10 telltale signs your website needs a redesign

Your website is the ambassador of your brand, plain and simple. Sometimes, maintaining the original design and tip-top condition is enough but times change and, just like fashion trends, website designs can become outdated, turning what was once modern and engaging into something reminiscent of a bygone era. Sadly, even the best websites are subjected to it sooner or later.

However, getting old is not the only reason your website might need a redesign. 

Perhaps, during the original design and development, your only focus was on functionality, thinking that the design itself was secondary. And now, the fruits of that decision have come to the surface. 

Whatever that may be, we have for you the 10 most common and straightforward red flags that signify your website needs a redesign.

Maybe your website needs a redesign?

At Merge, we redesign websites to be modern, functional, and tailored to your brand.

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1. It looks and feels old

Let’s start with the most obvious reason ever we mentioned at the beginning. 

If your website looks like it belongs in a museum, you should either send it there or finally decide on a professional redesign. 

Outdated design can severely affect your brand’s image and credibility. It may look like you don’t care about it at all, which is strange in 2024, given that websites are one of the most important media touchpoints for your brand and product.

An antiquated aesthetic could imply that your business practices are also outdated, potentially turning away modern consumers who value innovation and current trends. 

Did you know that according to Adobe, 38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content or layout is unattractive? 

This further highlights the importance of modern design in maintaining user interest and the fact that if your website is antiquated or decrepit, it’s time to part ways. 

2. Your users are suffering a.k.a. bad UX

Poor user experience is another very valid reason to redesign your website. 

Difficult navigation, frequent errors, issues, and unresponsive design can frustrate your site’s visitors and drive them away. 

We don’t want that, right? 

If users find it hard to navigate or encounter functional issues on your site, it can drive them away. A redesign focusing on UX/UI can solve these issues​​.

By streamlining navigation and ensuring a seamless, intuitive user journey, you can significantly enhance user satisfaction and engagement, potentially boosting conversions and brand loyalty.

For example, this Forrester report shows that a well-designed user interface could raise your website’s conversion rate by up to 200%, and a better UX design could yield conversion rates up to 400%.

P.S. Check out this case study to see an example of how a timely website redesign improves UX.

3. It performs well only on desktops

As a continuation of our previous point, not being mobile-friendly is another form of poor usability and user experience. 

Most of us browse on our smartphones, so when a website is lagging behind on mobile responsiveness and overall mobile experience, it’s a major turnoff.

With the majority of internet traffic coming from mobile devices, a non-responsive design can severely limit your website's reach and effectiveness.

Implementing a mobile-first design philosophy can ensure your website offers an optimal experience across all devices, which is essential for capturing and retaining the mobile-savvy audience of today.

Statista reports that mobile devices (excluding tablets) generated 58.67% of global website traffic in the last quarter of 2023, underscoring the necessity for mobile-optimized websites. 

Keeping your website mobile-unfriendly would mean alienating a huge chunk of your audience.

Maybe your website needs a redesign?

At Merge, we redesign websites to be modern, functional, and tailored to your brand.

Learn more

4. It is very slow

Once again, it’s 2024. Users now expect fast loading times, and delays can lead to increased bounce rates and lost traffic.

A slow website not only frustrates users but also negatively impacts your search engine rankings. 

Redesign in the form of optimizing your site’s speed through better hosting solutions, image optimization, and minimizing code can drastically improve user experience and SEO performance.

According to Google, 53% of mobile site visits are abandoned if pages take longer than 3 seconds to load. This statistic underscores the critical need for speed in today's market, where every second counts toward keeping a potential customer engaged.

5. It feels inconsistent

If your website suffers from inconsistent branding, it's time for a redesign​​. It will guarantee to reinforce your brand identity and make your website more memorable and professional. 

What does it mean to have inconsistent design or branding? It means the visual elements, layout, and navigation differ across pages, leading to a lack of cohesive look and feel. For example, using different color schemes, fonts, or button styles on various pages. 

In extreme cases, such as drastically varying layouts between pages, users might even think they have left the original site, increasing bounce rates and potentially decreasing conversion rates.

Here’s a checklist you can use to spot if your website design is inconsistent:

1. Mismatched visual identity. You have different color schemes, typography, or logo variations.
2. Inconsistent navigation. When navigation menus, page layouts, or button styles change unpredictably from one part of the site to another.
3. Varied tone. You have a professional and formal tone on some pages while adopting a casual or whimsical tone on others without a clear reason.
4. Conflicting information. You offer different information or messaging about products, services, or policies on different parts of the website.
5. Inconsistent mobile and desktop experiences. You have a significant discrepancy between a website’s mobile and desktop versions in terms of design, content, or functionality.
6. Some parts are outdated. You have updated certain pages of your website but neglected other sections.
7. Discordant use of images and media. There are high-quality images in some parts of the site and low-quality, unrelated, or stock images in others.

All of the above can and will confuse your users and diminish brand credibility. 

A consistent design across all pages, however, not only reinforces your brand identity but also enhances the user experience, making navigation intuitive and reliable. 

For example, Lucidpress (now: Marq) reports that brand consistency can increase revenue by 33%, highlighting the economic value of a cohesive digital presence.

Maybe your website needs a redesign?

At Merge, we redesign websites to be modern, functional, and tailored to your brand.

Learn more

6. It struggles to scale along with you

As your business grows, your website must efficiently scale with it. If your current design cannot support the increased traffic or content, it's a particularly clear sign for a redesign​​.

A scalable website provides several strategic advantages, including improved reliability, enhanced user experience, and better SEO rankings. It allows you to grow your digital demands smoothly, handling traffic surges and accommodating more extensive storage needs without technological constraints. 

A scalable website design in this regard ensures that your digital presence can grow and evolve alongside your business. 

Investing in a flexible, scalable web architecture can save you from more future redesigns and allow for easier updates and expansions.

7. Your brand had an upgrade. Your website didn’t

If your website does not reflect your current business objectives, products, or services, it may be time for a redesign to realign with your strategy. 

This misalignment can create a disconnect between your brand and your audience, undermining new branding efforts and confusing potential customers. 

Remember that spotting early on if your design doesn't reflect the startup's current brand image anymore and acting on it can prevent serious hits to your company’s branding. 

A redesign can integrate the new brand elements, messaging, and values, ensuring your website accurately represents your evolved brand.

8. Low conversion rates

If your website is not effectively converting visitors into customers or leads, it may be time to reevaluate your design and user flow.

Take unclear calls to action, for example. Clear and compelling CTAs will guide your users toward taking desired actions, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter. 

If your website's CTAs are not effectively converting visitors, it's crucial to revisit your content strategy and design elements. 

A well-designed website with persuasive CTAs can transform passive browsers into active participants, directly influencing your bottom line. 

For instance, HubSpot spotted that personalized CTAs convert 202% better than default versions, emphasizing the importance of customization and clarity in driving conversions.

Similarly, high bounce rates can also be a result of poor website design. Unattractive design, harsh colors, small or difficult-to-read fonts, and outdated aesthetics can make a website appear unprofessional. 

Or if users can't easily find what they're looking for due to complicated or unclear navigation, they're likely to leave rather than spend time figuring it out.

Overall, if you spotted poor performance, customers leaving early, or not following through, it’s time to change it!

9. Your competition is better

Sometimes, nothing is inherently wrong, but you start to lose customers. Turns out, your direct competitors have had an upgrade, redesign, rebranding… Long story short, they’ve been busy. 

If your competitors have updated their websites and you haven't, you will inevitably lose potential customers to them. Keeping up with industry standards is crucial for staying competitive​​.

Analyzing your competitors’ websites can offer insights into current trends and features that appeal to your shared audience. Leveraging this knowledge in your own redesign can help you reclaim and even expand your market share.

Did you know that companies with a strong design outperform companies with a weak design by 219% on the S&P Index over the span of 10 years, demonstrating the long-term value of a superior web design? 

Let your competitors know you’re not slacking off and lagging behind!

Maybe your website needs a redesign?

At Merge, we redesign websites to be modern, functional, and tailored to your brand.

Learn more

10. Google’s ignoring you 

SEO underperformance is our last but not least potential sign your website needs a redesign. 

Websites that are not optimized for search engines may struggle to rank well, leading to decreased visibility and traffic. 

A redesign is a sure way to address these issues. SEO best practices, such as optimizing for keywords, improving site speed, and ensuring mobile responsiveness, can significantly enhance your website’s search engine ranking and visibility.

Poor website architecture could be another reason for SEO failures. A well-structured website instantly improves user experience and SEO, making it easier for search engines to crawl and index content.

Conclusion

Found yourself and your website in any of these signs? Then act quickly!

As we mentioned before, your website is often the first point of contact between your brand and potential customers. An outdated, poorly functioning, or unattractive website can deter visitors, negatively affecting your brand's perception and sales. 

Recognizing these signs and taking action to redesign your website can revive your online presence, align with current trends, and ultimately drive success. 

Don't let your website be the weak link in your marketing strategy - consider a redesign to ensure it accurately reflects your brand and meets your audience's needs.