It seems like every couple years the elements that make up a new-looking website get replaced by newer, “cooler” features. Back in 2011-2012 it was all about making your website responsive. Now, mobile and tablet-compatibility are pretty much a given. Websites that have movement and utilize parallax elements have become popular in the last year or so.
The time it takes to complete a website re-design project varies tremendously from practice to practice and business to business. A complete overhaul on the design, the amount of content, specific features, and the photo gallery are just some of the factors that can weigh heavily on a project timeline. Sometimes life simply gets in the way!
Here’s an example of a plastic surgery center that came to Turbo in 2012 in need of a website re-design. The project got delayed a bit, but the end result was a more functional, custom look and feel:
Here’s the mobile site before and after transformation:
This website features many great features that didn’t exist before, including:
- better calls to action
- improved website drop down menu
- custom design and scrolling banner
- a blog
However, you could argue that this website is already outdated. The project began in 2012 after all! The mobile site lacks “sticky” calls to action, the site is somewhat “boxed in,” and the photo gallery uses shadowbox pop ups. Still, while these are areas I’d updated in a perfect world, the site is much more functional and aesthetically pleasing than the previous version.
So how do you know if your website is outdated? It’s all relative. If you’re practicing in Miami or Beverly Hills you serve a different kind of clientele, patients who are more likely to be picky about every little thing about your website. If you’re in rural Oklahoma, for example, you probably don’t have much competition. You still want a clean, professional site that’s easy for patients to navigate and leave their information, but there’s no need to update your website every 2 years!
If your website has all the tools needed to show social proof and convert visitors into leads (in a clean and professional format), then you may not need an update or re-design. In fact, you’d be better off investing that money in your marketing to drive people to your website.
It’s impossible to say whether or not you need a new website without evaluating it in depth. There are plenty of websites that were built in 2010 that look much better than sites built in 2015.
If you’re interested in a website evaluation or would simply like to learn more about what we do at TRBO then leave us a note here. You can also reach us by phone at 877-673-7096 x2. You can check out more website development project cases here.
