A website should be a living online representation of your brand, and that means it needs updates to stay relevant. But how extensive do you need to go with updates? When does a small website refresh cross into a full website redesign?
Forge Apollo is a leading website designer based in Philadelphia. In this guide, we’ll help you decide whether you need a full website design or can get away with a refresh.
What is a Website Refresh?
A website refresh includes a light touch-up of design elements and copy. This could include adding new sections, removing outdated ones, swapping imagery, or adding stronger calls to action throughout a page.
A website refresh does not include any major development or structural changes, such as rebuilding on a new content management system (CMS).
Let’s walk through an example. Forge Apollo lightly refreshed the designs for RJB Contracting’s website. On the home page, this included:
- Swapping the hero image for a new banner video & adding clearer headings and buttons
- Adding a couple of sections & tweaking the design of others
- Adding headings and buttons in other sections
- Better applying their brand colors throughout (in text and design elements)
What is a Website Redesign?
A website redesign involves a full, strategic website rebuild. You get an entirely new design that reflects your brand’s current identity and business goals. Plus, new copywriting to fit the design. It also includes development, whether that’s on the same platform you’re using or migrating to a new one.
The fresh design and development allow you to optimize for user experience, search engines (SEO), and AI engines (AEO / GEO).
You can see how this played out in our redesign for Essintial Enterprise Solutions. The new design more closely aligns with their brand image of modern technology. New sections present their messaging and use strategic calls to action to hit their business goals of establishing what they do and earning leads.
The Differences Between a Website Refresh and Redesign
So what are the major differences between a website redesign and a refresh?
Scope
One of the big differences is scope. With a website refresh, you’re essentially just getting a cosmetic touch-up. With a website redesign, the scope extends deeper to achieve full brand alignment and optimize the user experience and online visibility.
Cost
Along with a deeper scope comes a higher cost. Generally, a refresh costs about 25% as much as a full redesign. However, costs vary on both fronts depending on your needs.
Timeline
The timeline difference depends entirely on how many updates you need to make to your site. A refresh requiring many updates could take as long as a new site build, but it’s usually shorter. At Forge Apollo, the average custom redesign takes about 12-15 weeks, with smaller websites going faster and larger websites taking longer.
ROI
Despite having higher costs and a longer timeline, the ROI on a full website redesign is higher. This is due to the deeper optimization and strategic alignment available. Frequently, what’s outdated on your website goes beyond what you can see. So, a fresh build can provide higher performance.
Which One Do You Need?
Are you feeling unsure which option makes the most sense for your brand? Here’s when to choose a website redesign or a refresh.
If you have any of these problems with your website, you need a full website redesign…
- It was built more than three years ago
- It’s not mobile-friendly
- It’s not accessible
- It has performance problems, such as slow loading speed or a high bounce rate
- The content is low-quality
- There are technical issues
- You struggle to make basic updates
- It’s not earning conversions
- It’s hard to navigate
You can get away with a website design refresh and minor updates if…
- You like your website design, but would like a few tweaks
- You’ve updated your brand colors, logos, or fonts, and want your website to reflect it
- You have new imagery or videos and want to showcase them
- You like your website design, but some information throughout the site is outdated
Work With a Website Designer in Philadelphia
Website redesigns and refreshes both have their place in the online world. It all depends on your current site’s performance and your needs.
Still not sure what makes sense for your website? Forge Apollo is a leading website design company based in Philadelphia. Contact us today for a free website audit, during which we’ll help you identify the issues with your current website to identify which option makes the most sense for you.
