Time for a Redesign?

How big is the Internet? According to Metamend, a search engine optimization (SEO) firm, when Bill Clinton was first inaugurated as President in January 1993 there were 200 hostnames in use and only eight of them ended in .com or .net! According to the Netcraft July 2006 Web Server Survey, during the first six months of 2006 an estimated two million hostnames have been added to the Internet -- that's 2,000,000 per month!

So, there is plenty of new work out there for web designers and developers. What about old work -- reworking sites that are already up and running?

According to Best Website Services, a Chicago-based consulting firm, here is the one question you can use to initiate a dialogue with a client about the potential for a site redesign:

"Is the basic design of your Web site more than two years old?"

If so, the potential client should consider a redesign. Here are seven follow-up questions you can use in your discussion with that client that will help clarify the need for a redesign:

1. Was the site built on a tight budget?
2. Does the site look dated?
3. Has the client's business changed?
4. Has the competition gotten ahead of the client?
5. Has the client gained a better understanding of its customers?
6. Is the content difficult or costly to keep fresh?
7. Does the client need to increase the site's visibility?

For a detailed explanation of each talking point access "Seven Signs You Need a Web Site Redesign."