Making the case for a website redesign

Even if your organization's website is long overdue for a makeover, you may encounter some resistance when you float the idea with your healthcare administration team. Maybe they don't see the need ("If it ain't broke, don't fix it"). Or maybe they can't see past the price.

So why push for a redesign? It's simple: Because an outdated website could be costing you business.

Know your audience

As you think about how to get your management team on board with the idea, consider their perspectives. Their pain points are likely to include concerns about the limited resources of money, labor and time. And they may not recognize the return on investment that keeping the website current will bring. Solid information will help you make a compelling case.

Get your ducks in a row

Start with a thorough assessment of your current site. Here are seven key questions to consider:

1. Was your website built less than four years ago? Technology advances quickly. If your site doesn't keep up, consumers will move on without you.
2. Is your site getting the traffic you want? The way your website was built has a foundational impact on your search engine optimization and could be a problem throughout your platform.
3. Does your site look good and work well on a smartphone? This year, 55% of page views came from mobile phones. In addition, 57% of internet users say they won't recommend a business whose website doesn't work well on their phone.
4. Are your third-party tools up-to-date? If not, they may be slowing down your site speed—and driving users away in frustration. While third-party tools can add functionality initially, they can become outdated over time and do more harm than good.
5. Is your site easy to update? If your content management system isn't user-friendly, you probably aren't updating your site as often as you should be.
6. Does your site offer users a good experience? Consumers are less likely to go back after a bad experience. By updating your website, you can give users a more functional resource and a more enjoyable experience.
7. Is your site optimized for speed? 83% of visitors expect a webpage to load in less than 3 seconds. If it doesn't, they'll leave—and they may never come back.

Make your case

With that assessment complete, you'll be ready to present substantiated facts about the state of your site and help your administration team understand how it might be driving consumers away. Here are some compelling indicators that it's time for a redesign:

• Your assessment shows your site isn't working.
• You're getting outranked in search engine results.
• Your organization isn't capitalizing on the value that can come from having a fresh and highly functional website.
• Your site performs poorly on mobile phones.
• A redesign would more closely align with your organization's high-level goals.
• Your website's functionality is lagging behind what your competitors offer.

Once you have leadership buy-in, finding the right fit with an agency will ensure you end up with a website that delivers real results. Make sure that agency specializes in healthcare and has a great track record with organizations like yours.