If you believe in “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” you’ll be correct most of the time. However, if it’s been three years or more since your station website was redesigned, it may be broken.
Nothing can be more terrifying (or exciting) than redesigning your website. There’s work involved in determining why you might want a redesign, but it’s an opportunity to refresh your brand’s look and deliver a more visually appealing experience for visitors.
Some companies remodel their websites several times a year because they have the notion that they haven’t found the right look yet – or that the design should match their latest product in some way. There’s no need for those extreme measures.
Some radio stations go way too long without updating their websites – sometimes for decades. How often should you redesign your website, and why?
Why redesign your website?
Every business must have a professional, well-designed, easy-to-use, and responsive website. It’s also critical to keep your website up-to-date and the content fresh. If you fail at this, your visitors will assume you do not value your web presence. If you want to make money with your station website (and your radio station), looking current with your online presence is the most significant factor. It will be a tough sell if you expect to generate revenue with an old-looking single-page informational website about your radio station.
It may be time for a redesign if any of the following statements are true.
1. Your site has no/little traffic.
Something is seriously wrong if nobody visits your station website. Is it because your content isn’t worth returning for? Your content should always be fresh to entice return visitors. Is the content not optimized, or does your site not appear in search? Can search engines see your website so that you appear in their results for keywords that people might be searching for? Is your website slow? Speed is a massive factor in return visitors. Regardless, very little traffic indicates that something needs to change immediately.
This is a good place to interject, if you’re creating great content optimized for speed and search, ensure that you’re promoting it well on-air and over social media. The best circle for radio now is having a great website that promotes return visitors and on-air listening while having an on-air and social media strategy that brings listeners to the website. Keeping listeners in that circle is how stations make significant revenue because your advertisers can be sold on every platform.
2. Your traffic is good, but your visitors only stay for a short time.
Are visitors to your website leaving without taking any action? For example, are they coming from a Facebook link, reading the article, then returning to Facebook without streaming the station, entering a contest, or subscribing to your newsletter?
Your website should achieve goals. Something needs to be tweaked if this isn’t happening because a high bounce rate or little “time on site” value affects how your website appears in search results.
This could be a small tweak, like adding below the content, “if you liked this article, you might like these,” with links to similar articles.
3. Your design appears outdated.
People with no design experience can tell if a website needs updating. According to many studies, website visitors make trust judgments about your company within 15 seconds of landing on your website. And if that visitor is a potential client, they will likely be hesitant to advertise with your station if your website needs to be updated.
Numerous studies have proven that consumers will most likely go with a company that has a nice-looking, easy-to-use website because it assures that the company is growing and on top of the latest trends and technologies. You may have the mindset of “we focus on the best radio product,” but you’ll never have the chance to convey that to your audience and advertisers if they see your junk website first.
4. Your site isn’t mobile-friendly.
When your website is mobile-friendly, it’s designed, developed, and optimized for users on all standard mobile devices. It’s hard to believe that some websites are still not optimized for mobile devices. According to research, mobile devices account for over half of all internet usage, and that share is increasing.
Make sure your website is “responsive”. Responsive means the website automatically adjusts to display well on any device size. It minimizes scrolling, panning, zooming, and—most importantly—confusion. Website visitors don’t want to be confused when they land on your website; a confused customer never acts. If your site is not optimized for mobile, it’s time to catch up.
5. You are embarrassed by your website.
Having an embarrassing website is like having a really messy house. You don’t want to bring people back there.
If you are embarrassed to give out your website address because you are afraid of what your listeners and clients might think of it, it’s past time for a redesign. Many of our new clients are reluctant to give us their current site address because they are embarrassed. It’s natural.
Just know that a bad website can hurt your business far more than not having one at all. Many people now realize that 60% of sales happen before the client contacts you. Your station or group website plays an increasingly important part in the path to new business.
6. You want more control over updating your website.
Many radio stations we talk to still rely on someone outside the station to perform their website updates like adding events, contests, etc. When you have complete control over your website, it means that you can create content and marketing campaigns much faster because you’re not putting in a ticket or e-mailing someone and waiting for them to take care of it on their time.
Content marketing has become very important and can play a huge role in the success of your radio station and your overall business. The ability to update and add new content is necessary, and you should be able to do this through a content management system like WordPress easily.
How often should you redesign your station website?
There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but the convention states that your website should be remodeled every two to three years. Two to three years in the digital space can be a lifetime. Do you know anyone still using an iPhone 11?
An alternative is to use a template that allows you to make incremental changes over time rather than complete remodels. A template or service that allows this is the best course, as major website changes can require your frequent visitors to relearn your site. You’ll always find some reluctant to change – and they’re more vocal about it now. Be sure to conduct research in advance if you’re evaluating different options or switching website providers.
In conclusion
Hopefully, we’ve shown the importance of updating your website’s look so you consistently give visitors and potential clients an upbeat, modern impression of your radio station and company. Remember that websites are your company’s online face, so they need to reflect the values you bring.
Periodically compare your website with others, especially your competitors, and see how your site is different in design and quality of content. If your website appears outdated or is too similar, go for a more modern design. Also, look at functionality. Are you beating your competition in implementing contests, displaying events, news, or other content? If you decide to do a usability test with people outside the radio station, compare their experience with your competitor’s website versus your own.
The ball is at your feet. Ready for a website redesign that will get more visitors? Reach out to us to start the process.
We want to help your radio station grow and succeed online. That journey starts with an amazing website that keeps visitors coming back often. Reach out to us to start your path to online success, or schedule an appointment to see our tools in action.