secrets to a successful website redesign (webinar slides)
TRANSCRIPT
Presenter Bios | Synecore
Jacey Gulden@jaceyle igh
Synecore’s Web Designer / Brand Journal ist
Spencer Ploessl@Spenceaf ied
Synecore’s Designer / Digital Marketer
Inside Today’s Presentat ion
Sett ing GoalsMapping out NeedsContentDesignTestingAnalysisOther...Secrets!
Every website redesign should begin with some kind of goal in mind. Being clear about your goals from the start is helpful when it comes to deciding how to move forward with your new website.
Reasons For a Website Redesign
Good ReasonsI want to improve my usability.
I need to realign my website with my new brand strategy.
I want to make my site responsive.
I want to incorporate a better content strategy.
Bad ReasonsI’m bored with my current design.
I want to become more competitive.
I want to start over.
I want to gain more traffic.(It’s not traffic that’s important, it’s conversions)
Converting More Web Visitorsto Leads/Customers
Reducing Bounce Rate
Build a Bigger Subscriber List
Increase number of unique visitors
Examples of Good Quantifiable Goals
SECRET 01
Ask for feedback.If you can, find out what your current customers (and employees) like and dislike about your current site.
Website Functionality and Flow
Once you have clarified your goals, it becomes much easier to discuss necessary website functionality and flow. If you want to increase your subscribers, build a subscription form that emails the individual to confirm their subscription and then inputs their information into a lead database that will send them emails.
Functionality Perspective:Goals = Necessary Website Functions
Example: Brand Considering Goals & User Flow
Shown is an example of a brand considering goals and user flow. Moxy Monitor is a fitness device; their ultimate goal is to convert website visitors into customers (purchasing the device). They need to consider what information each buyer persona needs in order to make that purchase.
Create a Site Map
Creating a site map is important for two reasons: inventory of current site pages (this helps with SEO and redirects if necessary after launch) and it establishes the structure for your new site and gives visual representation of what content/assets you will need to move forward.
Content Should Come Before Design
“The mobile web is far more restrictive, eclectic and unstable than other contexts. By first creating an experience that prioritizes a worst-case mobile scenario, you ensure that your users will be able to accomplish their goals despite a lot of factors working against them. Scaling up from the mobile context versus scaling down from the desktop context ensures that your message, content and functionality remain intact as the screen real estate and connection speed increase.”
http://bradfrostweb.com/blog/web/mobile-first-responsive-web-design/
Content Considerations
Looking to reinvent yourself? You’re going to want to go back to your website goals and make sure that your new content strategy aligns with your brand messaging. Here are a few things to think about when developing or re-vamping content:
The message you want to send to your visitors & how
you want to send the message. (ie: video, images, text)
The voice you want to use to communicate.
Is your content easy to understand and does the
customer know what to do next?
Blogging is Important
92% of companies who blog multiple times per day have acquired a customer from their blog.
(Source: HubSpot)
SECRET 03
Old SEO New SEO Future SEOSearch Engine show sites with most relevant content based on keywords found in headers and tags on page &
in meta descriptions.
Search Engines favor fresh and original content that address the problems, needs, and wants of
your target audience.
Semantic Search: Heightened focus on conversational concepts surrounding an idea, rather than singular keywords themselves.
Thinking of optimizing your website for key phrases in order to help that page rank as a result? Forget about it. As Google continues to evolve, so has the capabilities (and limitations) of its search engine. With algorithm updates focusing on the human perspective of search, businesses are being forced to shift away from the traditional use of SEO as a marketing tactic, and instead focus more on the content that drives it.
Let’s Have Some Fun!
Here is a picture of what our design process looks like.
Discovery Brainstorm Wireframe/Mockups Design Development
Responsive Web Design
From Desktop to smartphone, your website should provide users with a seamless experience, allowing them to easily access the same information no matter what the device. With Responsive Web Design, brands can integrate mobile into their online presence to create a truly cohesive user experience.
In 2012, the average number of unique screen resolutions was 97.
As of 2013, that number has gone up to 232 and continues to rise!
SECRET 04
1% clicked a feature. Of those, 89% were the first position. 1% of clicks for the most significant object on the home page?
nd.edu stats by @erunyon
Common issues I have run into in the past as a web designer: sliders/carousels, above the fold and use of stock images.
http://shouldiuseacarousel.com/
Cover All Of Your Bases
When you feel that your website is almost ready for public viewing, it’s time for beta testing. At a minimum, this process should include:
GRAB YOURS N OW
Form Testing
Ensure all forms submitand output the correct data.
Look for broken links to internal and external pages.
Link Testing
Check for grammar and spelling errors; ensure that all placeholder
text has been replaced.
Final Edits to CopyCross Browser Testing
Test in all target web browsers such as:
SafariFirefoxChrome Internet Explorer
Resources
http://www.crazyegg.com/ https://www.mouseflow.com/ http://www.usertesting.com/
Here are a few good online testing resources:
Crazyegg mouseflow UserTesting
GET SOCIAL WITH US!
SYNECORE
We Help Brands Form Connections That MatterAt Synecore, we believe the seamless integration of digital marketing channels fosters deeper
and more meaningful connections with the people who matter most: those who find value in your brand.
Synecore incorporates proven inbound marketing methods into our Integrated Digital Marketing process, which is customized to the meet the needs of each client.