Questions to Ask Before Getting Started
A website redesign is inevitable. At some point, in the life of the website, things are going to need to change. The confines and scale of that redesign is where things will differ- and drastically. While one redesign could mean a minor color palette switch and some design tweaks, another could result in a website that barely looks like its former self.
What makes a good website redesign? How can an expert like Web Design Denver take what is there and improve it, without losing the soul of the brand and the customers who trust it?
Who is the Customer?
A redesign is a complex concern, and pinpointing and assessing the customer base is an integral part of that. Let’s take a look at a website that sells used computer equipment. It is a tech-savvy customer base. These are people who can use old parts for new machines, and they can manage their way around a computer. They are also very likely savvy behind the computer as well. The design of the website can afford to be technical and a little complicated- if it is absolutely needed. Some sites may have a lot going on, and the technicality is a necessary evil in the design. In this case, a redesign could add more without forcing a fundamental redesign. In short, the focus may be primarily on adding more content, and not just streamlining what is there. This is because the customers can likely handle it. They are buying used computer parts, after all.
The answer to who is the customer will naturally guide the growth of the redesign. Are the customers happy with the design? Are they asking for more or asking for what is there to improve? One may require a full redesign. The other may include making room for new and fresh “stuff.”
Technical Denver Website Redesign
The above uses the example of technical complexity from the view of the consumers. Will the website alienate the customer base? But, there are also a lot of technical concerns for how the website will be redesigned. These concerns take precedent because they can halt progress and force unnecessary changes for the worse.
The server is a part of the redesign. Different servers support different coding languages. The two most common are PHP and NET. One site could be designed on NET. The new server could be PHP formatted. This can cause a lot of headaches for anyone involved.
Any technical obstacle should be matched with who it is servicing. Is this redesign doing good or is it just changing it up for the sake of change? Fortunately, a design company will handle the heavy technical workload. Yet, it is something that needs to be accounted for. Will the technical burden of the redesign be a little too much?
What is the New “Goal” and “Tone?”
The old website may have 500 articles of SEO Denver , a full directory, and content linking all across the web. How much of that is relevant and needed on the new site? The question looks at current relevance. A lot of content may no longer be relevant. It could hamper the new website. The answer to this depends on how strong the redesign is. If the redesign is mostly aesthetic, the content can go. But, if the redesign is a fundamental brand shift, the old content may need to be left behind. It will make the work stronger, and help fuel the tone of the newly redesigned brand. An outline could go far in deciphering what is needed and what is not.
Importantly, a redesign could get held up by the small stuff. For example, a website has 500 articles as mentioned above. Is it worth it to go through all 500 to find out what is worth saving. The answer may be no. Designers can take one of two basic options. They can choose the best of the bunch- the top 5% of the work that is especially popular or Denver SEO optimized. The second approach is to take none of it. Build the site from the ground up, and leave any old content to the wayside. The tone may be different anyway.
Is the Redesign Needed?
Ultimately, is the redesign needed. Designers may have a solid idea of their customer base, but does the customer base need a redesign? There may be a brand shift, but is the brand shift enough to justify anything more than some basic switching around? Denver Web Designers ask these questions, and more, at DenWebsite Redesign: Questions to Ask Before Getting Started. The redesign should serve a greater good. Is it just for the sake of making things look different? If that is the case, a basic headline swap will suffice. There may be more to it, but it has to be earned and it has to make sense.
Getting a e Redesign