In my last post, I talked about using website analytics in preparation for a website redesign. Nothing guides the website redesign process like concrete knowledge about your website, its visitors and how they interact! In this post, let’s look at the roles of website content and website navigation, and how the two should interact.
Website redesign has implications for your content
If you’re considering a major website redesign, there’s no time like the present to add your website content to the list of things to think about. On the Web today, content is king, so the better your content is, the more likely it is to resonate with your visitors.
At the same time, visitors want to come and go as they please. They want you to know what they’re looking for, and make it easy for them to find.
In addition, many website visitors today want the minimalist approach to content – exactly everything they want and nothing that they don’t want. Whatever they’re looking for – specific products, pricing information, hours, descriptions or resources – make it very easy for them to find, retrieve and leave.
That doesn’t mean that you can (or want to) skimp on the content for those who are looking for a deeper dive. Give these visitors the opportunity to find complete product specifications, contact information, case studies, videos and more.
This trend toward wanting less is probably the result of users changing the way they access the Internet. More users are adopting mobile devices, many of which don’t understand or can’t display complex website content. For these users, a website redesign may strip away the layers of complexity in favor of a faster loading website that displays information in a format that their mobile device can work with. This is one area where your website analytics can help you out again. Knowing how your users reach your website can help make the transition to a mobile-friendly environment easier.
It makes sense, therefore, in the website redesign process to consider the ways in which your visitors arrive at your site, and provide them with the best possible experience. Designing a website for the first time is a major undertaking, but if your website hasn’t taken into account the rise of the mobile device, rethink this strategy sooner rather than later. If you doubt the usefulness of having a mobile-friendly website, apply your analytics to a test mobile site and see how the number of mobile visitors compares over time to the number of visitors using a traditional platform. You’re likely to find an increasing number of mobile visitors.
Make every effort to make each part of your website redesign mobile friendly. Nothing is worse for the mobile user than being able to access only certain functions on your website. Finding portions of your website that just won’t work on a mobile device is a major turnoff for mobile visitors, and a good incentive for them to look elsewhere.
If you would like more information about website redesign, or incorporating website analytics into your website in advance of a website redesign project, please contact our Creative Director, Dave Ramsell or give Dave a call at (330) 243-0651 to set up a consultation.
Photo Credit: jnatiuk, via FreeImages.com
