Website Refresh
Refreshing your website is crucial to maintaining a dynamic and relevant online presence. Your clients can easily spot a website that appears unchanged and stagnant. The optimal time to refresh your site may depend on several factors including your desire to reach new markets and the extent of your own creative evolution.
Why refresh your website?
When to refresh your website?
Tips for a successful refresh
Regularly updating your website with a focus in mind will provide you with invaluable marketing collateral and helps you to appear relevant and engaged with your client base.
Why refresh your website?
- Showcase new work: Regular updates allow you to display your latest projects (both personal and commissioned), which can be critical for attracting new clients and keeping existing ones engaged.
- SEO benefits: Fresh content and judicious use of keywords and phrases pertinent to your practice can improve your website's search engine ranking, making it easier for potential clients to find you. Search engines favour sites that are regularly updated with new, relevant content. Updating your site will also ensure it remains responsive and user-friendly if you are using up to date design technology.
- Brand evolution: Your brand may evolve over time, and your website should reflect these changes. Sometimes slicing and dicing your existing work and presenting it in a different, more compelling way that better exemplifies your creative direction can be very effective. Generating a new body of work that defines your new direction and presenting it effectively can help provide a springboard into new markets.
When to refresh your website?
- Annually: A good rule of thumb is to do a major overhaul of your website once a year. This could include updating the image galleries, redesigning the sequencing and layout and removing old content. Scheduling this into your planning will help focus attention on your output (both personal and commissioned) throughout the year.
- Indicate a new direction: Re-design your website to showcase your new ideas, approach and vision.
- To attract new clients: If you are looking to evolve and reach a new client base, it will be crucial to rethink your website accordingly.
- When analytics indicate decline: Monitor your website analytics. If you notice a drop in traffic or engagement, it might be time for a refresh. A decline could indicate that your site is becoming stale or outdated.
Tips for a successful refresh
- Plan ahead: Schedule regular times to review and update your site. This can prevent the process from becoming overwhelming. Be clear about whether you want to introduce something new such as selling prints or showing motion as a skill set or just refresh the content within the existing structure.
- Inspiration: Look at other photographers’ websites to evaluate what you like and dislike about their functionality and design. Consider ideas for your site which will help highlight the areas and style of work you want to be commissioned for and that helps you to stand out. Take care not to over design the website as this can over complicate matters and put clients off.
- Hire professionals: If web design isn't your forte, consider hiring a professional. A well-designed site can be a significant investment in your business. If you find selecting and sequencing your best work a challenge (as many photographers do), use an objective professional pair of eyes who has no skin in your game.
- Test everything: Before launching the refreshed site, thoroughly test it for any issues, including load times, broken links, and mobile responsiveness.
Regularly updating your website with a focus in mind will provide you with invaluable marketing collateral and helps you to appear relevant and engaged with your client base.