Redesigning your website part 1
There’s nothing I like more than a mini-series, and so, without further ado, I bring you a multi-part blog! Oh, the fun we’ll have! (Seriously. If you think redesigning websites is fun, and I do.)
So, you have an old, crummy website and it needs a little something. If you have limited time and a limited budget, the thing you’ll want to do first is to give the site a face lift. And, I mean the Demi Moore kind, not the Michael Jackson kind. Just a little something that can help things out without freaking out your regular website visitors.
Here are a few things you can try to give your site just a little boost it needs to increase the conversion rates and raise its self esteem. Of course, before you do anything you can’t reverse, you’ll want to do some A/B testing and figure out if these minor changes help as much as you’d like.
1. Change the font in your header. It can be just that simple. Sometimes a font can really date a site. If you haven’t updated the design of your site in more than two years, it may be time to freshen up the font. Here are a few ideas. Have fun, but make sure that whatever font you choose is easy to read.
2. Upgrade the color. When you need something fast, slapping on a coat of paint can do the trick. There are literally billions of colors out there, so the choices can certainly be overwhelming. However, my new favorite site can help you choose a great palette. Warning — you could get sucked into this site for hours just looking at all of the beautiful colors!
3. Change the images. If you have a few images on your home page, experiment with different ones. Be sure to only change one image at a time and track the traffic changes with each new image.
4. Add a little something. If you generally like the site colors and images, you may be missing something with the layout. Look at where you’re losing people on the site. If they’re only looking at one page, you may need to add a contact or buy element to the home page. (This is probably a good idea, anyway.) If you have an ecommerce site, you may want to add a “suggestion” feature to the site to increase sales.
5. Content, content, content. When all else fails, rewrite the content! As you probably know, the content of a site can either encourage people to buy or scare them away. You want the former! Trust me! Take a look at the content and send it to an honest friend. Ask them if they would buy something from the site. If not, ask what content could be changed to increase the chances of a sale.
OK, website fans! That’s it for this week. If you have a website in need of help, be sure to check back soon for the second part of the series! If you really need help, contact us. We’re ready to take a look at your site and give you some ideas.
