As any form of fashion does, web design elements gets outdated as rapidly as they are born. The 2.0 look only lasted four years before it was considered old fashioned, and the most sophisticated website online today, will surely seem hideous in a couple of years as well. But the look and feel of a website is not the only aspect that gets dated.
Yes, look and feel redesign is important, but a fresh combination of colours is hardly the only thing to consider. A website is dependant of what the browser wants from it. The browser trusts a “new” looking website because a contemporary look usually supports the rest of the website, i.e. the nature of the content and how it is set up to satisfy the user’s requirements. How the website is set to function, and for which purposes, is a component that needs a “redesign” in itself every now and then.
Online Practises Change Along With the Browser’s Needs
For browsers to be informed and stay informed on information, subscribing to email newsletters and website RSS feeds was the common convention some time ago . Today, this behaviour has largely been replaced by browsers frequenting company blogs and social media sites. Twitter account following especially keeps browsers regularly updated (provided that your Twitter account is being run properly of course).
All Revolves Around a Content Strategy
Your website redesign planning should start with a content strategy, i.e. how are you going to arrange your content in a way that makes it conveniently accessible and inherently useful. Starting the layout design of your website without considering your content first is the perfect way to launch straight into a disaster.
For more information about content strategy following the link below:
Content Marketing 101: Content Strategy Part 1
Content Marketing 101: Content Strategy Part 2
The Company Website is No Longer the Core of the Universe
The website itself is far from the company’s digital core today. When planning a redesign, your website is hardly the only component of your website that should be redesigned. The new look and feel should also stretch to other digital platforms. The traffic produced from your blog and social media networking is the drive force of your online presence, and this is also the best platforms for directing traffic to your website.
Dynamic Content With the Purpose to Teach
You need to take inventory of your content, decide what is dated, what is relevant, what needs improvement and what is outstanding. The way graphics are presented online has changed. With ADSL and broadband, websites, blogs and social media platforms can support large images and animated graphics. The same can be said for video. The purpose of graphical information is no longer there simply to attract attention - it serves to demonstrate products and services and guide browsers to important webpages (serving as links). Graphics and especially online video has the power to teach the browser something about the company or organisation. And in an information hungry society, the demand to be educated on consumer goods is a demand met through these online elements.
In Closing
You need to consider a content strategy in support of all the latter mentioned elements/components. Content purposing needs to be adapted, because the way in which content is consumed by browsers has changed and is changing right now, as you are reading this.
Sound Idea Digital is a full service digital marketing agency. For more information contact 012 664 4227 or email to info@soundidea.co.za
Carla van Straten is a writer for Sound Idea Digital | Carla@soundidea.co.za | @SoundIdeaLMS | Sound Idea Digital l www.soundidea.co.za
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