There are various compelling reasons why businesses go through a complete redesign of their websites. It could be to spearhead a rebranding scheme or out of a need due to migration to a better platform.
Regardless of reason or motivation, businesses should take web redesigning as an opportunity to start with a clean slate—a blank canvas. It is an opportune moment that businesses should take advantage of by doing it right, thus making it a good investment of time and resources.
It would be a waste of opportunity if web redesign were limited to an aesthetic makeover or do-over. It is the best time to improve organization, reduce clutter, and make the overall user experience more enjoyable, engaging, and accessible.
Web redesign should never be about finding new, better ways to grab attention. More importantly, it should be about establishing the credibility of businesses on the web.
It is important to note that, according to industry numbers, 75% of a website’s credibility is attributed to its design. It is, therefore key for design to give off a perception of reliability and trustworthiness. A web redesign should be a time to eliminate glaring design flaws once and for all. Avoiding the following web redesign pitfalls can give businesses that much-needed impetus to catapult toward further success.
1. Insufficient Consideration Given To Web Accessibility
Efforts to make websites more eye-catching and engaging should never come at the expense of accessibility. In redesigning websites, serious consideration should be given to ascertain that people with disabilities and special needs can perceive, understand, navigate, and engage the website fully, regardless of their device of choice. Businesses should always consider the welfare of the 61 million individuals in the United States with sensory, cognitive, or mobility-related disabilities.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates businesses to make not only their physical locations, but their digital assets as well be accessible to consumers with disabilities. Compliance means that everyone, including the disabled, can browse through websites and utilize all their features. Failure to comply can damage brand identity and may even lead to lawsuits.
The four most common design flaws that affect website accessibility are:
Lack of color contrast
Lack of appropriate alternative text for images and graphics
Lack of clear visual indications for keyboard users
Lack of support for assistive technologies
2. Insufficient Consideration For Mobile Devices
Mobile devices, tablets not even included, constitute more than 50% of global website traffic. A web redesign is an opportunity to make websites equally easy to navigate on mobile devices as on desktops.
A frustrating mobile device experience with websites results in an increased bounce rate. Web redesign should be mindful that sites are visited using multiple devices, including phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, and smart televisions. Content should look clear and navigable across all devices.
Understanding how the target audience engages can make the redesign effective. The need to redesign websites to be more mobile-friendly is a good thing. It makes for a leaner and more digestible website in the end.
3. Style Over Substance
A web redesign should never compromise the overall user experience for aesthetic reasons. It is a grievous mistake to prioritize aesthetics over function.
By blindly following trends, businesses can get sidetracked with excessive use of design and graphic elements that provide a good sensory experience but are disconnected from and misaligned with the true purpose of their websites.
Web redesign should never give in to trends that dilute the brand's value proposition. The indulgence of animation and heavy graphics is a pointless assault on the senses. The form should always be in service of the function.
4. Overdose Of Blandness
This is the other side of the spectrum—a lack of customization. A web redesign is an opportunity to redo a business’ online storefront. It is a mistake to overcorrect the aesthetics over function design flaws by opting for a dull, cookie-cutter template without customization.
Avoid the common and the formulaic. Consider how a web redesign could capture the business’ drive and spirit. 5. Not Much Thought Given To Clear Navigation
A web redesign allows businesses to make navigation even more intuitive. Users do not visit websites for a treasure hunt. Users expect navigation and buttons to be clear and explicit for an intuitive understanding of content.
Business websites are mostly crowded and complex, so having clear navigation on your redesign agenda is always a good idea.
6. Poor Visual Hierarchy
Having an order of emphasis or importance on websites has aesthetic and functional appeal. Websites with a lack of hierarchy make visitors unsure as to where to focus their attention.
A website redesign should take a cue from newspaper layouts. There should be headlines and subheads to denote significance using typography.
7. Poor representation of the business purpose
The design should immediately represent the enterprise’s branding and purpose. Visitors entering websites should have the feeling of having landed on the correct website and being in the right spot. This kind of certainty should be a primary objective when doing web redesign.
It should be made clear what the business is and what it offers. With any degree of ambiguity, the visitor will probably abandon the website.
Final Thoughts
Businesses should remember that their websites are their 24/7 storefront. Having an appealing, intuitive, effective, and accessible web design gives businesses the benefit of a good first impression. Websites, like physical structures, are not built and then forgotten about. They are not to be left in a state of disrepair and neglect.
Websites require constant maintenance and care. Sometimes, like real structures, they need to be brought down to be rebuilt to suit present needs and/or conform to specifications. It is key to getting the web redesign right. If done correctly, it will be easier to execute optimizations and improvements because the design foundation is solid.
Why partner with Wise Marketing Professionals?
From design and development to execution and optimization, Wise Marketing Professionals can guarantee that your business website will be accessible and inclusive. Let us guide you on the path to digital marketing success.
Contact us today, and together we will explore how to tailor our services to your needs.