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5 simple tips to keep your homepage fresh
What we think.
5 simple tips to keep your homepage fresh
Have you noticed how quickly website design changes these days? While redesigning your website every year may sound great, the reality is not all businesses have the resources, time or budget to do it. But not to fear. This article highlights some simple and cost effective ways to keep your website looking fresh and modern without the need to blow your budget.
1. Adjust the homepage layout
Updating the layout of your homepage is an easy way to keep your website looking lively and interesting. Sometimes moving a few things can modernise your website. This is also a great opportunity to bring content that is buried deep in your website to the surface. If you're not sure which content to populate on your front page, have a look at your analytics and see what your users are visiting regularly. If your latest news is driving traffic, maybe it should play a predominant role in your layout. Consider your site from the perspective of the end user, what do they want and how can your homepage cater to their needs through a design refresh.
2. Update your images regularly
Your images, in particular your hero banner image, are key to capturing audience attention, emotion and providing a clear call to action. Continuously changing these images is an easy way of keeping your website attractive to your audience. To get the most out of your images, be sure to use large, high-quality photos. Don't be afraid to play with black and white or strong colours, colour is a great way to spotlight key messages.
3. Mix-up typography
The power of web fonts and typography can often be overshadowed by website design, however your site's typography can strengthen your brand identity. Certain fonts go in and out of fashion so it is good to mix things up and keep your site in the 'now'. You can check out Google free fonts to see what is available. Refer to your branding guideline to ensure your branding remains consistent.
4. Change buttons and links
Another element to help update your look is your buttons and links. Look at the colour, shape, style and animation of your buttons and see if they are consistent with other newer sites. This is a simple yet effective way to change your site without the need of changing the entire layout.
5. Don't delay
"Once you have decided to refresh your site, don't delay. It is easy to get caught up in other projects, leaving your site updates to the last item on your to-do list. The longer you leave the changes, the bigger and more daunting a site refresh can get. The above suggestions are quick and easy design tips to keep your website looking fresh without dedicating too much of your work time.
When should you refresh your website?
You should make small tweaks and refreshes (like the ones mentioned above) every year. However every three years, you should look at redesigning your entire site.
What should you do next?
If you are keen to refresh your website, but not sure where to start, the best thing to do is research, research and research. Start by looking at your competitor's website to see what they are doing. This is a good way to establish an industry standard for yourself.
Why not go a step further by visiting award sites to find out who is winning awards and what is trending at the moment.
To kick start your research, here are a few we always refer to: