Regardless of your business or sector, a good website is arguably one of your most important investments. When done properly, a website has the capability to bring in new business, retain existing business, answer questions, provide updates and generate income. It also acts as an information board for anybody wanting to know something about what you do.
Depending on how an existing website is functioning and looking, sometimes a redesign and a few changes can be enough. However, there inevitably comes a time when the shelf life of your existing website is over, and the cost-effective option becomes building a new website.
There are several areas to consider before making your decision.
Website Style, Branding and Design
As a business grows and adapts, so its audience and offerings do too. This change can then be reflected in its branding.
If your business has undergone a rebrand, or changed its target market, then it is highly likely that your existing website does not reflect your updated brand. In some, less extreme cases, a website redesign may work in aligning said new offerings with new branding.
This may not always be enough. With the work – and cost – associated with a major redesign sometimes in the thousands, this output could be spent on a new website that allows more updates and a more general representation of what your company is now about.
A new website that fully supports your updated brand can help considerably when looking to attract the right audience and when reinforcing your core brand messaging.
Functionality and Patching
As a leading digital agency, we spend a lot of time ‘patching’ on the back end of the websites that we host and manage. For those that don’t know, patching is the process of repairing vulnerabilities, bugs and other issues that can lead to security threats.
Failing to apply these software and hardware patches can lead to security issues, compliance errors, poor functionality and even downtime!
Typically, updating an existing website requires less time and fewer resources when compared to building a new one, often making it more cost effective. However, if the existing website has a weak foundation, with old or outdated code, these limitations may lead to a constant and time-consuming cycle of patching issues.
If this is the issue, then investing in a new website can be far more cost effective, helping to save time and money in the long term, whilst also offering a better website and simpler options to scale the site.
Search Engine Optimisation
We seem to mention SEO in almost every one of our monthly blogs, and that just goes to show how essential good SEO is.
If a business’s current website lacks important, modern SEO features, or it is not optimised for search engines, then that business will find it difficult to reach its audience.
A new website that is designed with SEO best practise in mind from the start is going to see a huge increase in organic search rankings, which in turn will see an increase in traffic, leads or sales, and general traction.
So, if your existing website cannot function alongside competitors in terms of SEO, we suggest that it would be cost effective to build a new website that can.
Professional Assistance from WADEDIGITAL
Seeking out the correct, professional assistance on whether it is cost effective for you and your company to build a new website really is essential. We are experts for a reason, and a quick review of your website will tell us all we need to know.
Building a new website is cost effective when the long-term benefits – increased conversions, better user experience, lower maintenance costs, and enhanced scalability—outweigh the initial investment. If your current site is holding back your business in any of the above ways, it may be time to consider an upgrade.
To speak to one of our experts about your website requirements, please get in touch and we’ll be happy to help…
