Let’s be honest: keeping a website updated can feel like a chore (one of the reasons a bunch of you pay us to make it our problem, rather than yours!). But how do you know when it’s time to bite the bullet and start over, instead of a quick refresh? If you’re wondering when to rebuild your website, the following telltale signs might indicate it’s time to consider a full overhaul.
1. Outdated design or visual appeal
We all know first impressions matter, and if your website design hasn’t kept up with the times, your visitors will notice. Design trends change quickly, so if your site relies on outdated elements (especially if those elements aren’t mobile-friendly), it could be turning potential customers away before they even learn what you offer.
A redesign doesn’t mean you need a cutting-edge style, but modern features like simplified navigation, responsive design, and clean visuals go a long way. A big thing on the web these days is white space – so make sure you’ve got plenty. If your current site looks tired or unprofessional, it’s a good indicator that a full rebuild could inject new life and functionality into your online presence.
For example, a client we did a rebuild for went from this:
To this:
2. Poor mobile experience
These days, over half of web traffic comes from mobile devices, which means your site’s mobile experience is crucial. We’re not going to prattle on about this too much in this blog, because we’ve written entire articles about it in the past – including how to design for mobile first.
Anyway, the crux of the matter is this: If your site isn’t fully optimised for smartphones and tablets, you are losing visitors. Not only should the layout adjust for smaller screens, but buttons, text, and images should also scale and function smoothly.
If users are zooming, or just generally struggling (especially clicking small buttons), it’s a major sign that your site wasn’t built with mobile in mind. A new website built with a “mobile-first” design ensures a seamless experience across all devices.
3. Slow load times
With everyone’s attention spans rapidly declining, there’s little more irritating than slow internet speeds. Which means no one is going to wait for your website to load. Hell, we get irritated when our Facebook Business Planner takes one femtosecond longer than usual to load!
Slow load times can be an absolute killer for user retention. If your site lags behind, especially on mobile devices or slower connections, you’ll see higher bounce rates (that means people leaving your site after only viewing the first page) and lower engagement. Google’s standards suggest that websites should load within three seconds, and every additional second can lead to a drop in conversions.
Sure, minor improvements like compressing images or clearing out unnecessary plugins can help, but if the site’s foundation is outdated or bloated, these fixes are likely only temporary. They’re not the root cause, so they won’t really address the problem. If you’ve tried the easy fixes, but the site is still running like a slug – then it’s a signal that a rebuild could bring more substantial, lasting improvements to performance and usability. (Unless your slow site is brand new, of course, in which case you should be asking questions.)
4. Difficult navigation and user experience
A good user experience (UX) means visitors can find what they’re looking for with minimal effort. If visitors are getting lost in complex menus or scrolling endlessly, they’re not likely to stay. Your navigation should be intuitive, allowing users to find key information quickly and easily.
It’s common for websites to evolve over time, adding pages and menus as needed. However this can lead to a jumbled or inconsistent experience that confuses rather than helps. Too many sub-menus isn’t a good thing. It’s just confusing.
If users struggle to find information or need multiple clicks to complete a task then, well, they just won’t do it. They’ll leave and go somewhere easier. So it’s likely time for a rebuild. A fresh site design will allow you to simplify navigation and improve the user journey for every visitor.
5. Poor SEO performance and visibility
Now, we freely admit that SEO isn’t much of our bag. If you want someone to really help with your SEO, then you should look at our “Preferred Partners” section on our “Who We Are” page. We have to know the basics in order to do our jobs, and SEO can be a massive factor in considering when to rebuild your website, so it’s only right that we mention it. After all, if no one can find your website, it’s not going to be doing an awful lot for your business.
Older websites can struggle to perform well on search engines due to outdated content structure, lack of SEO-friendly code, or simply not being optimised for the latest algorithms. You’ll also likely struggle to shoe-horn SEO best practices into a dated site, as it just won’t have the capacity for them.
A new website build gives you the opportunity to structure content around relevant keywords, improve page speed, and use the latest SEO practices. If SEO is a game you want to get into, then you really should be thinking about it from the get-go. So talk to an expert and get them onboard.
6. Limited functionality and scalability
As your business grows, so too should your website’s ability to handle new needs. If your site can’t support new features like eCommerce, advanced forms, or integration with modern tools that you need (or would make your life easier), then it’s an indicator that you’re outgrowing your current site.
But, if you’re thinking about starting fresh, make sure to think about further down the line too. If you want to add a shop in a couple of years, make sure to choose a platform that will allow you to do so. There’s no sense investing your time, and likely money, into a rebuild if it’s not going to be fit for purpose in a couple of year’s time.
7. Lack of security features
Older websites are often more vulnerable to cyber attacks because they lack modern security measures, such as HTTPS, secure logins, and proper data encryption. This is only going to get worse with time – so don’t stick your head in the sand and ignore it.
Out of date content management systems are prime targets for malicious actors (in super simple terms, a malicious actor is a knobhead who’s trying to hack / steal your stuff). Tools like two factor authentication (2FA), spam protection, threat libraries, CAPTCHAs, login form protection are essential. If you’re handling customer information or storing sensitive data on your website, having these protections in place is a must. You have an obligation to stay on top of your security.
It’s never a question of IF someone will try to attack you, it’s a question of when. We see attempts by bots and shady characters probing sites for access all the time – the more out of date your site is, or the weaker your security, the more likely it is they’ll succeed.
8. High maintenance and frequent glitches
If you spend most of your time on your website fire-fighting, then it’s probably time to consider a rebuild. If it takes a lot of time in maintenance and you’re frequently troubleshooting broken links, buggy plugins, or compatibility issues, then there’s a big ol’ red flag waving that it’s past its prime.
You may feel that a rebuild is expensive, but don’t forget how much time your site is taking off of you if you’re constantly having to monitor it to stop it crashing and burning. That’s time you could be spending with your clients, out networking, or on any other more enjoyable task. Whilst the initial overhead may feel steep, it’s probably worth it when the maintenance takes you half the time, and the whole thing is far more reliable.
So – when to actually do it?
Rebuilding isn’t always an easy decision – for one, it can be an expense. But these signs can help clarify when to rebuild your website instead of applying temporary fixes. A new website can offer better performance, stronger SEO, more security, and an overall improved experience for your users. While it may require an investment of time and resources, the benefits of a site that meets today’s standards are well worth it.
If you’re noticing any of these red flags, it may be time to consider a rebuild. Don’t leave it too long or too late – remember that rebuilds take time, and you need to allow for that. The latest you really want to be thinking about starting the process is 6 months from when your site’s support is going to stop. And that’s still cutting it a bit fine.
Whilst it can be a scary decision, taking the plunge will help you stay competitive and ensure that your site remains a valuable asset to your business (rather than one scaring your customers away) for years to come.