Thinking about a web design or redesign project? You probably have lots of questions. The good news is we probably have the answers buried right here on the Roundpeg blog.
The problem? You will have to search through thousands (yes that’s right thousands) of blog posts to find the ones which will be helpful for you. That will probably take hours, and you might miss the best stuff, so we built this helpful compilation for you to use as a resource to plan your web design project.
Do you need a redesign?
- Is your website evolving? – The website you have today shouldn’t be the website you have in two years. Whether it’s the first website you owned, version two or ten, the next one is just around the corner.
- How out of date is your website? Will a little adjusting here and there do the trick or do you need a complete overhaul? Spend a few minutes with our web audit to find out.
Planning your web design:
Your project should start with a plan and a process. Here are some of my favorite posts on the planning phase of a project:
- Are you building a camel? – This post was written specifically for organizations with multiple stakeholders. If offers tips on how to balance the diverse needs and special requests in a way which results in an attractive and functional site which everyone is happy with.
- Are you ready for a remodel? – In many ways, building a new website is like remodeling a room or a house. It starts with a good contractor, a clear list of features and a schedule everyone can live with.
The planning process starts with a few good questions. Whether you hire us or another web design firm or do the project yourself, answering some basic questions before you get started will save you a lot of headaches later on. Fortunately for you, we’ve collected these questions into a short kickoff guide.
Web design trends
Why do some websites look fresh, while others look dated? That overall feeling of freshness is often created with very subtle changes in the design. Here are some of the current trends in web design:
- Where did all the sidebars go? – Once a requirement on every page, today the static sidebar doesn’t provide enough benefits for site visitors who have different needs on different pages. It actually limits your ability to serve up the most relevant content on every page.
- Why you should drop your drop down menu – Like side bars, drop-down menus are dying. These relics of our point-and-click past are being replaced by minimalist navigation schemes designed around mobile-friendly taps and swipes.
- Long home pages – Too much of a good thing. – Home pages are longer. With the move to mobile, people prefer to scroll than click. Just because you can go longer doesn’t always mean you should.
- How to spot a fad – Not every new trend is worth incorporating into your design. Learn to tell the difference between a trend and a fad.
New technology
- Turning links into buttons – Making links is easy, but adding professional-looking call to action buttons to posts and pages is tricky. Discover the tricks.
- Building Reusable Landing Pages with WordPress and Divi – Landing pages should be at the core of your marketing. They entice random visitors to get to know you, trading their contact information for a cool download or special offer.
Keep your new website fresh
So you have finished your web design project and now you can forget about if for a few years, right? Wrong! The best way to avoid becoming obsolete is to make small changes on a regular basis. Here’s how:
- Web update strategy – How and when you update your site will be different based on your business objectives and model. Be sure to include a conversation about regular updates into your design process.
- Three upgrades to add to your budget – Even if you aren’t ready for a complete overhaul, these are small investments you can make to improve your website.
- Should you delete old blog posts? – Your business and your website has grown over the years. Buried deep in your archive are old, out of date blog posts.Should you go back and delete them?
- So we built your new website, now what? – How we can help after your launch.
Want more?
This post contains links to just 14 of the 592 blog posts we have written on the subject of web design over the years. You can find all of the posts here. And if you’re ready to start talking with a professional about your web design, we would love to talk to you.