When You Know It’s Time to Redesign Your Website
A website redesign rarely starts with, “Let’s redo the website.”
It usually starts with a sigh.
You can’t remember where anything is.
The photos feel outdated.
There’s no video.
The messaging feels flat.
You’ve added five new programs in the past three years, and none of them are clearly explained.
Your development director wants a stronger case for support online.
And suddenly, the website isn’t just a website. It’s friction.
If you’re wondering whether it’s time for a redesign, here are few signals to consider.
You Don’t Have a Clear Value Proposition
If someone lands on your homepage and can’t answer in five seconds:
Who is this for?
What makes this different?
Why should I care?
You have a clarity problem.
Too many websites lead with generic statements about excellent programming, community, and how to make a gift. Those things matter. But they don’t differentiate you.
A website should make a confident, specific promise. Not a vague aspiration.
There’s No Obvious User Journey
Open your website and pretend you’re one of your audience archetypes (you have those, right)?
Can each of them clearly see what to do next?
If your navigation feels like a filing cabinet instead of a guided pathway, it’s time to rethink structure. A strong website anticipates questions and moves people forward intentionally.
“Learn More” is a placeholder. Not a conversion.
Your Site Is Text-Heavy and Emotion-Light
If your website reads like a brochure pasted onto the internet, it’s outdated.
Your constituencies don’t just want information. They want feeling.
Do your photos show joy, belonging, leadership, and energy?
Does your copy tell stories or just list features?
Does the vibe of your organization actually come through?
Your photographers may be capturing magic. If that magic isn’t visible online, you’re underselling yourself.
You’ve Outgrown Who You Used to Be
This is the quiet one.
Your programs have evolved.
Your leadership has changed.
Your community has grown.
Your strategic plan points in a new direction.
But your website still reflects who you were five years ago.
Growth without digital alignment creates disconnect. When your internal vision doesn’t match your external presence, users feel it, even if they can’t articulate why.
You’re Making Decisions Based on Guesswork
When was the last time you looked at:
Engagement time?
Pages with the most visits
Where users drop off?
Mobile vs. desktop experience?
If you don’t know what’s working (and what’s not), you’re flying blind. A redesign should be grounded in data, goals, realities, and fundraising priorities.
A Website Redesign Isn’t Just About Looking Modern
It’s about alignment.
Alignment between:
Who you are and how you show up
Your mission and your messaging
Your growth goals and your digital strategy
Your conversion targets and your user journey
The best redesigns aren’t cosmetic. They clarify positioning. They streamline pathways. They amplify your organization’s voice. They elevate trust.
If you’ve been feeling that sigh lately, it might not be about aesthetics.
It might be about strategy.
And that’s when you know it’s time.
