Why 1/3 of Marketers Are Unhappy With Their Web Site Design

A website redesign is a serious undertaking for any business, and as I discussed in a previous post on the web as an catalyst for better marketing practices, in many instances it forces the client to re-evaluate their brand strategy and marketing.

The marketing experts at HubSpot recently published research stating that 1/3 of marketers were not happy with their latest website redesign.

Although this figure is disappointing, it can serve as a wake-up call for marketers to fully invest in the project from the get-go.

Here are some highlights:

• 72% of people whose goal it was to improve branding were happy with the final product of their redesign
• 76% of people whose goal was to optimize for lead generation and sales were happy with the final product
• Only 25% of those who claimed their website redesign goal was “other” were happy with the final product

A successful website redesign stems from clarifying specific goals ahead of time, which is certainly supported by the last statistic. This may seem obvious, but there wouldn’t be a statistic if it was.

HubSpot’s research also shows that the redesign process and the final product are more successful when initiated by senior leadership. Getting the CEO or senior executives of a company involved means a cleaner, quicker process, and a result that is understood and agreed upon by top leadership. Working from a clear focus outlined by company leaders has a major effect on the success of a new website. In a March 2011 post, “Five Mistaken Assumptions About Web Site Development Projects, Part 3,” I discuss this in more detail.

Measuring Success

It is just as important to measure the progress of the site once a goal has been set. Those in the study who used metrics to measure the effectiveness of their redesign were generally happy with the result, with only 25% unhappy, compared to the 44% who used no analytics and were unhappy.

But the responsibility for a website’s success doesn’t lie solely on the client’s shoulders; it is a partnership between client and agency that is based on communication, organization and teamwork.

In summary, remember these three points:

• Clarify website goals up front and get agreement from stakeholders
• Ensure CEO or other high-level participation in the website process
• Measure results and make necessary adjustments

Have you had a bad experience with website redesign? Do you agree with HubSpot’s findings, or think there are other elements needed for a successful website?