10 Signs Your Website Needs a Redesign

How do you know if your website needs a redesign? We have compiled a list of the top ten signs your website may need redesigning.

1. The Traffic Counter

It might be time to redesign your website if your homepage is strutting around with a visitor counter like it’s the season’s hottest accessory.

Visitor counters on websites used to be popular as they showed how many people visited a page, like a badge of pride. Now, they are seen as old-fashioned because there are better tools for understanding website visits. They remind us of the early internet days but aren’t used much anymore.

Web Traffic Counter

2. The Guestbook

If signing a guestbook is the VIP experience for your website visitors, it might be time for an update.

Signing a guestbook used to make website visitors feel special, like they were part of an exclusive group. It was a fun way for people to say they were there and see who else had visited. Now, with social media and other ways to interact online, guestbooks aren’t as common or exciting as they used to be.

Website Guestbook

3. The Ancient News

If your “latest” news is still stuck in a time warp, cheering for Team Canada as if the 2010 Winter Olympics gold is still up for grabs, hire a web designer to update your website.

This scenario amusingly highlights how quickly digital content can become outdated if not regularly updated. It serves as a humorous reminder of the importance of keeping website content fresh to avoid giving visitors a bewildering blast from the past.

4. The "Best Viewed In" Badge

It might be time for a website update if your site proudly wears a “Best Viewed in Netscape Navigator” badge like a vintage fashion statement. 

The “Best Viewed in Netscape Navigator” badge reminds people of when Netscape was the main way to explore the internet, kind of like a vintage piece from the past. It’s a fun, old-school touch for a website today, showing respect for the early internet days. But now, with so many different browsers, it’s more about nostalgia than practical advice.

Best Viewed in Netscape

5. The Good Ole Beeper

You definitely need an update if your contact page lists your beeper and fax machine as great ways to reach you.

Listing a beeper and fax machine as primary contact methods on your website throws it back to the 90s, a time when these devices were essential for business communications. This choice has a vintage charm, evoking nostalgia for the era before smartphones and instant messaging. However, in today’s fast-paced digital world, it humorously highlights the need to update contact methods to align with modern communication tools.

Beeper

6. The Waiting Game

If you have enough time to whip up a gourmet coffee ☕️ while waiting for your website to load, make a plan to get a website redesign.

Slow loading websites present a significant problem in today’s fast-paced digital environment, leading to a poor user experience and increased bounce rates as visitors lose patience and leave. This issue stems from various factors, including unoptimized images, heavy use of scripts, and inadequate hosting solutions. In an age where speed is often equated with efficiency and reliability, slow websites can negatively impact a brand’s image, reduce user engagement, and ultimately affect conversion rates and SEO rankings.

Slow Loading Website

7. The Flashy Flashy

If your website flashes more animated GIFs and banners than a Las Vegas billboard, an update should be in your near future.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, animated GIFs became extremely popular as a fun and easy way to add movement and personality to websites. With limited technology for creating dynamic content, these simple, looping animations allowed web designers to bring life to their pages without requiring advanced coding or high-speed internet connections. Their widespread use reflected the era’s experimental approach to web design, making websites more engaging and visually interesting.

Excessive 1990s Animated GIFS

8. The Construction Zone

If you’ve got pages that have been “under construction” since pay-per-use text messaging, it’s time finish those pages.

Back in the early internet days, many websites had “Under Construction” signs to show they were still working on their pages. Now, this isn’t a good idea for businesses because it can make visitors think the site is neglected or not professional. Keeping a website updated and complete is important to show that the business is active and cares about its online presence.

Under Construction Banner

9. The "How Do I Shut It Off?"

If your site serenades visitors with MIDI tunes, creating a personal soundtrack for their browsing.

In the past, websites used to play MIDI music automatically to make them more engaging, but it wasn’t always a hit, especially for businesses not related to music. This practice can annoy visitors, especially when they can’t easily find a way to turn the music off. For a business website, it’s better to avoid background music to keep visitors happy and focused on what the site offers. Play the midi file below to be transported back in time! Can you name this song?

10. The Old School Social

If your website clings to MySpace, Periscope or Google+ links, it might be time to teleport your online presence to this decade.

These were once key platforms for businesses to reach customers, but as they faded, the need for businesses to update their social media links became clear. Keeping contact information and links current is crucial for staying connected with the audience and maintaining relevance in the rapidly changing digital world. This ensures businesses aren’t directing customers to obsolete or inactive profiles.

Old Social Media Platforms

Not Without Purpose

While the top ten list was all in good fun, if your website has been collecting digital dust for over five years, it’s ripe for a makeover. The online world moves fast—thanks to tech advancements, evolving code, and the ever-shifting sands of Google’s algorithms, a site can go from fresh to fossil in just a few years. Without regular updates, your website might not be living up to its potential.

Having covered all that, a website redesign is not crucial without a clear purpose.

If you’ve noticed a slump in sales, received negative customer feedback, or your website is no longer functioning properly or has disappeared from Google’s radar, these are all signs that a redesign could be beneficial.

Get in touch with our marketing gurus for a tailored quote. Let us equip you with cutting-edge designs proven to boost leads and sales for your small business.

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Ryan Boutin
Owner of Zeal Media, Ryan, is passionate about helping owners take their small businesses to the next level. As a long-term entrepreneur, he has started and grown multiple small businesses for himself and his kids, from building homes to selling online products.
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