Which do you need?
A Refreshed website typically looks like: a new logo, colors, fonts and a new image or two. A Redesigned Website is an overhaul of your website. This has many scenarios which we cover in this post. Enjoy!

This article covers: What is a Website Refresh, What is a Website Redesign, Why do you need a Refresh or a Redesign, Which one is best for you.

Quick Summary

• What is a Website Refresh? Lightweight design changes such as logo, colors, fonts and an image or two.
• What is a Website Redesign? An overhaul to the existing 2-3 year old website to best match your business expertise, and to get a current design.
• Why do you need a Refresh or a Redesign? For your business to match your current brand identity and offering.
• Which one is best for you? Start with how old your existing website is today, and check if it aligns with your current business offering and goals.

What is a Website Refresh?

A Website Refresh is for those businesses that have a less than 2-year-old website. And they have a new logo, colors, fonts and/or brand images. A designer will apply those design elements to your website for a current brand “Refresh”, giving your website and business a fresh look. This helps to create consistency across all of your marketing platforms which keeps your business identity professional and fresh.

What is a Website Redesign?

A website redesign is a new design and typcially includes a new home page layout. A redesign might include: changes to the navigation (menu) new page content messaging, colors, fonts and a new logo. Redesigns are for 2-3-year-old websites or older. Scenarios of needing a redesign are in the next section.

Why do you need a Refresh or a Redesign?

The most common reason is to keep your business identity up-to-date. Since designs and technology change fast, your website can become outdated quickly. Another reason is that businesses evolve, and therefore add new offerings and may omit some offerings. And another big reason is website performance. Older designs can be slower loading, especially on mobile, which can create frustration and lost customers for businesses.

See if any of these Redesign Scenarios match your website:

• If your website is 2 to 3 years old
• Mobile issues: You have to Pinch N Zoom to really see what’s on it, or it loads slower than 2 seconds
• People cannot easily find me on the web
• Your website no longer conveys what your business is about
• The design is outdated. Outdated examples:
  • Images are sliding on your home page – Studies show that attention spans have decreased when viewing websites so your visitors won’t wait around to see what is next on your sliding photos.
  • Outdated hero image on home page – hero images and messaging that speak to your story is critical for successfuly engagement from your website visitors.
  • No movement on your website – Things like fade-in photos or text are eye catching and engaging. Done the right way, this can grab your visitor’s attention at just the right time.
  • Images are stock images that look fake – Authentic photos and some candid photos speak louder to your visitors than stock images in most scenarios.
  • Consistent look – The once consistent-looking website has been updated many times over and now looks messy: More than 2 primary fonts, image sizes vary, mobile view shows images off the screen, and on and on!

Which one is best for you? 

Check how old your website has is, and see if it aligns with your current business offering and goals. Is it over 2 years old? It’s good to have an expert check it as they know what to look for. We offer a free consultation to help you find out:
Schedule a free call

Final Words

Getting your website up-to-date doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, we make it easy with a streamlined process to keep you doing what you want to do – run your business!

Book a call with us. We look forward to talking with you!

The post Website Refresh or Website Redesign? appeared first on Essential Web Strategies LLC.

Legal Documents – yep we need them. Not a fun task, but necessary!  To do it right, you should get them from a business that specializes in it. The Good News: It doesn’t have to be hard. As a matter of fact, the two solutions that we talk about in this article both have simple and easy-to-use legal templates. Two things we really like, right?

This article covers: What are legal documents for websites, Why do you need them, and Where do you get legal documents.

Video Summary

Quick Summary

• What are legal documents for websites? The short answer: Policies and Terms related to the use of your website by visitors, and the handling of your visitor’s data…Maybe more, depending on your type of website.
• Why do you need them? To protect your business and to build trust with your visitors. 
• Where can we get them? Our two favorite online sources:
  TermsFeed has a simple legal template wizard and provides a free basic privacy policy option. Attorney Nicole Cheri Oden LLC has downloadable template bundle packages for a great price.

What are legal documents for websites?

Common legal documents for websites are a Privacy Policy and Terms of Use or Terms and Conditions. Some businesses need more. It largely depends on their business niche and website type. For example, if you have an online store, you will need more legal documents to cover store policies like refunds and returns. The types of legal documents needed can also depend on what you are selling. It’s always best to check with your legal counsel to determine which documents are needed for your business. Attorney Nicole Cheri Oden LLC is a great choice for legal counsel for any stage of your business.

Why do you need legal documents for your website?

If your website collects visitor data, a Privacy Policy protects your business by explaining what data you collect and what you do with that data, which is required by law. Some examples could be first and last names, email addresses, or phone numbers. And the Terms document will explain the use and/or conditions of using your website. Although not required by law, this document sets the rules and guidelines around using your website that users must agree to before using your website. It can also inform visitors that the content on the website is owned by you, such as your logo, the design of the website, copy you’ve added, and things of that nature.

Having these documents also builds trust with your visitors. Your business shows trustworthiness by having these legal documents on your website. You are being transparent with your policies and terms by sharing this important information, and it shows that you respect your visitors and their data. Who would you trust more? A business that explains its services and what they are doing with your data, or a business that doesn’t?

Which source is best for website legal documents?

After working with multiple online legal document solutions, these are our two favorites:

TermsFeed has a simple, easy-to-use legal template wizard and provides a free basic privacy policy option if your website qualifies. A link is provided with the finished document. When clicked you simply copy and paste the information into a page on your website. Easy!

Attorney Nicole Cheri Oden LLC has downloadable template bundle packages for a great price, including one called “Protect Your Website Bundle”. The downloadable templates are easy to use. You simply add your information where it tells you to. And, if a template is updated by Nicole because of changes in the law, Nicole shares the updated template with you. Nice!

Final Thoughts

• If you prefer the wizard-type generator and only need a couple documents- TermsFeed is fast and economical.
• If you need multiple legal templates, or need templates that cover digital products for your niche business, Nicole Cheri Oden LLC is a good choice.

A reminder: always check with your legal counsel to know which legal documents you need for your business website.

Remember to reach out to us with your website design and SEO needs. 30 years of experience is waiting to help you get the best out of your online presence.

The post Where to get Legal Documents for Websites appeared first on Essential Web Strategies LLC.