Subscribe through RSSWant More Value From Your Website? Ditch the Redesign!
Many of my new clients are coming to me looking to get more value out of their websites. They’ve done everything they expect a business “should” do with respect to having an online presence: reinforcing their brand, providing information about their products/services, and supplying contact information. When their web stats drop and they realize their website has become more of a museum installation than a lead generation tool, they immediately believe the root cause of their problem is the design.
“If my site was more attractive …flashy …contemporary – people would surely come!”
A few weeks ago I happened to be in the lovely town of Perth, Ontario. A new restaurant had opened that I thought I might try. The decor was sleek and modern – a far cry from the rundown fried chicken place that had been there before. The walls were painted mocha and the black accents made the space feel like a swanky cigar lounge. But a restaurant is more than atmosphere and paint colour. Every item on the menu was standard, frozen, refried pub fare. While the design of the restaurant brought me in …the substance (the food) left me without an appetite for more.
Most people forget that a website is about information. Relaying that information in a way that makes sense to your target audience in as creative and succinct a manner as possible is ultimately what the purpose of most websites should be. However, businesses often get hung up on the visual branding or look and feel …and forget about delivering the content their target audience seeks.
Before you throw a fresh coat of paint on your website, read through your content. Is it written from the organization’s perspective …or from the client’s? Does the content just list the features of your product or service …or does it speak to the solutions or benefits they provide? Are you using the words of your target audience …or industry acronyms and expressions only those “in the know” would understand?
Unlike a brochure, web content serves two distinct purposes:
1. To communicate with your target audience
2. As a content relevance guide for search engines to deliver search results (rankings) to said target audience
So, if your website isn’t delivering the results you’d expect …the writing’s on the wall. Start with a thorough assessment of your content and tweak from there. An investment in professionally written web content makes just as much sense as a website redesign …but will likely deliver the ROI you’d expect faster with lasting results that won’t fade as soon as the paint dries.
Kristina, even my present boss says that our website is boring! So, we NEED the redesign. But, I get what you’re saying about content inventory. However, I can’t just tweak things, because of several other issues with the site. I’ll see what I can do in the meantime, though, while I continue to wait on the go-ahead from my boss. To be honest, it’s frustrating, especially with technical limitations I’m facing from the party that designed the site. It’s like working with my dominant hand tied behind my back!
Nadine, a website is ultimately the ambassador for your organization.
If the design does not portray a professional image …if the website’s navigation does not promote findability …if the web applications are dated and malfunctioning – then no amount of professionally written content can help carry a site that is clearly communicating the wrong message.
I know many companies, however, who have very professional-looking websites where they have invested thousands of dollars and are still not achieving the results they seek.
It becomes a knee-jerk reaction for many of them to “throw the baby out with the bath water” and redesign the site year after year. Too often, the web content is the culprit more than anything else.
As you acknowledge, Nadine, sometimes the web content strategy and writing needs to take a backseat while management and developers agree on how to proceed.
Just make sure that you’re ready when you do get the go-ahead. You’re a very important piece of the puzzle and need to be involved in every meeting going forward.
Best of luck with the new site!