The ROI of Web Page Redesign
You are considering a website redesign, but before you do it, make sure you can identify a clear cut return on your investment (ROI)

Staff Writer | Last edited 12/29/04

I've been asked the question several times over by both client and workshop attendees alike. It starts off something like this: "We are thinking about redesigning our Internet or intranet. What tips can you provide us?

As tempting as redesigning your site is and trust me, we've been down that road, it's usually a sure formula for disaster.

Four Reasons Why Redesigning Your Site is a bad idea
I'll give you 4 reasons why there is almost never an ROI for a complete redesign of your site and specifically why identifying key action areas of your site may ultimately help you reach your business goals faster than a redesign ever would.

#1 Complete Web Page Redesigns Can Actually Hurt Your Business

The immediate results of redesigns are almost always tempered with a lack of long term results.

Its true. You may see a temporary interest or climb in visitation, but it will likely be short lived. A redesign often adversely affects your conversion metrics. Further, if you have been actively collecting user data from your site, you can essentially throw those numbers away. New Site=New Data often spells new problems.

We've seen redesigns that actually reduce revenues specifically because redesigns often affect search engine placement, at least temporarily.

Practically speaking, web sites are inherently flawed. Don't take the risk. Think about realigning processes, not redesigning them. You likely haven't exhausted all of your available options. Be creative. Collect data about your processes for a few weeks. Let that be the litmus for change.

#2 A Web Site Redesign can be Costly.

Redesigns often costs thousands and proper programming can cost you even thousands more, which means you essentially have to recoup those losses before you can begin to calculate any significant ROI.

You'd be better off developing better landing pages that convert your visitors at higher rates, targeting your sales messages through segmentation, optimizing your homepage, or investing in pay for performance channels to help drive traffic to your site.

Do just about anything to avoid the final nail in the coffin of a redesign.

#3 Measure the effectiveness of areas on your site that help you drive business first!

Often its not the entire site that needs an overhaul, but rather the processes that connect it. Before considering a redesign, start by documenting key process or action areas of your site. These areas are often tied to things such as registration, promotional areas, entry pages, shopping carts, product pages, your homepage, forms, content pages, etc.

Measure the activity of these key areas. Are your customers abandoning your shopping cart on Step 2 of the registration process or are your call to action links simply not compelling enough? Consider the purchase of web analytic software to help you better manage your business.

#4 A Complete Web Site Redesign May not Actually Solve Anything.

If you want to better understand how your web site is performing, consider using funnel analysis to help you identify bottlenecks. Try surveying existing customers that did purchase from you to find out what was and was not compelling about the buying experience.

Try an overlay tool to help you visually understand customer behavior on your site, as well as the revenue impact of your links.

Sample with A/B testing and prove that one page design is more or less effective than another.

Increase your revenue by up selling to existing customers or exploring customer segmentation models.

Avoid Costly Web Page Redesigns

Taking smaller, incremental steps and documenting change can help you better reach your business goals than any full scale redesign could. Invest the time in learning more about your existing web site now, you'll find it can help you both identify and manage strategic changes that positively affect your bottom line.

Ask Metaclix for web consultation on your next Home Page Optimization Project. You'll be glad you did.