There are many ways to spread the word about your organization or business — Facebook ads, emails, social media, and media coverage are a few. However, your website is one of the most effective tools you can utilize. Ideally, it’s kept up to date in how it looks, how it works, and with the content you provide. A good website redesign project plan can help you achieve that.
If your website hasn’t been kept up, don’t worry. It’s never a bad time to focus on your marketing goals and undertake a website redesign project.
.If you’ve decided to undergo a website redesign project, great! Maybe you’ve already found examples of sites you like and are imagining the finished design. But then you seek out some prices, and nearly pass out from shock. Why is website design so expensive? How much work is truly involved? What exactly am I redesigning? Here are some things to consider.
Getting Your Money’s Worth
Start with realistic price ranges. It’s not uncommon for a typical website redesign to cost anywhere from $15,000 – $20,000. And that’s an estimate for a rather simple site. A larger website with more “bells and whistles” can cost $40,000+!
Those aren’t inflated prices, however. Despite the name, a “redesign” covers more than just design. When done well, you will re-evaluate your goals, work on branding, improve SEO, and implement new technologies. Most firms will rely on contractors or additional team members to complete all the work that needs to be done. There are also costs on the “back end,” including hosting. Most importantly, you’re gaining individualized, expert advice. A quality website redesign is truly an investment!
Establish Quality During the Redesign Process
There are many elements to consider during any redesign project, including a new website’s look, content, and functionality. To get the best results on your digital investment, it’s helpful to go over a few important elements:
- Get familiar with the redesign process. While a (good) consultant will review the redesign process with you, it never hurts to have a basic understanding of what to expect.
- Be strategic. Figure out what you hope to achieve by updating your website. Is it simply to revamp the look of your current website? To make it responsive? To align it with your current marketing goals? (Not exactly sure what your goals are at this stage? Talk to a consultant!)
- Who are you trying to reach with your website? Think about creating user personas.
- Speaking of users, make sure your new site improves user experience.
- Decide what functionality your site should have. (But remember, the more custom features your site has, the more expensive your it will be!)
- Consider your brand. This is where a marketing specialist can help. They will work with you to discover your brand identity. They will also tell you how you can use your website to better promote your brand. (Read below to see other ways a marketing specialist can help.)
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Ultimately, to get a quality website, you need a quality team behind you to complete it. Here’s a list of the people you should have on your website redesign team and what they actually do.
- Web Designer. A web designer creates the entire look of a website, including the overall layout and individual graphics.
- Website Coder. A coder, or website developer, is not in charge of the look and feel. Instead, the developer takes that design and uses various coding languages on the back end of a website to ensure it actually runs. They are able to fix various website problems and are also able to create or integrate any “fancy” functionality you want your site to have.
- Writer. No matter how great your website looks, it needs engaging content. Is your goal to develop lead generation or increase sales? Want to promote your work and accomplishments? Your website is a great place to do this! Creating useful, engaging content is the writer’s job.
- Marketing Specialist. The design is finished, the site is coded, and you’ve got some fantastic content. Before the website goes “live,” you want to make sure that:
- The site as created helps you reach your target audience; and
- This audience can use the site the way you’ve planned, in order to achieve your goals.
- Project Manager. Finally, you need someone on the team to oversee all of the moving parts and make sure that everything stays on schedule and within your budget. A successful project manager can do this and more.
There are many ways to complete a website redesign project; however, it’s often best to work with a group that has experience in the areas listed above. At FUNKY BROWN CHICK, Inc., you’ll work with a team of designers, coders, writers, marketers, and project managers. Our founder herself has experience coding websites, writing website content, and digital marketing. She has also overseen several website redesigns, from large-scale ones for large organizations to smaller ones for independent artists.
Redesigning your website can seem anxiety-inducing — especially considering the cost and the time involved. But working with a knowledgeable team can lessen those factors. At the end of the process, you’ll have a website that is user-friendly, promotes your services, celebrates your achievements, or does anything else you need it to do. Yes, it’s an investment, but an investment truly worth making.
Have more questions about the redesign process? Contact us!