It’s a funny thing about being a designer. Often, I’m so deeply engrossed in crafting beautiful and functional designs for clients that I unintentionally push my own needs to the back burner. Despite owning a design studio, my own website has, at times, taken a back seat.
There was a period when my site felt more like a burden than an asset. I cringed at the thought of sharing the link with potential clients, fearing they’d be greeted with outdated aesthetics and missing case studies. My website, which should have been my most proud creation, was instead a glaring oversight.
If my website is my presentation card to cold audiences, why was I letting it gather virtual dust? It hit me hard.
A site isn’t just about showcasing our work— it’s an extension of our brand, our philosophy, and our promise to clients. It needs to exude the same level of care, precision, and expertise that we pour into every project.
It was a lesson learned the hard way, but it underscored a vital truth: our websites deserve the same love and attention we give to our clients. They are the digital storefronts of our brands, the first impression for many, and they should shine brightly, welcoming visitors and converting them into loyal clients.
If you’re reading this and nodding along, thinking your website might be in need of a little (or a lot) of TLC, you’re in the right place. I’m going to give all the keys to knowing the signs that it’s time for a website makeover and how you can elevate your online presence to truly reflect your business’s vision and values.
Staying relevant online
The digital space is ever-changing, so we want to stay relevant. As entrepreneurs, ensuring our online presence remains relevant is key to the growth of our business.
But let’s break it down a bit more so you can better identify the opportunities here:
1. Reflecting Your Business’s Current Pulse
Our website should capture this dynamism, giving visitors an up-to-date peek into our offerings, values, and brand vibe. Our businesses are constantly evolving, adapting to new trends, and reshaping with our personal growth. Showing your true self (and not a version from 4 years ago) is a major key here.
2. Meeting Today’s User Expectations
Honestly, your audience what they want when they land on your site. But the very minimum they expect: they’re looking for intuitive navigation, crisp designs, and a website that feels ” this is the right place.” Keeping our site updated means we’re rolling out the red carpet for our potential leads who are turning warm and ready, ensuring they stick around.
3. Boosting Engagement and Making that Sale
In that same note from above, a website that draws visitors in is half the battle. Getting them to actually interact and move in our customer journey, that’s where’s it at. And when they’re engaged, they’re more likely to dive deeper, explore our offerings, and ultimately, invest in what we bring to the table.
4. Crafting a Solid First Impression
For many, our website is the first hello. An on-point, fresh site says we’re pros who know our stuff, and we’re in step with the latest and greatest. It’s like walking into a meeting in that perfect outfit – it sets the tone right from the get-go.
The Tell-tale Signs It’s Time to Refresh Your Website
Just like any tangible asset in our business, our website needs regular check-ins and perhaps, a facelift now and then, these are the most immediate signs…
1. Website Performance Issues
Slow Load Times: We’ve all been there — clicking on a website link and waiting… and waiting. If your site is taking its sweet time to load, you might be losing potential clients who don’t have the patience to wait around.
Mobile Not Optimized Correctly: With more users accessing websites on their mobile devices, if your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re missing out on a huge chunk of the audience.
Frequent Crashes: Nothing says “unprofessional” like a website that’s constantly down. It’s not only a blow to your brand’s reputation but also a major inconvenience to users.
2. Outdated Design
Trends in design have their moments of fame, then fade away. While chasing every trend isn’t healthy (say no to shiny-object syndrome!), ensuring your website’s design feels fresh, modern, and in tune with the times is essential. Remember, timeless designs have longevity and can withstand fleeting trends.
3. Mismatched Branding
Your business isn’t static. It grows, evolves, and perhaps even pivots (so many of us have experienced that especially in the last years). If your branding on the site feels like a blast from the past and doesn’t reflect your business’s current vision and vibe that people might actually have seen from you a platform like Instagram or any other social (which tends to be more “day-to-day”), it’s time for a branding glow-up to actually show up on your site.
4. Declining Conversion Rates
Numbers don’t lie, and as a creative who actually loves using data to guide the designs: if you’re noticing a dip in conversion rates, it might be a very big indicator that users aren’t vibing with your website. Perhaps they aren’t finding what they need, or the call-to-action isn’t as compelling to move them further with your offers. This is one of the clear signs the website needs some rethinking.
5. Feedback from Customers/Clients
Our community often has the best insights. If customers or clients point out issues, or suggest improvements, it’s a direct line to understanding user experience. Taking their feedback seriously can provide valuable insights and direction for the revamp.
The Holistic Harmony Approach
In the fast-paced world of business, we often focus on the tangible benefits: increased revenue, more clients, and greater visibility.
Yet, there’s an underlying rhythm that when tapped into, can bring the best kind of changes not just to our business, but to our overall well-being as we run our most successful version of our business.
Streamlining Business Operations — Starts With Your Website
A well-optimized website isn’t just about aesthetics or being user-friendly, gasp… yes a designer just said that.
It’s about creating a seamless flow for both you and the client.
When your website is intuitive, with clear calls to action and efficient systems in place, it reduces the time and energy you spend on repetitive tasks. Imagine fewer emails about how to access a service or product, or less time troubleshooting issues clients face.
A refreshed website can act as a well-oiled machine, giving you back precious hours. Hours that can be spent on personal projects you have been putting out, family time, or simply unwinding.
Working in Harmony with Natural Cycles and Energies
There are seasons of growth, and seasons of rest and in business, understanding and respecting these natural cycles can be transformative. When we align our work with these energies, we’re not swimming against the current but flowing with it.
For instance, during times of high energy and creativity, that’s when you might launch a new product or service. And during quieter times, it’s perfect for introspection, revisiting business goals, or even personal moments to refill your cup.
Your website can mirror this philosophy. For example, timely updates to showcase new offerings during peak seasons, and blog posts or long-term strategy content during calmer periods.
It’s about ensuring that your digital space is not static but evolves in balance with you and your energy.
On to the Good Stuff: Actionable Steps to Begin the Refresh Process
Starting a website refresh might seem daunting, but with a clear roadmap, the journey becomes way more manageable!
Here’s a step-by-step you can use as a quick-guide to set you on the right path:
Audit Your Current Website
Pretty easy (and kinda obvious, right?) Begin by taking a comprehensive look at what you currently have. Navigate through your site as if you were a visitor, this is hard but important.
What stands out?
What feels off?
Make notes on areas that feel clunky, outdated, or misaligned with your brand’s current vision. Analytics tools like Fathom (my favorite) or Google Analytics can provide insights into pages with high bounce rates or low engagement, signaling areas that might need a closer look.
Understand Your Audience
Your website isn’t just about you: it’s a bridge connecting you to your audience. Revisit your customer journey tracks. Have they evolved? Are their needs, desires, and pain points the same as when you last checked? Ensure that your website speaks directly to your audience, addressing their challenges and offering solutions in a language they resonate with.
Seek Expert Guidance
While it’s tempting to DIY everything, there’s undeniable value in professional expertise, if I do say so myself. Collaborating with seasoned professionals, ensures you’re not just getting a visual makeover but a strategy-led approach that aligns with your business goals (that’s how I run my studio, always strategy-first!).
Prioritize User Experience
At the heart of a successful website is a stellar user experience. It’s the little details that matter: the ease with which a visitor navigates, the clarity of your calls to action, the relevance and engagement level of your content. Focus on streamlining the user journey, reducing friction points (always choose the path of least resistance!), and ensuring every interaction on your site feels intuitive and pleasant.
The Benefits of a Revamped Website
Elevated Conversions:
A well-crafted, intuitively designed website acts as a conversion magnet. Studies reveal that a mere two-second delay in load time can spike bounce rates by over 100%.
But with streamlined navigation, compelling CTAs, and engaging content, you’re essentially laying out a red carpet, guiding visitors to take the desired action. Case in point: one of our clients experienced doubling her shop conversions after their website overhaul.
Boosted Brand Image:
Your website is a reflection of your brand’s ethos and values. A refreshed website communicates growth, evolution, and a commitment to excellence. It tells your audience that you’re in tune with the times and that you value their digital experience.
As the saying goes, “first impressions last,” and a revamped website ensures that the impression is nothing short of stellar.
Strengthened Customer Trust:
Trust isn’t just built through words; it’s forged through consistent, quality experiences. An updated website, free from glitches and outdated information, signals reliability. It conveys that you’re invested in offering the best to your clientele. From my own experience? A client we worked with increased her revenue an extra $1K a month, as their audience found the revamped site more trustworthy and user-friendly which turned into better (and more) bookings.
Need a step-by-step? Join my free 10-day challenge
I’ve got just the thing to set you on the right path if you feel like you need some structured direction to start working on your site. Join my 10-day Website Conversion Boost Challenge. Level up your website experience in 10 business days! (No homework on weekends, unless you want to, you do you 🥂)
This 10-day email challenge has 1 task per day to help you enhance your website design and create a better user experience for your audience. Take one task at a time, implement it, and move on to the next.
Join the challenge here
Bio:
Ingrid Urena is the founder and CEO of Penguin Designing and Atelier21 Co, tea lover, and dog momma, serving women-led businesses ready to become a sought-after brand to increase their revenue and impact in their community with a money-making website
Website Boost Challenge: Elevate Your Website Experience
This 10-day email challenge has 1 task per day to help you enhance your website design and create a better user experience for your audience. Take one task at a time, implement it, and move on to the next.