When discussing custom website projects with potential clients we are often asked, “How long can I expect my site to last?” The simple answer is about 5–6 years, but there are a lot of factors that should be considered that can drastically change that baseline recommendation. These include the nature of your organization, the demographics of your target audiences, and how you intend to use your website.
The Nature of Your Organization
The nature of your organization plays an outsized role in how often you should redesign or rebuild your website (we’ll get into the differences between these options shortly). Some organizations are served perfectly well by simple, informational websites that can go long periods of time without needing a refresh. Likewise, organizations that are relatively unchanging in the services they provide, the people in their leadership and staff positions, and the makeup of their target audiences are able to wait a bit longer for an overhaul.
However, if your organization wants to be seen as modern and on top of the latest trends, you should seriously consider a refresh every few years. Certain organizations in fast-moving industries like tech or fashion may even refresh their websites several times a year to show they are reliably on the cutting edge.
The Nature of Your Audiences
The nature and attitudes of your target audiences should also be considered when you are thinking about how long to wait before redoing your website. If you are looking to attract younger audiences, they often have little respect or patience for outdated designs and functionality. Having a fresh new digital presence with the latest features can instill confidence that you understand their needs and can deliver on your promises.
Conversely, older and more socially conservative audiences can be averse to change — they want to see the same things in the same place so they know where to go and what to click to engage your services or purchase your products. If this sounds like your typical client, you can probably hold off a few extra years.
How You Use Your Website
One of the factors that often goes overlooked is how newer websites tend to be easier to edit, manage, and maintain. If you spend little to no time adding new content, editing information, or making other changes to your site, you may not see much value in updating to newer technologies that power your site.
On the other hand, if you are making frequent updates, changes, and/or edits to your site, the time you can save (or money, if you’re paying someone to do this work for you) can be substantial. Upgrading to newer technology like the WordPress Gutenberg block system not only makes editing and creating new content a breeze, it also opens up a whole new world of dynamic layouts that can really make your content sing.
Redesign vs. Rebuilding Websites
If your website was built relatively recently, say in the last 4–5 years, you may be able to simply refresh your site. This typically involves a refinement of written content, replacing photos and graphics, and enhancing functionality. By keeping the underlying core and adding a fresh coat of digital paint, you can get a new look without committing to a full rebuild.
Conversely, if your site is getting long in the tooth at 5–10 years old, chances are you really do need a rebuild. “Senior” websites like these may experience serious issues with modern browsers, and may be downright unusable on mobile phones and tablets. By upgrading to a modern system, you can have a great-looking site that works well no matter what device your visitors are using.
Get With the Times
Whether you think you need a redesign, rebuild, or are just not sure, reach out to us! We’ll give you an honest opinion, provide options, and help you pull your online presence out of the history books.