A website’s content and copy are integral components of any website redesign. The content and copy are what drive the user experience and determine how successful a site is in delivering its message.
Reviewing a website’s content and copy prior to redesigning is a critical phase in the website audit. Many times, outdated content can be one of the most glaring issues that can hinder the success of any website.
Without an accurate, up-to-date assessment of the content prior to a website redesign, businesses may lose potential customers or even worse, harm their reputation. Therefore, it’s essential for businesses to undertake thorough reviews of their website’s content and copy before launching a new design.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
When reviewing their own site content, site owners should ask themselves if the content accurately reflects their current brand positioning.
- Are there any outdated or erroneous statements on the site pages?
- Is the language used appropriate for the current target audience?
- Does the content provide value to visitors? Can it be improved?
Outdated content is one of the most common reasons why businesses need to update their websites. It could mean information about products or services is inaccurate or irrelevant, or perhaps legal policies have changed since they were last updated.
If there are broken links, incorrect spelling/grammar or stale calls-to-action (CTAs), then these all need to be addressed before launching a redesigned website. Content should also be regularly reviewed if there have been changes in industry standards that affect a business’s operations.
By performing regular audits of site content and copy, businesses can ensure their sites are keeping pace with current trends and standards, which can lead to increased conversions from potential customers. With clear and concise messaging, customers can better understand exactly how they may benefit from interacting with your business.
Additionally, keeping existing content fresh by making minor tweaks here and there can also be beneficial for a business’s SEO performance, such a retaining blog posts that provide evergreen pathways back to your site or replacing tired language with a more modern tone.
WHEN TO RETAIN CONTENT
It isn’t always necessary for businesses to rewrite all of their existing content during a website redesign. In some cases, the existing copy may still present relevant information in a satisfactory way or some pages have performed exceptionally well despite being written many years ago; in these cases it’s best to retain content unless a refresh is absolutely needed. Because of this, a proper review should be conducted by businesses before deciding to make changes as rewriting all existing text could prove time consuming and costly depending on the size of the project.
HOW DOJO HELPS
In the initial phase of a website redesign project by DOJO Creative, our team collaborates with clients in a thorough review. Together, we evaluate an existing site’s messaging and functions prior to planning changes for a new site. From SEO goals and keyword placement to clarity and consistency in written language, our team can evaluate site copy across each page to ensure accuracy and effectiveness.
In some cases, our clients will undertake the copywriting process on their own and discover the task too daunting; we’re here to help them out of the mud.
DOJO Creative staff offers site copy drafting services for clients across a variety of industries. Alongside client teams, we parse site pages and guide clients to effective choices in content prior to creation. After writing is completed by DOJO Creative staff, clients review the prepared copy for any revisions prior to entering the design phase.
Are you mulling over a website redesign for your business? Have a question about augmenting your site’s performance but not sure where to start? We want to hear about it.
Contact DOJO Creative partner Doug Elder today at 574-276-4998 or doug@letsgodojo.com to schedule a consultation and learn more about our services!