Website relaunch: fresh content, new design
It is time for a new website!
Many reasons for a relaunch
Updated content, a new corporate or brand strategy, changed corporate design and, above all, improved user-friendliness. This is where responsive design is becoming more and more important: The majority of users access websites today via various end devices, stationary computers, tablets and smartphones. Responsive design adapts automatically to all screen sizes and systems, so that optimal viewing is always guaranteed.
In addition, search engine optimisation (SEO) plays an important role when it comes to a website relaunch. If you ignore Google, your customers won’t be able to find you and you will be wasting sales potential. It’s vital that the content for the relaunch is carefully researched, up-to-date and SEO-optimised.
What is a website relaunch?
The term relaunch refers to the redesign, possible reorientation and/or improvement of the website. Both the page structure, design and often the content are completely redesigned.
When does a website relaunch make sense?
"If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it": Many companies still act according to this motto. In relation to a website relaunch, this means: Why change something that appears to be working? But it’s not that simple. A digital restart can have a big impact on the visibility of the page because Google likes up-to-date content. An old-fashioned website design, confusing navigation, outdated information and a lack of search engine optimisation are all good reasons to initiate a relaunch.
Is there an alternative to a relaunch?
You don’t always have to turn the page inside out. Sometimes it is enough to integrate new and optimised texts into the existing design to bring the page partially up to date.
If you only need to optimise the existing website for SEO, small changes can make a big difference. After detailed keyword research, existing content is replaced by fresh material including optimised keywords. Updated meta descriptions so that they can be found by Google, alt texts (alternative text as an image description for barrier-free use of the page) and unique URLs are also part of a thorough website relaunch.
What are the reasons for a website relaunch?
There are some clear indications that the time has come to give your website a new lick of paint. If any of the following points applies to you, a website relaunch might be a good idea.
- Your website is technically no longer up to date. Error messages pile up.
- The traffic leaves much to be desired, the conversion rate is at a low point.
- More and more users leave the site after a few clicks. This indicates insufficient usability.
- The website is not optimised for mobile use. That can be another reason why users don’t stay very long.
- The design is not up to date. Small pictures, an outdated colour scheme and certain fonts indicate that the site has been online and unchanged for several years.
- You have invested in a new corporate design and your website no longer matches it.
- You are not (yet) using a content management system for maintaining and continuously optimising your website.
- The website does not appear in the search engines.
- The page structure is confusing.
- Searched content cannot be found or is only located after a deep dive - something very few users have time for.
- The page has long loading times that strain the patience of site visitors.
Relaunch content: What content does the new website need?
It’s great that you decided to stop by! Ideally, this is what your homepage should say. Short, crisp texts that leave you wanting more, as well as a tidy, clear design that’s easy to use at first glance - these are essential factors for a successful homepage.
Clear product categories quickly guide visitors to their area of interest. These offer the potential to present specific products and to prominently place new or sale items.
We’re getting down to the nitty-gritty. For online shops in particular, the pages have to be perfectly designed and SEO-optimised. All information on the products and services offered is ideally written for both users and search engines. Interested parties can find the site via Google - and those who have already found it read engaging texts.
They are the path for existing and future customers and they help increase the conversion rate. Because of this, they are particularly important. Information such as product benefits or the service package must be clear, concise, briefly formulated and easily identified at a glance. Simple input masks (forms) help to facilitate a purchase or the request for information.
Show who you are! The team presentation creates trust and shows off the people behind the scenes who help make up your product or offering.
A pillar is something like post or column. Where pillar pages are areas of your website that deal with a specific topic in depth. They literally function as pillars for cohesive content.
Certain content, for example a blog post, is referred to as cluster content. They are connected to the pillar page via links. In this way, thematically related aspects can be brought together in a cohesive cluster. This is just as essential from an SEO point of view as it is for user-friendly navigation.
What mean what - and where is your area of expertise? (Potential) customers can find answers to these questions in the glossary.
The event page: Are you represented at trade fairs, specialist conferences or industry events? Talk about it and invite your visitors to take part! This also applies to digital events.
The call-to-action asks your website visitors to do something. Ideally, it will convince them to purchase, subscribe or download.
Frequently Asked Questions provide answers to all questions that your visitors might have, for example about services, conditions or technical backgrounds - depending on your industry and offering. In addition, an imprint, possibly the terms and conditions and legally relevant information should be found on every website.
It's not just Google that loves a blog. It’s a great way to show that you know what is going on in your industry. That builds trust. For the best results, feed your page regularly with the latest content. This in turn rewards you with a higher ranking on Google.
Keyword localisation: In which languages do you need relaunch content?
Instead, ask yourself: Which markets are you targeting? It is best practice to speak in the native language for all countries in which you are active, or would like to be. Translating a text into other languages is now easy thanks to AI. CAT tools (computer aided translation software) deliver the raw translations. The machines learn from text to text which terms you want and remember them, so that several articles can be made from one piece. Then native speakers revise the result again.
Tip: A website relaunch is an opportunity to expand your business on an international level - this works best if you address interested parties in their native language.
What is important in terms of design?
In particular, the page design after the website relaunch should suit your corporate identity, your industry and your target group. Whether this is more technical or playful, predominantly warm or cool colours, depends on individual factors. In any case, the user should immediately find their way around and feel comfortable on your site.
Good planning is half the battle: Website relaunch strategies
You can be sure that a relaunch already has the people in charge sweating. After all, sometimes large amounts of data need to be updated, new content is required and it is important to keep track of the entire project.
Our motto is: Don't panic - because every website relaunch should have a sophisticated plan to follow. It begins with the analysis of the existing page, with key figures such as the number of visitors, length of stay and bounce rate. The data provides valuable information on the necessary optimisations.
Then new KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are put on the plan: Key metrics that will serve as targets for the future website. By what value should the traffic increase, how many sales should occur within a defined period of time, how many newsletter registrations? Important: The numbers are not static. They require regular review and adjustment.
The actual revision includes numerous points: Keyword research, creation of the relaunch content, exchange of images, optimisation of the graphics and updating of links and URLs.
Checklist: What is important when relaunching the website?
From an SEO point of view, you can achieve a perfect relaunch if these points have been met:
- All content is complete, error-free and optimised for relevant keywords.
- Meta title and description lead search engines and users to the site.
- Pictures and photos are not too big, so that short loading times are guaranteed even with a slow internet connection.
- Alt tags ensure accessibility.
- All URLs lead to the correct page.
- All internal links are up-to-date and lead to the new URLs.
Relaunch completed - what now?
Congratulations! You made it, your newly revised website is online. But we’re not quite done. In the first few weeks in particular, small errors often appear and careful revisions are required, so keep a close eye on your page in order to be able to react quickly.
The most successful website relaunch is of little use if the content is not engaging. There is where greatcontent comes in: We support you in revising your website and in creating texts for all industries.
What’s your next goal? Let us support you in achieving it!
With more than ten years of experience in SEO and content creation, we have a global network of more than 30,000 authors, editors, translators, post-editors and transcreators in over 30 languages.
