When is it time to tear down your website and start over?

It’s a question we’re often asked, “Can’t we just blah blah blah?” Blah blah blah can be add another database; add more pages; or take down that whole section, rewrite the home page and intros, and oh yea, our name changed, too.

The real question should be, “Can this website be saved?” Or more appropriately, “Should it be saved?”

Sometimes it can be. You can modify content and add pages here and there, but over time, these repeated changes and additions have made navigation cumbersome and back-end structures something like my hair on the recent hazy, hot and humid days: a discombobulated mess! So here are a few tips to better understand when it’s time to start over…

1. The obvious: branding changes. (Well, I think it’s obvious.) I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard seemingly smart business people say, “Oh, we just changed our logo. You can just pop the new one in.” It’s not just a logo, and if it is, go ahead, just pop it in. Apparently the word “branding” doesn’t mean anything to you. For those that know branding is indeed important, you would likely agree that in most circumstances if your brand personality changed, there are likely some wide-scale changes that need to be made at your site. If your branding changed, you likely have changed colors, personality, messaging or some combination thereof. It’s time to tear it down and start over.

2. You’ve outgrown it. Your website can handle many business and communication tasks for you with the help of well-written back-end database applications. From simple flat file databases on up to more robust SQL databases, businesses can sell and communicate like never before. Often many companies will start off small with some simple database scripts to manage inquiries or content. They add on as time goes on, maybe using one novice developer who knows a little bit of PHP, and then down the road another that knows ASP…then before you know it you have a hodge-podge of scripts and codes and databases - none of which is working efficiently. As our Project Manager puts it, “It’s like untangling Christmas tree lights. Sometimes it’s easier and makes more sense to throw them out and go to WalMart to buy new ones.” And she’s right. If you’ve ever opened that box of lights that you’ve collected over the years, you know what that means: you have several different sets, some of which are missing lights, some flicker, some don’t light at all, and then, to top it all off, they are all tangled together. The hours of frustration and untangling will likely mean you end up with an unsatisfactory outcome. It’s time to start over.

3. It’s OLD! The site looks like it was built over 5 years ago; still has the dreaded “skip intro splash page;” maybe some scrolling JavaScript text that says, “Welcome to our website,” for those people that don’t know where they are; and even better, a MIDI of the theme from Shaft. The text is oddly large and too wide for the screen. Simply put: it looks tired! There have been advances in HTML and style sheets that allow for better design control. Just as a good marketing campaign needs to be reviewed and changed up over time, so does your web presence. Your company should have changed a bit in that past few years. It’s marketing. It’s branding. Change it up to reflect your new goals and directions. (See item #1 above.)

While these might seem like simple tips, they are often overlooked. It truly is a question we are often asked. Companies have made substantial investments in Internet marketing. Some feel that investment should last forever, however it’s marketing. You should expect a return on the investment, but, like anything else, it needs to be reviewed and revamped over time.

Certainly, the need to maintain a site is ongoing. You should keep content fresh, and update any outdated information. That will help its staying power over time. Otherwise, look carefully at your site and what it does for your business, and then decide if it’s time to take things to the next level.

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