Is it time for a redesign? Web site visitors expect to see regular changes, just like brick-and-mortar stores. A new look and feel can be the difference between making the sale and having it go elsewhere. A web site redesign is an important investment in the vitality of your e-business.

Signs That It’s Time to Redesign

Even if you think your site looks up to date, a few things may indicate otherwise:

• Low Conversion Rates. If you’re not turning visitors into buyers, you may have a design problem. Low conversion rates, in either the form of sales or information requests, usually means unsatisfied customers. A redesign can make this easier.
• What is the competition doing? Monitor your competition and industry leaders. If they make changes, perhaps you should, too.
• Low Search Engine Rankings. Search engines seek information differently than they did a few years ago. If your ranking has slipped, consider redesigning with search engine optimization in mind.
• Customer Feedback. Have a link on your site that asks questions like: “What do you think of this page,” or “Was it easy to find what you wanted?” If customers say it’s time to redesign, it probably is.
• The One-Year Rule. If you haven’t updated your site in the last twelve months, it may look stale.
• New Branding, Reorganization. Change in Company Direction? Make sure to change your site to reflect any changes within your company.

Eileen Brady of BayVillageStore.com had her web site gift store redesigned after 5 years. “Solid Cactus made our site more readable,” said Brady. “They tightened things up and gave us new features. The results were dramatic. Site visits increased by 500% and sales shot up 300%. I see the value, and BayVillageStore.com will update every 2 years at the latest. You need to keep it fresh, just like traditional stores.”

Now is the time to plan a redesign for the holiday season. Too many people wait until October or November when it’s often too late. Search engines need time to re-index your site, which will improve your rankings for holiday traffic. Traditional stores change their look to keep things fresh for their customers and e-businesses also must regularly redesign. Remember, it only takes a click for a shopper to leave your store and go somewhere else. Keep a close eye on your conversion rates and search engine rankings; if they’re not where they should be, it may be time to redesign — again.