When is it time for a new website

After running your website for a certain period of time, you may think about renewing it. But when is it time for a new website? And what should you look out for? We'll cover that in this blog post.

Creating a website is easy with content management systems like WordPress. In just a few steps, you'll have your website live, and in a few days, you'll usually have your initial content ready and your website set up the way you want it. But a serious update or new layout is often not as quick as you thought. After all, you've put time, effort and investment into the current website. Starting to revamp your website now can sometimes sound like a challenging step. That's why we, at MijnHostingPartner.nl webhosting, are happy to help you out!

How long has it been since your website got a facelift?

A website that was created in HTML in 2000 will look different than a website that was created yesterday. Technology and web design don't stand still. Where once, for example, Flash was considered the new way for websites, or special layouts were used. In the current trend, you often see the Less is More designs. With sharp lines, lots of white and black, and simple layouts that are also suitable for mobile. And that brings me to my first point: if your website isn't mobile compatible yet, it needs to be at the top of the list. Not only will Google take this into consideration, but so will the majority of visitors to your site. Having a website that is mobile friendly is therefore a must for any webmaster.

If you have a website created by someone you know or an agency in a separate or unique content management system, you often don't have the option to quickly switch to another way of creating the website. So check, or have someone check, what your website is made with and if it can be updated. Or can it be completely replaced with a new technology. In 2018, we saw this a lot with the website builder Adobe Muse. This was dropped and therefore had to be adapted to another website. However, this often means you have to manually save your website content, for example in Notepad. And put it back into the new system. The more pages you have, the more work it will be.

Is your business or vision for the website still the same?

A vision for a website or business can change, of course. What 2020 and 2021 have taught us is that sometimes creativity is needed to keep a business afloat. A new marketing approach, a product launch, or a new service often requires a different website or an overhaul of the existing website. You do this by drawing on paper what you want on the website. And then translating that into a website. For many solutions, there are website modules or plugins in content management systems. And these can be used to revamp a website by adding new features.

Is the website still secure?

A website is no longer secure if it has not been updated for several weeks, months or years. This is a process of keeping up to date with the latest technology. If the website has not been updated for several years, you need to start refreshing and updating it. You do this by installing the latest version of PHP or ASP.NET and downloading the latest versions of your content management system, themes or plugins. This often gives you access to the latest options in terms of layout and design. And because of that, you can often install better.

The last thing you want is a website that is no longer safe for your visitors. The step to HTTPS can also be made with an SSL certificate. This encrypts traffic from your visitor to your website and has become essential for almost any website that stores data. Even for a contact form, it is now a must.

Renewing a website, how do you go about it?

Renewing a website can be as radical as you want it to be, if you want to renew the entire website and start from step 1. Then it is advisable to make a backup of the current website. And a fresh installation of a content management system like WordPress, Umbraco or Joomla. Make sure you are using the latest versions. If you just want to change the design of an existing WordPress website, you can install a different theme. Always be careful with this and make a backup before installing. You can always go back if something goes wrong. A theme comes with many types of tools, and they can also differ from each other. So it is important to check what tools you are using in the existing theme and if they are supported in the new theme. Often, existing menus or forms can be easily replicated within different themes. So you don't have to choose a specific theme.

Read the tips and tricks we have for the different content management systems in our knowledge base and check a few things so you don't get any nasty surprises. With our hosting packages, you can also easily create a subdomain where you can test things without damaging your main or production site. A handy tip for anyone looking into a new system.