There should be a good reason for revamping your website’s appearance or main navigation, such as making it...
- More customer-friendly (improve user experience, navigation)
- More search-engine friendly (evaluate to remove or reduce any potential SEO risks)
- Offer something new (content, blogs, etc) – something more than just a new look
- More accessible (for users to find all relevant information)
- Easier to visitors to follow through or contact you (add or alter call to actions, change position/color, reduce friction)
- More contemporary (incorporate new technologies and trends)
- Use web programming best practices (Example: remove or replace frames or include files, which search engines do not scan
- More relevant (Remove or replace pages or files that are not viewed by visitors. Perhaps these items/pages were not viewed because users could not find them or see value in accessing them; perhaps their value or accessibility should first be enhanced and tested before they are removed
CAUTIONS
- Do not replace your URL (you'll lose rankings and traffic)
- Do not change the web folder structure (bad for search engines)
- Use caution when redesigning the primary navigation. Consider the current users who already use and navigate your website. Consider how you will introduce the new web design to customers (email, navigation guide, etc.)
Test and Monitor the Impact of your New Website Design
- Before making major web design changes, run benchmark metrics.
- After making changes, run monthly web metrics. Over time, you can compare and monitor the impact of your website's design on traffic and visitor activities.
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