5 Easy Ways to Refresh Your Website
Not ready for a full redesign? These options will give your site the biggest bang for the littlest buck.
It’s been a few years since your last website update, and it’s feeling pretty outdated. Still not ready to commit to a full redesign? We have good news: You can refresh your website without starting from scratch and without a major investment. Below, we share five of our favorite (and maybe surprising) ways to breathe new life into websites.
1. Takeover the Homepage
Your homepage is the most important page on your site — at least, according to your users. But, more often than not, a website’s homepage is designed to be a long-lasting fixture. So how do you liven it up without starting from square one? Think about repackaging one of your top-performing articles as a homepage takeover? It’s performing well for a reason, and it gives your visitors a fresh set of calls-to-action.
2. Narrow the Navigation
Help users find the content you want them to find. Redoing your website’s navigation likely seems a daunting task; but if there is room to improve how visitors navigate your website, it’s all the more reason to try something new. Think about what actions you’d want every user to take on your website. Are those listed prominently on your site’s menu? Now’s the time to clean up your mega-menu and prioritize what goes on the front door.
3. Revisit Your Content
We’re a bit biased when it comes to advocating for quality content — but for good reason. Similar to refreshing your homepage, publishing content that matches the website of your dreams can be a shortcut on your way to achieving your marketing goals. Performing a content audit — then acting on your discoveries — can ensure your content is up to date and reflects your current goals and offerings. Beyond that, consider creating (or repackaging) a content series into a dedicated landing page for a key business initiative, like signing up for tours or driving flu shots.
4. Commission Illustrations
If you’re facing a stock photo overload, hire an illustrator! Creating a strategy for a special campaign or special event? Custom graphics can set it apart from previous efforts (and the competition). Commissioning illustrations keeps your site unique and upgrades your branding in a very custom and personal way.
5. Focus on Data Visualization
Shine a spotlight on key numbers — this applies whether you’re a nonprofit organization courting donors or a CVB emphasizing all the reasons people should visit your city. Why? A visual number gives your users a tangible benefit that’s also easy to digest. Instead of keeping your fundraising efforts buried in your annual report, consider incorporating that impressive dollar amount in a fun homepage hero image.