If you’ve noticed over time that your website traffic has declined, or your visitors aren’t converting into paying customers, it could be time for a website refresh. It’s a great option to take when you want to freshen things up but don’t have the budget or inclination to perform a full redesign.
In this article, we'll explore five ways to refresh your website, providing you with some practical food for thought.
1. Carry Out a Content Audit
When your B2B website was created, it would have been done with particular messages, content themes, and calls to action in mind. But unless you are reviewing your website content on a regular basis, there is a good chance that it is no longer 100% relevant. That’s where a content audit can help.
A content audit is an assessment of a website’s content, with the goal of improving its quality, relevance, and effectiveness. Performing a content audit can help you identify and remove outdated or irrelevant content, as well as improve the overall user experience.
During a content audit, each page on the website is reviewed and evaluated based on a set of criteria such as accuracy, value to the reader, and overall quality. Based on this evaluation, each page is assigned a status such as "keep," "update," or "delete."
Maybe you’ve got some new products or services, or your target customer has significantly changed. With a content audit, you can ensure your website always resonates with the people who matter to your business and encourages them to take the actions you want.
2. Fine Tune Your Website Navigation
In the same way, your content can become outdated, and so, too, can your website navigation. Today’s B2B buyers are busier than ever and if they can’t navigate your website intuitively, you’re going to lose business.
While you may know how to navigate your website with your eyes closed, prospective customers might not. That’s why it’s a good idea to get someone external to your business to assess your website’s navigability. If they can’t quickly and easily find what they are looking for or don’t even know where to begin, then it's time to update your navigation.
Fine-tuning your website navigation is also a good idea if you’ve carried out a content audit. You’ll probably have new content you want to showcase, as well as older stuff that can be removed from the navigation altogether (but remain on the website for SEO purposes).
3. Select Your Images - Assets vs. Stock
Stock images are extremely useful, especially for businesses that are just starting out and perhaps don’t have the budget for professional photos. However, some websites suffer from stock image overload, which detracts from their overall value.
There are a few reasons why it can be beneficial to use fewer stock images on your website:
- Authenticity: Using too many stock images can make a website feel inauthentic and lacking personality. Using your own original images or those from a professional photographer can give your website a more authentic and unique feel.
- Brand consistency: Using your own original images can also help maintain consistency with your brand's style and messaging. Stock images are unlikely to align with your brand's aesthetic or tone.
- Avoiding clichéd images: Stock images can often be overused and become clichéd, which can make your website feel unoriginal and generic.
- Legal considerations: It's important to ensure that you have the proper licenses for any stock images you use on your website. Using too many stock images can increase the risk of copyright infringement.
4. Signpost Your Socials
Social media has become a key part of many organizations’ marketing toolkits. It’s a great way to engage with your prospective customers, position yourselves as thought leaders, and drive traffic to your website. But you may not be displaying and linking to all your social accounts on your website, especially if some of them are relatively new additions.
Fortunately, adding some social sharing buttons to your website requires very little in the way of development, making it a quick win for many businesses.
5. Add a Chatbot or Conversational Form
People are busier than ever and simply do not have time to search your website looking for the information they want. While FAQs help, they usually only cover a set of standard questions. You stand to lose business if your website visitors’ queries are not answered.
By adding a chatbot or conversational form, you can engage with your website visitors and significantly increase the chances of helping them find what they’re looking for. Chatbots and conversational forms are cost-effective ways to improve customer service, increase engagement, and add a personalized touch to your website.
Need Help Refreshing or Redesigning Your Website This Year?
While all the steps we’ve outlined above can make a big difference to your website, sometimes a complete redesign is a better option. This is especially true if your branding, target customer, and main business offering have changed.
Contact us today to find out how we can help turn your website into a hard-working shop window for your business.