www.npgroup.net
Planning for 2017: Website Redesign Tips & TricksPete Czech, CEO & Sebastien Jean-Baptiste, Art Director: New Possibilities Group, LLC
Welcome!
Today’s Agenda:
• Introductions• Why You Are Here• Phases of a Web Redesign
• Planning• Design• Technology & Development
• Budgeting & Economics• Other Predictions• Q&A
Introductions
Your Host: Pete Czech
CEO, New Possibilities Group
Co-founder of NPG in 2001
NPG specializes in highly customized design & development of web applications and content management systems.
Contact: [email protected]
Introductions
Your Co-Host: Sebastien Jean-Baptiste
Art Director, New Possibilities Group
Contact: [email protected]
Why You Are Here
Hopefully because you are planning a redesign of your website in 2017!
This webinar will touch on design & technology.
Common reasons people redesign:
• Design is out of date, out of style• Content became massively disorganized• CMS is vulnerable or difficult to use• Because “It’s been two years”
Your goal: Make this your last full-scale redesign.
Step 1: Plan, Prepare, Execute
Most important phase of your project.
This should be simple, if you know your business.
Design customer-first, not company-first.
What are goals / objectives?
Consider all possible conversion points.
The “Do Not_Say” List
Never approach a web design with these buzzwords:
• Clean• Modern• Open or White Space• Professional• Simple
Every customer says them, then expects to be different!
Dig deeper.
The Better Alternative
Approach your redesign looking to solve real problems.
Study user behavior.
Work to improve user conversions.
Aim for establishing credibility.
Study analytics and make informed decisions.
How to Properly Plan?
Either perform a series of internal discovery sessions.
Or…
Hire someone to do it.
If You Have Prepared Properly…
You will have assembled the following materials:
Discovery Findings Document – Your Specification:
Includes Goals, Objectives
Details User PersonasDetails Use Cases
List of design inspirations.
Web Design: Thoughts to Live By
Your website is a preview of what it is like to work with your company.
Buyers are more technically advanced now than ever.
All devices require equal attention.
Stop thinking about your website as just a brochure.
A Look Back: 2016 Design Trends
Card-Based Design
Minimalism
Gradients
Long Scrolling Pages
Hamburger Menu
2017: New Trends To Consider
Death to Stock Images
Devaluation of the Homepage
Focus on Conversion
Modular Design
Death to [Cheesy] Stock Images
We’re not sure why we are saying this in 2016.
These should have died a long time ago!
Everyone uses the exact same images since they are all sourced from the same places.
Don’t fool yourself: users can tell.
Your office, warehouse, studio all tell your story.
Hire a photographer. They are cheap and plentiful.
Or… Use your iPhone!
Devaluation of the Homepage
The homepage can be first among equals.
Remember that entry pages are site-wide, if you SEO correctly.
Don’t focus 80 / 20 on the homepage. Tell management this also.
But, do let the homepage serve as a logical place to begin a design process.
Today’s homepage: Don’t shoot yourself in the foot.
• Make Your Claim• Reassure• Funnel Downwards
Focus on Conversion
Design decisions should be data driven.
It’s okay to make small design sacrifices to achieve higher conversion rates.
The secret to conversion is [really] understanding the customer.
Conversions aren’t just a “Contact Us” link.
Think about what you will do with the data you collect.
Modular Design
Modular Design will help eliminate massive future redesigns.
Focus is on reusable parts versus templates.
Problem: CMS limitations.
But there are ways to do it…!
Technology
The success of your project in the long run is determined in part by the technology you choose.
Ongoing Expenses
Liabilities
Freedom
Lifespan
If There Was Ever a Time…
Redesign allows for a technology review.
Do you like your current CMS?
If not, why?
Have you worked with other systems?
What would you fix, if you could?
If You Are a Marketer…
You must ensure you can manage the majority of site content without a tech geek.
Marketing moves fast and so does technology. You must integrate into MarTech platforms seamlessly.
SEO now means technical implications too: SSL, Speed, Mobile Responsiveness.
Don’t lose freedom because of a platform.
If You Are An IT Pro…
2017: The year of security.
There will be more and more enterprise focus on the safety and security of website management software.
Carefully consider available platforms and other options to establish true security.
Balance the needs of marketing with policy.
The CMS Industry Today
Most mainstream CMS platforms are based on old technology:
• WordPress• Drupal• Joomla• SiteCore• Magento• Ektron
The CMS of the future works differently, but the new technology may not fit for everyone… Yet!
Which Pathway is Right For You?
Depends on your core purpose.
Marketing / Informational sites can work well with off-the-shelf platforms.
Any level of customization, commerce or interactivity should involve a thorough platform review.
Final Factors to Consider
Consider multiple factors
Security
Ease of Use
Updates & Upgrades
Maintenance
Scalability
History
Talent Pool
Final Tech MUST DO’s
INSTALL CLOUDFLARE OR SIMILAR SYSTEMS!
SERVE ALL PAGES VIA SSL!
MAKE SURE YOU 301 REDIRECT ALL OLD PAGES!
HAVE A REAL HOST!
MINIMIZE THIRD PARTY PLUGINS!
Economics of Agency RedesignsVendor / Client arrangements are changing.
Focus must be on continuous improvement, not a cycle of inefficiency.
Most software is leased. Why not your website too?
Our 2017 Prediction: This Will Be Your LAST Redesign!
It’s true!
Solid Technology Choice + Continuous Improvement = Agility.
Your next redesign will be happening on a regular basis, in response to data.
Leasing?
Expect more agencies to focus on Leasing.
Almost all software today is leased.
Enables cash flow management and facilitates continuous improvement.
It combines infrastructure costs into web design / development.
Final Predictions For 2017!
Video will be a requirement for credibility.
The rise of Bots and AI.
CaaS – Content as a Service
SEO Changes: But What?
Additional Resources
Our blog – www.npgroup.net/blog
Videos - www.npgroup.net/videos
E-Books – www.npgroup.net/resources
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