Small Business Website Redesign Checklist.

A major challenge for small business owners is staying on top of marketing and website updates. However, it’s important to periodically review your site’s design and functionality to ensure you’re portraying an accurate brand image.

Even the best small business websites will eventually need to be redesigned. Every website will start look dated after a few years. The information may not be up-to-date and the content that hasn’t been updated in a while may no longer reflect the company’s true vision and goals.

Why Redesign Your Small Business Website?

Nowadays, clients’ first impression and opinion about the company and its business is often dependent on how well its website looks and functions. To keep improving and growing, companies must strive to raise their standards endlessly. The same thing applies to their websites. Companies must consistently analyze their website performance to see how well they’re doing. Not having a website that performs well, can lead to lower profits and a lack of growth. If you think your website is outdated and not working the way it should, take a look at this quick website redesign checklist to see if it’s time for a much-needed facelift.

Below is a list of questions and considerations you should go through when deciding if it’s time to update your small business website.

Website Revamp Checklist

Your website doesn’t work as well as it used to.

If your small business website doesn’t perform as well as you like it to and you do not achieve the results you want, there is a chance that your website code is outdated. Often popular search engines penalize websites that do not adhere to the latest coding standards by not having your site coded correctly.  You will not only be harming your search engine rankings but your designs might not be properly rendered in various web browsers.

If you haven’t updated your code, your WP core files, your theme, and your plugins, the chances are your website needs maintenance.

You must also review the technical aspects of your website to ensure there are no problems that might penalize your website from showing up in search results.

It’s time to redesign if your website has the following:

☐ Your website is slow and not showing up correctly in different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari).

☐ Your website is not mobile-friendly and looks broken on phones and tablets.

☐ It hasn’t been redesigned or had a major update in the last 3 years

☐ No new content has been posted in the last 3-6 months of website existence.

☐ There are numerous broken links and images on the website.

☐ The header and the footer of your website are missing contact information

☐ There are no clear CTAs (calls to action) on every page.

☐ Social media links are missing from the footer.

☐ The forms on the website are not working or have too many fields.

☐ Rather than focusing on client needs and showing how your product and service can benefit your customers, your content only talks about your company.

☐ There is no consistency in layout, colors, fonts, and headings.

☐ The website looks cluttered and there is not enough whitespace.

☐ Text is difficult to read and there are huge blocks of text, making it difficult to skim.

☐ Your website is difficult to use and navigate.

☐ Your website is not generating leads or sales and can’t be found in searches.

More Items on Your Small Business Website Checklist

Missing important social proof signals, including testimonials.

Testimonials can be very influential in converting visitors to new customers. Testimonials from your previous clients can be used to build trust and also show the quality of your services and dedication. Make sure new visitors can see all the great reviews you received from your previous clients.

Lack of case studies and real-life examples.

Case studies, portfolios, and a list of previous clients are all essential elements if you want to find new businesses to work with. Every company must demonstrate that they have years of experience and many projects under their belt. No one wants to work with a company that has no work history or experience. If your current website is missing these elements, make sure to include them in your new website.

Outdated information and content.

The changes made in the strategies of the companies must be reflected on the website, as well. For this, the website should be updated and redesigned to be consistent with your company’s message.

The website is not responsive.

Because of the increase in the usage of smartphones, the maximum percentage of web traffic comes from mobiles only. Mobile users look for a greater UI experience. If your website is not responsive, you may lose customers.

The current website is cluttered and difficult to navigate.

If you can’t easily navigate your website, and it looks cluttered it will often drive users away who will get quickly frustrated of not being able to find what they’re looking for. Make sure your navigation is clear and if possible be able to get to all parts of the website within 3 clicks. Make all text on the site easy to read and fonts large enough, not just on desktops but on all devices.

Your site doesn’t look clean and modern.

You need to make sure your website reflects your brand. It needs to be consistent with your company message and your other marketing materials. It’s ok to use pre-built themes or templates to cut down on the development time and cost, however, you also need to restyle it to fit your company’s individual needs. People who come to your website must instantly recognize your website and also figure out what your company does. A web designer working on your website must ensure your website not only looks great but also fulfills all the goals you set up prior to its redesign.

No easy way to contact you.

Contact details must be clearly mentioned on your website. Customers need assistance and look for ways to contact you on your website.

Missing social media links and sharing features.

It is very important that you must associate with social media accounts. This will help to engage the customers and build a social presence that will lead to more traffic and a growing list of followers.

If you need to update your website, feel free to contact us, so we can help.

We specialize in custom web design and are ready to assist you with your website redesign. We will work diligently with you and make sure your website redesign is a complete success.