New Website or Redesign? How to Make the Right Choice

Regular website redesign is often a must in the modern day. An alternative is rebuilding the website from scratch. Which to choose? Here, we want to discuss this question and figure out when to build a new website or redesign. 

What Does It Mean to Build a New Website or Redesign?

What differentiates a redesign and building a new website? The answer is not quite as obvious as you might think because redesigns are quite varied. In fact, a major redesign looks very much like building a new website since the old one gets changed quite drastically. Still, for this article, we want to draw a line between the two.

• If you preserve at least something about your website, it is a redesign.
• If you do not save anything from the old website in the design, it is a new website.

Let’s consider when you need to choose one or the other.

Redesign

The concept of redesigning encompasses a lot of types of changes to your website. Sometimes, it is just a redecoration, where you make changes to the way your website looks. Updating your colors is a type of redecoration. Other times, you work with the infrastructure of your website, rewiring it. That is also considered a type of redesign. Or you make a lot of changes, but it is a redesign because you kept something from the old website. 

You should probably redesign in the following situations.

• There are only minor issues with the website. Maybe the navigation is not very good, and your clients have been complaining about it. So you want to change that one issue. If that is your situation, you definitely only need a redesign, and a minor one at that.
• You have changed your branding, and you need the website to reflect that. Usually, it is not worth it to make a new website for the sake of branding. In such cases, a redesign might be better.
• The technology you are using is fine. It is not outdated, and it does not cause issues for your customers. If you do not need to change the backend, you can choose a redesign. Even when you work with the backend without drastically changing it, redesign is the way to go.
• You are on a tight budget, but you need to change something about your website. On average, a redesign costs less than a new website built from scratch. That is not always true, though. Sometimes, redesigns may cost tens of thousands of dollars. In such cases, it is not so easy to tell which is more affordable: a new website or redesign.

The details are not the details. They make the design.

Charles Eames, designer

Rebuild

Sometimes, rebuilding your website is the way to go. Here are a few situations when this statement is true.

• It is no longer worth it to redesign. At some point, redesigns can become really costly. If you receive a quote from your specialist that exceeds the price of a new website, think carefully if you need that redesign. Rebuilding might be better! Similarly, redesigning something that is really outdated eventually becomes inconvenient. Old technology and features are not as usable anymore, and you want new ones. For that, rebuild!
• There are a lot of issues with your website, and they are major. At this point, according to your web designer, you have to tear down the website and rebuild it. Why not build an entirely new website then? This option offers more opportunities for making something that is modern and usable.
• You have the budget and time for rebuilding a website. You have decided that you need a change! Then, it is not a bad idea to build a new website if you have the resources. A new website will have modern technology and better features than the old one. It is true simply because time has passed since you created the old website. New tools and platforms exist now! So why not use them instead of the old ones?
• It is becoming difficult to ensure the security of the old website. That might be because of old technology or other issues. In any case, it is a very serious reason to consider building something new and ensuring its security. 
• Your plan as a business is to soon grow significantly. With such changes, it is only reasonable to create a new website for the new page in your business’ lifecycle. 

New Website or Redesign: The Benefits

The benefits of building a new website or redesigning are numerous. They are mostly the same for both options with only minor differences.

• Improved features and technology. This is a common outcome for both options, although some types of redesign do not include it. Still, if you are changing the backend, you are likely improving your website significantly. That means happier customers.
• Improved metrics. Happier customers mean better metrics. For example, you might witness an increase in traffic or even conversion rates. This parameter depends a lot on the quality of your redesign or new website. But if you partner with specialists and test the website extensively, the changes should affect the metrics. 
• Updated features. It can be new colors or content, but either way, the website often gets a new look. It is not the case for some redesigns. But for most redesign types, the appearance of the website does get changed. The website is more interesting to the customers as a result. Also, it is more modern, which makes it more attractive. 
• Staying competitive. Your competitors probably redesign often. After all, it is recommended to do so every few years. As they employ newer technologies and trendier looks, you want to do the same. 

The Drawbacks

There are also a couple drawbacks to building a new website or redesigning that you need to take into account.

• Time. Redesign usually takes less time compared to building a new website. It makes sense since you do have at least some elements of the old website to preserve and use. However, both options take quite a bit of time. Indeed, in web design agencies, getting your website redesigned in 30 days is a separate service that is priced higher. It is difficult to redesign so quickly. Building a website can take even longer!
• Money. Whether you decide to build a new website or redesign, you will have to spend some money. The less you do, the less expensive it is, but small changes are not always an option. It is also difficult for a non-designer to figure out how expensive building or redesigning will cost. Make sure to contact your professionals for a quote. 
• Public reception. Sometimes, customers prefer the old website. It is an issue you need to keep in mind when designing the new website or redesigning. Consider testing the new features and making sure that they all work smoothly. Your website should be easy to use and very intuitive. The client should not spend time learning how to use a new feature; it should be obvious. 

These drawbacks are worth it when the redesign or new website is done well. Make sure to hire the best specialists for your website!

In Conclusion

In the end, it is up to you to decide whether to build a new website or redesign. The answer depends heavily on what your website needs and what resources you have. If the issues are minor, you can probably redesign. If you need drastic changes or a redesign is no longer helpful, build a new website. Stay in contact with your web designer and discuss what you want and how to get there. This way, you will be able to choose the right thing.