[01.05.10]

How long has it been since you've updated your Web site? This is not about changing a word or image or two or even adding a new paragraph here or there. If it's been three years since your site's been updated, it's time to take a good look.

Determine if the design still meets your business objectives and matches your other marketing pieces. Maybe you've recently had new business cards or letterhead designed and they look nothing like your site. This might cause a disconnect for some people. Or maybe the colors, fonts, and images you selected for your site no longer represent where the company is at today.

If the site was built when you had a much smaller budget, it's likely it was done without any plan on how it could be improved or added to. Now that your business has grown or been slightly modified, you might want to add other features and services to the site.

Do a quick survey, or ask people whose opinion you trust if the design of your site still has its "edge." Also, can they find what they're looking for? Check site analytics. The numbers might tell you if the site is still pulling in the casual visitor, how long they stay there, and where they go next.

Technology is changing so rapidly, chances are there's now a different way of doing the things you began doing three years ago. Do you have a blog? If so, is it integrated into your site and its design? Are your social media campaigns feeding your site, pulling information from your event registration site, Facebook or Twitter page?

A site redesign need not take a lot of time or money. A good marketing and communications expert can develop a project that matches your budget and expectations. More on how to go about a site redesign will be included in upcoming blog entries.