Search engines like Google are constantly updating their algorithms, meaning that most businesses will see changes in their visibility over time. Users’ expectations change over time, too. So, eventually, it will become necessary to redesign and develop your website.
Parallel Project Training is a specialist training provider located in Reading, Berkshire. They recently redesigned their website. The key objective of the project was to protect the business’ organic search visibility in Google while creating a more professional design for the website that provided their visitors with a better user experience (UX).
They share their top eight lessons from the redesign project.
- Create a project team: Make sure you include everyone you need from the start: from the branding agency, web developers, content creators and digital marketing/SEO team.
- Use project management tools: Simplify the process with tools that everyone on the team feels comfortable using. It will help keep everyone in the loop and make it clear who is responsible for each element of the project, how each element of the project is progressing and where things might be falling behind.
- Have frequent progress updates: Make sure your team meets regularly to discuss progress and to address issues quickly. This helps ensure the project keeps moving forward and prevents issues from dragging on.
- Stay agile: Adopting an iterative process and keeping an open mind means issues can be addressed as they arise. Remember: the design you start with might not make the final cut due to the limitations of translating your vision into reality.
- Be aware of the risks: Re-launching your website is not without risks. Your website’s existing authority is based on many elements including your web content, its structure, and technical factors. Updating any of these elements can have a negative impact – especially if you already have a successful website.
- Consult your end users: Involve those who use your website regularly to ensure you create a good user experience.
- Consider accessibility: If you are re-launching your website on the back of a wider company rebrand, you need to check that your new brand palette meets accessibility criteria. For example, think about the contrast between background and foreground/text colours as this can make it difficult for those who are partially sighted.
- Think mobile: Ofcom data reveals that UK adults spend more than four hours and 20 minutes a day accessing the internet via their mobile phones. Make sure your redesign works equally well on mobile devices. For example, keep blocks of text small so they fit on the screen.
Matt Bolton, Parallel Project Training Business Development Director said, “Unleashing the full potential of our website required an experienced team to look beyond the visual appearance of the website to an implementation strategy that would protect our valuable content assets and online search authority, while designing a better experience for web visitors that would successfully support our growing business.
“Achieving this was not something that could be done in silos. As a result of the close collaboration between traditionally separate teams, the project delivered a better user experience for customers and improved value for our organisation.”
In conclusion
By creating an environment where teams can innovate, learn and iterate to take advantage of the lessons learned, you should be able to deliver a new website that better meets the needs of your users and capitalises on your digital marketing strategy.
Copyright 2024. Featured blog made possible by Michelle Symonds, Ditto Digital.