20 Clear Signs It’s Time for a Website Redesign

Your website isn’t just a digital brochure — it plays a central role in how people perceive your business. Studies, such as the Stanford Web Credibility Project, have shown that a majority of users form credibility judgments based on website design. In other words, design and usability directly influence trust.

Despite this, many organisations postpone redesigns because of cost or time concerns. However, a website that is modern, accessible, and user-focusedusually improves not only appearance but also performance — from stronger user engagement to higher conversion rates.

If you’re evaluating whether your website still meets current standards, here are 20 practical signs that indicate it may be time for a redesign.

1. Your site isn’t mobile-friendly

More than half of all web traffic now comes from mobile devices — Statista reported that mobile accounted for over 58% of global traffic in 2023. This shift means a website that only works well on desktops risks frustrating the majority of its visitors.

A mobile-friendly (responsive) design adjusts to different screen sizes, ensuring text is readable, buttons are easy to tap, and navigation feels intuitive on phones and tablets. Without it, users are more likely to leave quickly, which can also hurt your search visibility.

🔗 Pro resources:

• Premium Guide: Mobile-First Web Design in 2025

2. You see a high bounce rate

Bounce rate measures the percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing only one page. By itself, it’s not always negative — for example, if someone finds a direct answer in a blog post and leaves satisfied, that can still be a good outcome.

However, a consistently high bounce rate on important pages (like your homepage, service pages, or product listings) often signals problems with content relevance, page speed, or design. See our UX vs CRO guide on lowering bounce and lifting conversions. If users aren’t encouraged to explore further, they may never reach the actions that matter — such as making an enquiry or completing a purchase.

A redesign can help address these issues by improving clarity, calls-to-action, and overall user experience.

🔗 Pro resources:

• Reduce Bounce Rate with Better UX & SEO (2025 Guide)

3. Your website loads slowly

Speed is one of the biggest factors shaping user experience. Research from Google shows that if a page takes three seconds to load instead of one, the chance of a visitor leaving increases by about 32%. On mobile, more than half of users will abandon a page that takes longer than three seconds to appear.

Slow websites don’t just frustrate users — they can also hurt search visibility, as site performance is part of Google’s ranking systems. A redesign gives you the opportunity to streamline code, optimise images, and use modern hosting and caching techniques to make your website load faster across all devices.

🔗 Pro resources:

• Website Speed & Performance Optimisation Guide

4. Your conversion rate has dropped

Getting visitors to your site is only half the battle — the real goal is turning them into customers or leads. If you’re struggling with low conversions, it may be because your website isn’t doing enough to engage visitors. Common causes include unclear calls-to-action (CTAs), forms that are too long, or page layouts that distract from the next step.

Even small design changes can have a big impact. Studies in conversion optimisation show that well-placed, clearly worded CTAs can meaningfully improve results. A redesign gives you the chance to review the entire user journey — from the moment someone lands on a page to the point they take action — and ensure every element encourages engagement and progress rather than friction.

A redesign can quickly pay for itself if it reverses declining conversions. See our website redesign pricing options.

5. Your site has broken links

Broken links — often leading to “404 Not Found” error pages — create a poor user experience. Visitors who encounter dead ends are more likely to leave your site rather than continue searching for information.

From a technical perspective, broken links can also interrupt how search engines crawl your site, making it harder for them to understand your structure and index your pages correctly. While a few isolated errors are common, frequent or widespread broken links suggest poor maintenance and can undermine both user trust and SEO performance.

A redesign is an opportunity to audit your website content, fix or remove dead links, and implement better site structure to prevent the problem from recurring.

6. Your content is outdated

When visitors see old, inaccurate, or irrelevant information, their trust in your business drops quickly. Outdated content also signals to search engines that your site may not be the best source of reliable information.

Refreshing content pays off. For example, Search Engine Journal reported a 60% increase in traffic after updating and removing older, low-performing articles. Keeping your website current shows that your business is active, attentive, and trustworthy.

A redesign is a good chance to review your content strategy — updating product details, refreshing blogs, and aligning messaging with your current brand voice.

🔗 Pro resources:

• Website Content Strategy Guide | People-First Content & E-E-A-T

7. Navigation is confusing

Website navigation should guide visitors smoothly to the information they need. If your menus are overloaded with options, labels are unclear, or layouts feel cluttered, users may leave out of frustration rather than keep searching.

On smaller screens, such as mobiles, poor navigation becomes even more noticeable. A redesign is the perfect chance to simplify menus, group related content logically, and ensure that key actions (like contacting you or viewing products) are always easy to find.

Good navigation isn’t about showing everything at once — it’s about making the right paths obvious.

8. Your site relies on outdated technology

Web technologies evolve quickly, and relying on tools that are no longer supported can create serious problems. For example, Adobe Flash was officially discontinued in 2020 and is now blocked by all major browsers. Any site still using it won’t display properly and may expose users to security risks.

Outdated plugins, themes, or frameworks can cause similar issues. They often slow down performance, introduce vulnerabilities, and make it difficult to integrate with modern tools or comply with security standards.

A redesign ensures your website runs on current, secure, and future-ready technology — helping it stay fast, compatible, and trustworthy.

💡 DBETA Insight: Our DBETA Bones 8.0 framework is continuously maintained and updated to align with the latest performance, security, and SEO standards. This ensures our clients never get stuck with outdated, vulnerable technology.

9. Your site isn’t optimised for search engines

Most online journeys start with a search engine, yet the majority of users never look beyond the first page of results. If your website isn’t optimised for search, you risk being invisible to potential customers.

SEO isn’t just about keywords — it includes having a clear site structure, fast performance, mobile-friendly design, and content that answers real user questions. Without these foundations, search engines may struggle to understand and rank your pages.

A redesign gives you the opportunity to build SEO best practices into the framework of your site, making it easier for the right audience to find you.

💡 DBETA Insight: Our DBETA Bones 8.0 framework is built with SEO-first architecture, meaning clean code, logical structure, and fast performance are baked in from the start — not added as an afterthought.

10. Security warnings appear (no HTTPS)

If your website still runs without HTTPS, modern browsers will flag it as “Not Secure.” For visitors, this raises immediate concerns about safety — especially if your site collects personal data, payments, or login details.

Security isn’t only about user trust. Google uses HTTPS as a ranking signal, so missing an SSL certificate can also harm your search visibility. Beyond HTTPS, outdated CMS versions, plugins, or server configurations can expose your site to vulnerabilities that put both your business and your customers at risk.

A redesign is the right time to update your security foundations — from installing SSL certificates to ensuring all software and frameworks are kept current.

💡 DBETA Insight: With DBETA Bones 8.0, security isn’t an afterthought. Our framework is regularly patched and maintained to close vulnerabilities, ensuring your site stays compliant, protected, and trusted by both users and search engines.

🔗 Pro resources:

• The .htaccess File Explained: Redirects, Security & Caching

11. Poor accessibility compliance (WCAG standards)

An accessible website ensures that everyone — including people with disabilities — can use and benefit from it. If your site isn’t compatible with screen readers, has poor colour contrast, or can’t be navigated with a keyboard, you’re unintentionally excluding part of your audience.

Accessibility isn’t just good practice; in many regions, it’s also a legal requirement. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) set widely accepted standards for making sites more inclusive. Failing to meet these can put you at risk of compliance issues and limit your reach.

A redesign is the perfect opportunity to build accessibility in from the start — improving usability for all visitors and strengthening trust in your brand.

🔗 Pro resources:

• Web Accessibility in 2025: Practical, People-First Guide to WCAG 2.2

12. Analytics tracking is missing or broken

You can’t improve what you can’t measure. Without reliable analytics in place, it’s impossible to know how people are using your site, which pages perform well, or where visitors drop off.

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and event tracking give you visibility into user journeys, conversions, and engagement. If your tracking is missing, outdated, or broken, you’re essentially making business decisions in the dark.

A redesign is the right moment to implement or upgrade analytics. By setting up proper tracking from the start, you’ll ensure that every design choice is backed by data — not guesswork.

💡 DBETA Insight: Every site built with DBETA Bones 8.0 comes with analytics-ready architecture. We ensure GA4, Search Console, and event tracking are correctly implemented, so you always have reliable data to guide growth decisions.

13. Your design looks dated compared to competitors

Design trends and user expectations evolve quickly. If your competitors’ websites feel modern, fast, and engaging while yours looks outdated, visitors may assume your business is less professional or reliable — even if that isn’t true.

An older design often shows its age through small details: dated typography, inconsistent branding, cluttered layouts, or a lack of mobile optimisation. These signals can subtly reduce trust and make prospects more likely to choose a competitor.

A redesign helps you close that perception gap. By aligning your site with current design standards and your brand identity, you ensure your business presents itself as relevant and credible.

14. Your brand has changed

Your website should reflect your brand as it exists today. If you’ve updated your logo, colours, tone of voice, or overall messaging but your site still shows the old version, it creates inconsistency. That disconnect can confuse visitors and weaken trust in your business.

Brand consistency across all touchpoints — from your website to social media, ads, and offline materials — reinforces professionalism and reliability. A redesign ensures that your digital presence matches your current identity, values, and goals.

Keeping your website aligned with your brand not only improves recognition but also builds stronger connections with your audience.

15. Your site doesn’t scale easily

A healthy website should grow alongside your business. If adding new products, services, or pages makes layouts break, menus overflow, or content feel disorganised, it’s a sign your framework wasn’t built with scalability in mind.

Websites that aren’t designed for growth often become harder to manage over time. This can slow down updates, create inconsistencies, and frustrate both users and your team.

A redesign allows you to rebuild on a flexible foundation — one that supports expansion without chaos. Whether you’re planning to launch new services, add e-commerce, or expand into new markets, scalability ensures your site is ready for the future.

💡 DBETA Insight: Built for growth, DBETA Bones 8.0 uses a modular, SEO-first structure that makes adding new features, pages, or integrations seamless — so your website scales as naturally as your business does.

16. You don’t use a content management system (CMS)

If your website can only be updated by editing raw code, every small change requires developer time — which slows you down and increases costs.

A content management system (CMS) such as WordPress, Drupal, or Webflow makes it possible for non-technical team members to manage content through an easy interface. With a CMS, you can:

• Add or update pages quickly
• Publish blogs and news without coding
• Keep content consistent across the site
• Integrate with tools like CRMs, email marketing, or e-commerce platforms

Without a CMS, your site becomes harder to maintain and less adaptable as your business grows. A redesign is the ideal opportunity to move onto a system that saves time, reduces costs, and empowers your team.

17. Poor localisation or multilingual support

If your business serves international or diverse audiences, a single-language website can become a barrier. Visitors are more likely to trust and engage with content in their own language, and in many cases, cultural adaptation (such as date formats, currencies, or imagery) is just as important as translation.

Without proper localisation or multilingual support, you risk losing customers who find your site difficult to use or irrelevant to their needs.

A redesign gives you the opportunity to:

• Add multilingual functionality with proper translation workflows
• Localise content for specific markets (not just translate it)
• Ensure technical SEO is set up correctly with hreflang tags for different regions

Strong localisation not only improves user experience but also helps expand your reach into new markets effectively.

💡 DBETA Insight: DBETA Bones 8.0 includes structured multilingual support with dynamic language arrays and SEO-friendly hreflang implementation — making it easier to deliver tailored experiences across different regions without compromising performance.

18. Declining organic traffic or engagement

If your analytics show fewer visits, shorter sessions, or a drop in leads over time, it may be a sign that your website is no longer meeting user expectations or keeping up with search engine standards.

Traffic declines can happen for several reasons: outdated content, poor technical SEO, slower performance, or simply stronger competitors. Reduced engagement — like lower time on page or fewer returning visitors — often points to issues with design, relevance, or user experience.

A redesign offers the chance to address these challenges holistically. By refreshing content, improving site performance, and aligning your structure with current SEO and UX best practices, you can regain visibility and rebuild audience trust.

💡 DBETA Insight: DBETA Bones 8.0 is built with an SEO-first architecture and engagement-focused design. From clean code and fast performance to structured content arrays, it helps maintain visibility, improve rankings, and keep users engaged longer.

19. Lack of interactivity or personalisation

Today’s users expect websites to go beyond static pages. Features like live chat, interactive product demos, quizzes, and tailored content experiences keep people engaged and encourage them to spend more time on your site.

Personalisation is especially powerful. Showing content, recommendations, or offers based on user behaviour or location can make your website feel more relevant and useful. Without these elements, a site can feel flat compared to competitors who deliver dynamic, engaging experiences.

A redesign gives you the opportunity to introduce interactive features and smart personalisation — helping you connect with visitors in ways that static content alone cannot.

💡 DBETA Insight: DBETA Bones 8.0 is designed with modular components that make it easy to add interactivity — from chat integrations to dynamic content blocks — while supporting lightweight personalisation based on user behaviour or location. This ensures engagement without unnecessary complexity or bloat.

20. Difficult integrations

Modern websites rarely operate in isolation. They need to connect with CRMs, e-commerce platforms, marketing automation tools, analytics, and even payment gateways. If your current site makes these integrations clunky, unreliable, or impossible, it limits how efficiently your business can operate.

Poor integration often leads to manual workarounds, duplicated data, or missed opportunities for automation. Over time, this slows down your team and can frustrate customers if systems don’t sync smoothly.

A redesign allows you to rebuild with integration in mind — choosing platforms and frameworks that connect seamlessly with the tools you already use and leaving room for future growth.

💡 DBETA Insight: DBETA Bones 8.0 is engineered for easy integrations, whether it’s CRMs, payment gateways, analytics, or automation tools. Its modular structure ensures new connections can be added smoothly without disrupting performance or overcomplicating workflows.

Final Thoughts

A website redesign goes far beyond improving appearances. It’s about creating a platform that performs well, earns user trust, adapts as your business grows, and meets modern standards for usability, security, and accessibility.

If several of the 20 signs listed here sound familiar, your site may already be holding you back. Redesigning gives you the chance to address technical issues, refresh your content, and build a foundation that supports both users and business goals.

A well-executed redesign can help your website:

• Load faster and deliver a smoother experience
• Rank higher by meeting search engine best practices
• Convert better with clearer journeys and stronger calls-to-action
• Support growth with scalable frameworks and integrations
• Build trust through consistent branding and secure technology

Rather than viewing a redesign as a cost, see it as a long-term investment in your digital presence and brand success.

💡 DBETA Insight: With DBETA Bones 8.0, we deliver redesigns on a lightweight, SEO-first framework that balances speed, scalability, and security. This ensures your site isn’t just refreshed for today, but future-ready for tomorrow’s growth.

Click here if you need tools that help to review website before redesign.

FAQs