One of the best things about being a freelance designer is that you’ll get to keep your most loyal clients and be solely rewarded for the hard work and trustful relationships you’ve built. Eventually, it will fall to your attention that the websites of some of your clients are in need of makeover, not because your work failed to serve its purpose but rather because of trends and technology advancements that may cause those websites to become irresponsive. But how to convince clients to redesign website?
Table of contents
Image source: Nick Franchi
Let’s check the early signs that could indicate that prospects need to upgrade and redesign website:
- Clients are experiencing problems when applying the website. New websites pay more attention to usability than appearances, in particular mobile optimization without which they could become completely unusable.
- Outdating becomes obvious. As years go by, users change their preferences, and even websites that broke satisfaction records can’t guarantee the ability to satisfy current expectations.
- WordPress plugins are in desperate need of makeover. Some websites have never been updated, and therefore, they face serious security threats.
- Loading times last for ages. Leading time is critical for every website, and can often be affected by an added plugin or a variety of external factors.
- There has been an unimplemented brand change in the organization. When the company is rebranding, this simply can’t go unnoticed and not reflected on the company’s online presence.
- Almost every website link is broken. Linking content to other relevant pages is a good optimization strategy, but if you start doing it you must keep up the good work. Many web pages will undergo remaking or removal, requiring you to update the links leading to them. Otherwise, those links can affect the quality of users’ experience.
- It is modifications that ‘junked up’ your website. One of the worst mistakes website owners make is to let in-house amateurs make personal modifications on the website, and the influences are so diverse that it has affected the smooth operation of the website.
- Security has never been more threatened. Some designers believe web design doesn’t have that much to do safeguarding and security, but there are plenty of useful tips the designer can provide you on how to keep your information safe.
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Whenever a problem like this appears, it is more than enough for the designers to think of how to convince a client to invest in a redesign. More than a financial deal, this can improve the reputation of the designers, especially when they’re undertaking some of the following approaches.
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Standing out of the crowd to redesign website
Before you even mention site redesign to your clients, explore the websites of their most agile competitors. What is it that you can find on your websites that your design doesn’t have? Is navigation easier? Do images have better quality? Do they handle social media interactions in a better way?
Compile those websites on a list, and think of the imperative elements a good design would require. Beware even of details, as for instance inviting audiences to follow you on social media. Because it is usually details that make the biggest difference.
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The best scenario is to distinguish the areas in which your website excels from the ones where it underperforms, paying special attention to the current industry trends. With a list like this, you will be able to convince users that they need to redesign the website. And pinpoint the particular elements that need to be tackled first.
Explain the need for mobile optimization
The importance of handling your online presence properly was not that visible in previous years. And small companies were still able to level the game, and play shoulder by shoulder with their larger counterparts. Nevertheless, Google decided to update its Mobilegeddon algorithm. And underline the need for mobile optimization in order to keep web players relevant.
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All of a sudden, the world’s favorite search engine started giving priority to mobile-friendly designs, making unplayable and slow mobile pages which fail to display properly on mobile screens go out of the scene completely. Thereof, websites can no longer rely on their reputation to justify blocked content and fault redirects. And almost 50% of these URLs have already moved to the bottom of the ranking.
With information like this, your client is very likely to rethink the future of his website, wishing to stay in control of Google rankings at any price, and to keep the design fully responsive.
Meaningful content for redesign website
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When a company decides to do business online, it should accept nothing but the best web design. It is design and content that will make visitors stay longer on the website. And that is going to transform prospects into converts.
Content, in particular, means the world to quality user experience, meaning that even the most visually appealing site won’t make it to customers’ top lists without meaningful content. Make sure your clients know that, and inspire them to do something about it.
A solution like this will be beneficial both for you and for the client himself.
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Lower bounce rates
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Pay special attention to landing pages, and check whether there are some improvements to implement there. Most unsuccessful websites are using clients in the first 10-20 seconds of their visit. And that’s right because they have no relevant content worth of preserving that attention. When it comes to landing pages, the best thing to do is A/B testing, which will indicate which are users most and least favorite pieces of content, and will provide guidelines of what should be done to improve quality and to lower bounce rates.
Sometimes, it will take some minor redesign website touches to increase conversion rates and revenue growth. But you have to explain to clients why this is important, and prepare them to go the whole way if that’s necessary.
Consider the budget
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If you summarize the greatest and latest design trends to present to your clients, they will very likely be thrilled and exited about them. But the cumbersome part of the task will be to convince them to invest money into your ideas. It is of imperative importance to sell your skills and the results of good work.
The first question will be ‘How much will it cost?’ There is no way for you to round up a precise price in advance. But you can at least draft a proposal and suggest a ballpark figure to give them an overview of how much website redesign cost is going to be.
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Stay flexible
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The lack of compromise or the inability to guess what users actually want or expect will fairly limit your overhaul capacity for certain websites. In fact, be ready to listen to some serious criticism, in particular when there is no compromise between your users’ expectations, and the absolutely critical redesign elements you’ve outlined in the proposal.
Experience shows that users rarely accept complete redesigns, so think of offering something like ‘refreshment’ comprising of tiny small visual changes that can nevertheless case big changes. Every strategy that can help the website keep up with trends is welcome, and once that update is clearly visible, users will be motivated to entrust you the rest of the necessary custom website redesign.
Proposing vital changes to your clients will never be easy. And you have to stay focus on their objectives, and explain how the execution of your redesign website plan can meet both their needs and expectations.
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Final thoughts – Client Redesign Website
Image source: Michael Korwin
Take some time to look at your portfolio. Pay special attention to some older works you’ve done. And choose few clients you believe would benefit the most form your web redesign services. Check their websites to confirm your doubts, make a list of missing features, and contact them to schedule a meeting.
This shouldn’t be of any concern with friendly and trusting relationships. Because these clients are more willing to listen to your proposal and to consider it. On your behalf, act self-confidently and keep up your promises, and don’t bring things you can’t accomplish on the table. Honesty is the golden rule in situations like these. Because it will also inspire clients to be real about their needs, and to point out the most appropriate website redesign direction.
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