Do you need to redesign your website or just give it a refresh? And yes there is a difference. To make the decision on whether you need to redesign or refresh, we’ll first make sure that you understand the difference.
Think of a website refresh like you would refresh a room in your house. Maybe you want some new pictures, pillows, even a fresh coat of paint. A website redesign would be a renovation. You want to take out those cabinets you never loved, replace the old carpet, or even add some more space.
The difference between a website refresh and a website redesign typically comes down to project scale. For example, a simple update to your website’s color palette, changing out some pictures, typography, or subtle UX adjustments to specific pages is considered a refresh.
However, if you find yourself feeling uninspired by your website, want new pages, a totally different layout, new features and apps – this would be a redesign. It’s important to note that you should always be making small changes to your website based on user feedback, added services, new team members, etc. These small changes should always be made as soon as you can so when it comes time to either refresh or redesign, all your information on your website is current. If you feel that it’s exhausting to keep up with the constant changes, it might be a good idea to invest in a good website management team.
How often should you refresh your website?
You should constantly be updating your website like we just mentioned, but when do you need a little more? Here are a few times you should consider a website refresh:
You don’t have the time or budget for a full redesign but you want something more than a few basic changes.
You want to change up your color or typography
The integrity of your website works well but there are a few things that could be cleaned up.
There’s a particular area that isn’t user-friendly
You need to optimize the mobile version of your website
How to decide between a refresh or a redesign?
There are a few questions you can ask yourself when deciding if you need a website redesign or a website refresh.
Is my site design outdated? (does my Gen Z family member cringe when they look at my website?)
Have I noticed a decrease in sales or conversions?
Have users complained about the navigation or design?
Did I recently rebrand my business?
How much time do I have for this project?
If you answered ‘yes’ to most of these questions, a website redesign can benefit your business.
How often should you redesign your website
The following factors are important when considering a website redesign.
Company updates, rebranding or new business goals. If your business or brand has recently gone through a rebranding process or updated major company goals like your brand purpose, mission or vision statement, this might be the right time to redesign a website. You want to ensure that your website accurately represents the company values and ideals.
Website performance. Does your website perform the way you anticipated? For example, does your site traffic convert users? How much time do users spend on specific pages? How do your new and returning users behave on your site? These questions can help you better understand your website performance.
Budget increase or decrease. Thriving businesses often have the budget to invest in a full-scale website redesign—but not so much for businesses with tight budgets. If small tweaks can help convert more users to boost sales, then consider a website refresh.
Industry changes. Imagine all your competitors suddenly integrate new technology into their websites or are offering different services than you. This may lead you to consider changing your own website.
Timeline. Depending on the project’s scope, a website redesign may take longer than you anticipate. Sometimes uncovering certain issues can lead to other problems along the way. If you decide to pursue a website redesign, consider the time and effort needed to get the job done right.
Is your website due for a refresh or redesign? Let us know! We’d love to help.