The Whys and WhyNots of a Website Revamp

8/12/2019 The Whys and WhyNots of a Website Revamp

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The Whys and Why Nots of a

Website Revamp


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Introduction

The website is an important weapon ina companys marketing arsenal. It canperform multiple functions establishyour companys online presence,

showcase capabilities, generate leadsand even transact business. Websitescan nicely complement push-marketing techniques and, if crafted

well, can draw audiences in, thusenhancing a companys brand. Clearly,websites are too important a marketingtool to be taken lightly.

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The whys and why nots of a website revamp > Introduction


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Does your website need a facelift?

The website is the online face of your company and mustreflect your companys position accurately, and hence draw the

right audience.

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Eight questions to help you decide if you

need to revamp your website

1. Has your business undergone a significant change, such as an

M&A or a change in ownership that must be reflected on thesite?

2. Has your business completed a re-positioning or re-

structuring exercise that requires to be communicated to themarket?

3. By scanning the home page, is a visitor unable to determine

your competencies and assess your knowledge as it standstoday?

4. Has the last revamp been done several years ago, and

consequently, does the content on the site barely represent afraction of what you could offer to customers?

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Eight questions to help you decide if you

need to revamp your website

5. Does your site generate marginal traffic and leads?

6. Does your site have little or no interactive elements?

7. By doing a critical comparison of your site with a competitors,do you feel that your site needs a big boost?

8. Is your site an online equivalent of a brochure (static, sales-y)?

If any of these questions solicit a positive response, then yoursite needs to be carefully evaluated and the extent of changesrequired needs to be determined.

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Also remember

Website changes should be driven by compelling business

reasons such as the above. Do not embark on frequent aesthetic

overhauls as they not only cost money but also break continuity,

and hence impede the branding process.

Significant changes must be treated like any other business

investment and justified through a business case that clearlyenumerates the outcomes. A considered decision can be made,

based on the expected outcomes.

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3 Common mistakes you dont want to make

while revamping your website

1. Obsession with Design

When it comes to design, everyone has aview and this very often results in endlessiterations and contradictory feedback.Reaching a consensus takes time andeffort, which could have been invested in

more value adding activities!

We also find that companies obsessendlessly with the minutiae of design.

Marketers need to understand that theprecise shade of green or the carefulpositioning of a grey line is not going todraw traffic to the site; while aestheticsincrease appeal, they cannot substitute forpoor content.

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3 Common mistakes you dont want to

make while revamping your website

2. Communicating all that I have

A website is meant to present a compelling storyabout the company, thereby motivatingprospective buyers and employees to learn moreabout it. Therefore, the website must containrelevant content presented in a crisp and easy-

to-read fashion. However, many companiesdesire to tell all assuming mistakenly that asuccinct description of capabilities is notsufficient to convey the value proposition.

Nothing can be further from reality. A B2Bwebsite visitor spends under three minutes onan average on a site and in that short period hasto assimilate what the company has to offer and

be stimulated enough to learn more so, brevity

is the essence of compelling content.

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3. Being someone you are not

Some companies expect a website

makeover to be the panacea for alltheir problems. Not only that, they alsotry and project an image through thewebsite that does not gel with the

companys personality or corecapabilities. For instance, trying tocreate a flashy website for aconservative business is a strict no-no;this make-over will not strike the

right chord with the targeted audience,who will get mixed signals during theirother interactions. Similarly,exaggerating ones capabilities is

bound to backfire as it will impact thecredibility negatively.

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Our experience in revamping several B2B sites, especially in theIT/ITeS industry has given us some additional insights.

The most commonly cited reason for contemplating a revamp is

the lack of sufficient quality traffic. Other common triggersinclude altering the site to reflect new positioning, augmentingthe portfolio of service offerings, or bolstering the track record.

However, many a time, we see companies lose sight of fourimportant areas during the course of the revamp exercise.

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Four areas you must focus on

1. Content rules

When contemplating a revamp or amajor change to the website,companies must remember the keymotivation for audiences to visit andspend time on the site. Visitors

typically learn more about a companyand are incentivized to spend a longertime if the companys message strikesa chord and if the content supports

this messaging adequately. Whiledesign is still an importantcomponent, visitors who matterusually do not pay significantattention to every design detail.

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2. Demonstrate that you can thinkProspective customers are reassured when theysee sufficient evidence of a companys thinkingcapabilities leading to how they can help the

customer. After all, it is far simpler to engage witha company that can contribute meaningfullyrather than someone who needs explicitdirections. The website is a great way to showcase

a service providers consulting or consultativeskills.

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3. Online marketing

Most companies have underleveragedonline marketing, leaving untapped apowerful channel to further their businessopportunities and brand. With a well-

planned and rigorously executed onlinemarketing strategy, companies can attract

better quality leads and also improve theirbrand image significantly. Some of the

points to keep in mind: optimizing the sitefor SEO, frequent content updates to thewebsite, incorporating Web 2.0 elementssuch as blogs and RSS Feeds. Please notethat all of these require sustained efforts to

deliver the desired outcomes.

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4. MeasurementsA culture of periodically gatheringand analyzing website metrics must

be cultivated. Several tools are

available that give an indication of theeffectiveness of the website. One suchis Google Analytics, a powerful toolwhich is easy to use and gives good

insights into website traffic and SEOeffectiveness. Analytics reports giveimportant cues on what needs to bechanged on the existing website.

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Is revamp the only way to make changes?

Not necessarily. Full fledgedwebsite makeovers or revampsmay not always warranted, andsignificant change may also be

brought out by deploying point

solutions such as reworking thecontent and messaging or implementing an SEM strategy,without disrupting the design. A

clear understanding of theexpectations and objectives fromchanges to the website is thereforenecessary to decide on the rightchange strategy.

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Concluding thoughts

Websites are a key marketing vehiclethat can prompt visitors to engage in ameaningful dialog with your company.A well presented website speaksvolumes about your company and can

be an effective pull-factor for yourbusiness. Finally, a website needs to beup to date and reflect who you areaccurately. A revamp is not the only

answer to improving websiteeffectives. Pick the right strategydepending on what outcomes youdesire.

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Get in touch with us

Write in at [email protected]

Visit www.prayag.comCall at (91) 80 26593329

(91) 80 41200439

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The Whys and WhyNots of a Website Revamp