{"id":19786,"date":"2022-06-22T14:48:01","date_gmt":"2022-06-22T18:48:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/?p=19786"},"modified":"2022-06-22T14:48:03","modified_gmt":"2022-06-22T18:48:03","slug":"brand-website-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/originals\/brand-website-update\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Updating Your Brand Website Matters"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\">4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>\n<p>Let\u2019s face it: first impressions are essential, nowhere more than online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today\u2019s audiences are more discerning than ever; in fact, <a href=\"https:\/\/research.google\/pubs\/pub38315\/\">research from Google<\/a> shows that a website\u2019s visitors judge its aesthetics in the blink of an eye. That\u2019s 50 milliseconds, to be precise.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We all know a stale website when we see one, but understanding how to maximize your website\u2019s visual impact requires more than just adopting the latest design trend. To take things to the next level, you don\u2019t need to play it safe and simply choose a sleek font or input a few new CTA buttons to elevate things. You\u2019ve got room to be creative, from video integration to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/originals\/state-of-motion-branding\/\">motion branding<\/a> to messaging.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"position: relative;width: auto;padding: 0 0 70.92%;height: 0;top: 0;left: 0;bottom: 0;right: 0;margin: 0;border: 0 none\" id=\"experience-62b362e287042\" data-aspectratio=\"1.41011236\"><iframe allowfullscreen=\"\" src=\"\/\/view.ceros.com\/ceros-marketing\/metaverse-digital-marketing-sidebar-1-3-1-1?heightOverride=890\" style=\"position: absolute;top: 0;left: 0;bottom: 0;right: 0;margin: 0;padding: 0;border: 0 none;height: 1px;width: 1px;min-height: 100%;min-width: 100%\" frameborder=\"0\" class=\"ceros-experience\" title=\"B2B PQ2 Copy\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/view.ceros.com\/scroll-proxy.min.js\" data-ceros-origin-domains=\"view.ceros.com\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s take a closer look at the benefits that come with freshening things up and dive deeper into how some leading companies keep their websites on the cutting edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>What a design reshuffle can really do<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Website redesigns and refreshes go beyond just routine maintenance. As Brian Morrisey, former CEO of Digiday and founder of media newsletter The Rebooting, <a href=\"https:\/\/therebooting.substack.com\/p\/why-design-matters?s=r\">describes<\/a>, \u201cGood design, consistently executed, can be an important competitive advantage.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In reality, your site might be working perfectly fine\u2014but an update might still be necessary. So how often, exactly, should you consider a website update?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The general rule of thumb is that a website left unchanged <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/blog\/tabid\/6307\/bid\/33924\/how-to-develop-a-website-redesign-strategy-that-guarantees-results-free-template.aspx\">has one-and-a-half to three years of shelf life<\/a>. This isn\u2019t only due to the risk of looking outdated. Design updates help you adapt to online market demand, increase accessibility, and, occasionally, appease the algorithmic powers that be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Boost accessibility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A crucial aspect of redesigns lies with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/originals\/accessibility-ceros-release-7\/\">accessibility<\/a>, which is fast becoming an imperative for websites seeking to be more inclusive and maximize their audience. While nearly one in four Americans lives with a disability, <a href=\"https:\/\/webaim.org\/projects\/million\/\">research suggests<\/a> that 98% of the top one million websites don\u2019t offer a fully accessible experience. Creating accessible websites improves usability for those with vision, hearing, or motor impairments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re strategizing about how to up your site\u2019s performance, accessibility is a great starting point. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/originals\/accessibility-ceros-release-7\/\">To make better accessibility a reality<\/a>, website updates can reevaluate color contrast, ensure all images contain alt text, and equip all videos with built-in closed captions.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Conquer search engines<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Try as you might, there aren\u2019t many sure-fire ways to gain a coveted slot on Google\u2019s first page. But as years go by and algorithms change, two themes ring true.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, it pays dividends to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/originals\/the-basics-of-ux-design\/\">home in on great UX<\/a>. It\u2019s obvious that great content will always rise to the top, but, as Google developers outlined in a 2020 <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/advanced\/experience\/page-experience#signals\">blog post<\/a>, \u201cin cases where there are many pages that may be similar in relevance, page experience can be much more important for visibility in Search.\u201d How can you update for a great page experience, according to Google? Make your page accessible, double down on mobile-friendly pages, and be sure all <a href=\"https:\/\/resources.ceros.com\/get-interactive-2022\/p\/1?utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fview.ceros.com%2F\">interactive features<\/a> don\u2019t get bogged down by lags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And secondly, search engines reward refreshed content. Regularly updating your webpages shows that the site is monitored for accuracy and doesn\u2019t include outmoded guidance.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>Site redesigns in action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Unless your brand depends on a consistent, unchanging aesthetic\u2014think <a href=\"https:\/\/newyork.craigslist.org\/\">Craigslist<\/a>\u2014a website refresh or redesign is likely on your horizon (and if it\u2019s not yet, perhaps it should be). Luckily, some organizations have documented their design decisions and pulled back the curtains on how they approached the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s look at a few examples of redesigns that boosted performance, highlighted a brand\u2019s true identity, and brought companies into the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/godaddy.design\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"487\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/Screen-Shot-2022-06-22-at-2.37.12-PM-1024x487.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19795\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/Screen-Shot-2022-06-22-at-2.37.12-PM-1024x487.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/Screen-Shot-2022-06-22-at-2.37.12-PM-700x333.png 700w, https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/Screen-Shot-2022-06-22-at-2.37.12-PM-768x365.png 768w, https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/Screen-Shot-2022-06-22-at-2.37.12-PM-1536x731.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/Screen-Shot-2022-06-22-at-2.37.12-PM-2048x974.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/Screen-Shot-2022-06-22-at-2.37.12-PM-1200x571.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3>GoDaddy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>How can a website hosting platform inspire entrepreneurs to up their design games themselves? That\u2019s the question <a href=\"https:\/\/godaddy.design\/\">GoDaddy<\/a> asked during a 2020 redesign. While they revamped main site features like font, color scheme, and logo, they also made a point to include subtle animations and illustrations. The refresh, as they note, was done with a cohesive goal: creating a \u201cworld that sparks the possibilities our customers can create.\u201d Embracing a more modern identity proved to pay off, too. GoDaddy added nearly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/godaddy-beats-q4-estimates-reports-strong-2020-customer-growth\/\">1.5 million new users in 2020<\/a> alone, double its previous year\u2019s total.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.adobe.com\/en\/2020\/05\/28\/evolving-our-brand-identity#gs.z6o20l\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"448\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/adobe-1024x448.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19796\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/adobe-1024x448.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/adobe-700x306.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/adobe-768x336.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/adobe-1536x672.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/adobe-1200x525.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/adobe.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3>Adobe<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2020, <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.adobe.com\/en\/2020\/05\/28\/evolving-our-brand-identity#gs.z6o20l\">Adobe<\/a> unveiled its first new logo since 1993. But this rebrand spanned further than just what appeared in their website\u2019s upper-left corner. With a roster of new product identities to share\u2014including the hugely popular Creative Cloud and its associated 20 applications\u2014they took to their website to highlight and recategorize each tool. Every video app, for instance, assumed new shades of blue and purple; logo colors are also optimized for accessibility.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/media\/2018\/jan\/15\/guardian-new-look-online-katharine-viner\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"613\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/Screen-Shot-2022-06-22-at-2.40.46-PM-1024x613.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19797\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/Screen-Shot-2022-06-22-at-2.40.46-PM-1024x613.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/Screen-Shot-2022-06-22-at-2.40.46-PM-700x419.png 700w, https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/Screen-Shot-2022-06-22-at-2.40.46-PM-768x460.png 768w, https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/Screen-Shot-2022-06-22-at-2.40.46-PM-1200x718.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/Screen-Shot-2022-06-22-at-2.40.46-PM.png 1236w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3><em>The Guardian<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Updating the design of a daily newspaper in operation since 1821 is no small task. So when <em>The Guardian<\/em> made changes, it turned to its core values to inform how readers could best take in the news. Katharine Viner, the paper\u2019s editor-in-chief, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/media\/2018\/jan\/15\/guardian-new-look-online-katharine-viner\">outlined<\/a> the stylistic choices as, \u201cgrounded in the qualities readers value most: clarity, in a world where facts should be sacred\u2026 imagination, in an age where people yearn for new ideas.\u201d The result is a modern riff on their classic typeface, enlarged for accessibility and featuring energetic colors across sections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.patreon.com\/introducing-a-redesigned-patreon\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"800\" height=\"470\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/06\/Blog-Image-One-Manage-Page.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19798\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3>Patreon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.patreon.com\/introducing-a-redesigned-patreon\">Patreon<\/a> is a crowdsourcing membership platform made by creators, for creators. That\u2019s why, in May 2022, it introduced a redesign to make users\u2019 common workflows \u201cquicker and more intuitive.\u201d Patreon also took notice of the overlap between patrons and creators and launched an interface that lets members seamlessly transition between each type of profile. The brand also centralized key metrics and analytics onto a single page, keeping data at the ready in a simple format.<\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"myclass\">Let\u2019s take a closer look at the benefits that come with freshening things up and dive deeper into how some leading companies keep their websites on the cutting edge.<\/div>\n<p><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":133,"featured_media":19793,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v15.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Why Updating Your Brand Website Matters - Ceros Inspire<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There are benefits that come with freshening your website up. Here, we dive into how some companies keep their sites on the cutting edge.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ceros.com\/inspire\/originals\/brand-website-update\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why Updating Your Brand Website Matters - Ceros Inspire\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"There are benefits that come with freshening your website up. 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