Websites can age very quickly. In web years, a five year old site is roughly the equivalent of, well, “ancient.”
That’s not to say that a good website needs to be completely overhauled every five years. If your site was initially developed with strong attention to the user experience (UX) and functionality it’s probably in pretty good shape overall.
Even still, it’s quite likely that your website needs at least a facelift.
Technology and best practices for web development continually change, impacting the way users experience—and expect to experience—interacting with websites online.
The user experience is about making it easy for your site visitors to find what they’re looking for, and ensuring that users enjoy a seamless interaction on your site.
Here are a few things to look at to determine if your website needs a UX facelift:
- Responsive/adaptive orientation and resolution with cross-platform compatibility for multiple devices and operating systems.
- Updated code in themes, plugins, and overall site development for improved functionality and speed.
- Replacing outdated design fads or trends (such as too much animation or even *gasp* still using Adobe Flash).
- Simplifying design and site structure to eliminate confusing, or non-intuitive, site navigation.
- Replacing clip-art or other “fluff” imagery with customized, content-enhancing photos and graphics.
- Clarifying CTAs (call to actions) to intentionally drive traffic to next steps, rather than leaving the visitor wandering around hoping they’ll “find” it eventually.
For a more detailed look at development for the user experience, here’s a great article by UsabilityGeek: 10 UX Tips For Your Next Website Redesign.
Not sure if your website is UX-friendly or in need of a facelift? Just Contact Us and we’ll give you quick analysis free of charge!
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