The long, tedious process of transforming your website is inevitable for every marketer eventually. Redesigning your website can be an absolute nightmare if you’re not prepared to take on the challenge. It’s important that you’re aware of each individual step that needs to take place.
This is where checklists come in handy – and thankfully, we’ve got one prepared to make sure you don’t miss anything.
Benchmark your current metrics. You want to know how your website is performing currently so that you can track changes over time. Analyze your visitors, bounce rate, SEO rankings, leads, etc. to have a clear starting point for your redesigned website. Google Analytics will do all of the hard work for you, so utilize it!
Set goals. Make sure you have reasoning behind your redesign. You want to make sure your site not only looks good but also performs well. The objectives for your new website may be dependent on one another, which is normal – just be sure that they are measurable.
Keep your assets. If you have something on your website that is performing well, there’s no need to change it. For example, changing content that was viewed and shared often on your old website may hurt your redesign. Also note which pages received a lot of traffic, and how your keywords performed.
Look into competitors. Know how you compare – check out your competition’s websites to get ideas and suggestions of how you can improve your own. Note their strengths and weaknesses, and keep them in mind during your redesign process.
Communicate your message clearly. Make sure your brand messaging is consistent and clear throughout your entire website. New visitors may not know who you are and what you do, so be sure to answer these questions. Convince them that you’re the right fit for them to ensure that they pick you over competitors.
Design with your audience in mind. Visitors want to know what’s in it for them, so design with them in mind. Picture your “ideal customers” and then group these people in specific buyer personas based on their needs, demographics, and behavior for optimal planning.
Optimize for SEO. Increase the number of visitors coming to your site by designing for SEO. Pick keywords that reflect your brand, and focus on incorporating them into your site so you can be found online.
Create and manage CTAs. Prompt visitors to take action that engages them even more with your brand by adding multiple CTAs to your redesigned site. eBooks, newsletters, and promotions are excellent opportunities for conversion – which means more leads!
Develop a content marketing strategy that’s built to last. You want to make sure that your website is designed with the expectation that you’re going to add more content as time goes on. Adding content regularly to your website will help you grow your business fast, so consider starting a blog and including updates and press releases to your website.
Go the extra mile. Include the basics, but don’t stop there. Your website will flourish with added extras such as social media sharing buttons or RSS subscription. Just remember to measure and track your website’s performance over time.
For website design and other integrated marketing services, please contact Sagefrog Marketing Group.
