The Dangers of Changing a Successful Website

In the ever-evolving digital landscape, maintaining a successful website can feel like a balancing act. On one hand, staying relevant and modern is crucial; on the other, changes can disrupt the delicate equilibrium that made the website successful in the first place. While innovation and improvement are essential, altering a successful website carries significant risks. This post explores the dangers of changing a successful website and how to navigate these treacherous waters.

The Allure of Change

The desire to change a website often stems from various motivations: a new visual trend, the need for improved functionality, or simply the urge to refresh and modernise. Businesses might feel the pressure to stay ahead of competitors or to align with a rebranding strategy. While these are valid reasons, they must be carefully weighed against potential pitfalls.

Risk of Alienating Your Audience

Photo by Kevin Jarrett on Unsplash

One of the primary dangers of changing a successful, or even a semi-successful website is alienating your existing audience. Your current users have become accustomed to the design, navigation, and overall user experience. Abrupt changes can lead to confusion and frustration, causing loyal visitors to abandon your site. This is particularly true if the changes are not intuitive or if they disrupt the user’s habitual pathways and there is a very good book that’s stood the test of time about this called “Don’t make me think” that is worth a read. Maintaining a sense of familiarity is crucial for user retention.

Impact on Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

Another significant risk is the potential negative impact on SEO. Search engines like Google rank websites based on a multitude of factors, including site structure, content, and user engagement metrics. Major changes to your website can disrupt these elements. Altering URLs, changing content hierarchies, or removing pages can result in broken links, lost backlinks, and a decrease in search engine rankings. A drop in organic traffic can be disastrous, especially if your business relies heavily on search engine visibility.  Another thing to consider is if your audience are local to your business, there is the temptation to make out that you cover a wider area, or even nationwide – but this could well affect your local SEO and not get you any new clients.  For example if you are a small accountancy who is based in Walthamstow, East London, there is a good chance that most of your clients come from that area.  You may decide that you can, with cloud technology, service clients from anywhere in the UK – but how many people in Manchester (for example) would want to use an accountant in Walthamstow, and how many people in Wathamstow could be put off by someone that lists many locations in their website.  It’s also unlikely that you would get rankings in the Google results just because you say that you can cover a location.

Technical Issues and Downtime

Implementing changes, especially on a large scale, can introduce technical issues and downtime. A successful website often has a complex backend infrastructure that has been optimised over time. Changing this structure can lead to unforeseen bugs, slow load times, and even periods of complete inaccessibility. Technical disruptions not only affect user experience but can also damage your reputation and credibility.

Cost and Resource Implications

Redesigning or significantly altering a website requires substantial investment in terms of time, money, and resources. The cost of hiring developers, designers, and testers can be high, not to mention the potential need for new software or platforms. Additionally, the time spent on revamping the site is time not spent on other critical business activities. There is also the opportunity cost to consider: the new design might not yield the expected return on investment, making the entire endeavour counterproductive.

Data Loss and Migration Challenges

Data migration during a website overhaul presents another set of risks. Moving databases, user information, and content must be handled meticulously to avoid data loss. Improper migration can result in missing information, corrupted files, or compromised user data, all of which can have severe repercussions. Ensuring a seamless transition requires thorough planning, testing, and backup solutions.

User Experience (UX) Disruption

As mentioned above in the Alienating you audience section,  user experience is at the heart of a successful website. Even small changes to the layout, navigation, or functionality can disrupt the user journey. A sudden overhaul can disorient users, making it difficult for them to find what they need. This is especially detrimental if your website serves as an e-commerce platform or a critical resource. Maintaining a user-centric approach during redesigns is essential to minimise disruption.

Maintaining Brand Consistency

A website is often a core component of a brand’s identity. Significant changes can inadvertently alter the brand’s voice and image. Consistency is key in building brand loyalty and recognition. Any redesign should carefully consider the brand’s existing elements, such as colour schemes, typography, and messaging. Drastic changes can dilute the brand’s impact and confuse both new and existing customers.

Case Studies of Failed Redesigns

Several high-profile website redesigns serve as cautionary tales. For instance, when Digg, a popular social news website, underwent a major redesign in 2010, it led to a significant user backlash. The changes were perceived as too drastic, resulting in a loss of user trust and a sharp decline in traffic. Digg’s market valuation certainly took a massive hit through the ordeal. In 2008 the site value was valued at around $160 million, but in 2012 it was sold for the whooping amount of half a million Similarly, the redesign of Myspace contributed to its decline as users migrated to more familiar and user-friendly platforms.

Mitigating the Risks

While the risks of changing a successful website are substantial, they can be mitigated with careful planning and execution. Here are some strategies to consider:

1. Incremental Changes: Instead of a complete overhaul, implement changes gradually. This allows users to adapt and provides opportunities to gather feedback and make adjustments.
2. User Testing: Conduct thorough user testing before implementing any major changes. This helps identify potential issues and gauge user reactions.
3. SEO Strategy: Work closely with SEO experts to ensure that changes do not negatively impact search engine rankings. Redirects, sitemaps, and maintaining existing URL structures can help mitigate SEO risks.
4. Backup and Recovery: Ensure comprehensive backup solutions and have a recovery plan in place to address any data migration issues.
5. Communication: Clearly communicate changes to your users. Providing tutorials, guides, or walkthroughs can help ease the transition and reduce user frustration.
6. Monitoring and Analytics: Continuously monitor the site’s performance and user feedback post-launch. Analytics can provide insights into how changes are impacting user behaviour and site metrics.

Conclusion

While the desire to update and improve a website is natural, the dangers of changing a successful website cannot be overlooked. The risks to user experience, SEO, technical stability, and brand consistency are significant. However, with careful planning, incremental changes, and a user-centric approach, it is possible to navigate these challenges and achieve a balance between innovation and stability. Ultimately, the key is to respect the elements that made the website successful while thoughtfully integrating new improvements.