abilities to use the form without assistance.
9. Clear calls to action (CTAs)
When redesigning your website, it can be easy to forget what you need to include. This is a common mistake that many people make when it comes to redesigning their sites.
A call-to-action (CTA) is a button or link that directs visitors toward the next step in the customer journey. It should be clear and stand out from the rest of your website; relevant to the page and visitor; easy to find, understand and use; as well as persuasive enough for users to click it at all times.
If your new site can tick off all these things, then its a worthwhile investment. That’s why all Super Simple Websites packages include these features as standard.
That’s it! That’s all 9 things you need to be doing when redesigning your website. We know it can be a pain, but trust us—you don’t want to skip any of these steps. Every one of them is important to the success of your new site, and they each come with benefits that are worth the small amount of extra work required.
Need help? Don’t stress. We’re a friendly “wee” Glasgow based Web Design agency. We work with small businesses and SME’s throughout Glasgow, Central Belt of Scotland and throughout the UK. All our packages and prices are available to view right here on our website. We’d be delighted to hear how we can help you get the website of your dreams.
