Website development is not a one-time event. You need to upgrade your website regularly to ensure that it remains relevant and engaging for your audience. This could involve redesigning your website periodically or simply keeping it up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies.
Often, webmasters & website owners get confused between a website redesign and a website upgrade. In this blog post, you will learn about the major differences between a website redesign & upgrade.
Let’s start!
What’s a website redesign?
A website redesign, as the name suggests, is improving the look of an existing website. In some cases, it may also involve adding new features to the website. The major goals of a redesign can vary but may include improving the user experience, increasing conversion rates, or simply giving the site a fresh new look.
What’s a website upgrade?
A website upgrade can mean different things to different people, but in general, it refers to upgrading a website’s existing plugins, theme, or software.
Now the question is “What’s the difference between a website redesign and an upgrade?”. Or put it differently “When is the right time to redesign a website and when should we just upgrade the website?”.
In this blog post, we have shared a few major differences between a website redesign and a website upgrade that will help you make the right decision for your website.
#1 Cost of redesign vs upgrade
Website redesign
There could be a huge difference between the cost of redesigning a website and upgrading a website.
Upgrading a website generally costs less because it involves upgrading, configuring, and customizing the existing theme, modules, & software while redesigning a website may involve building the website from scratch or at least the user interface from scratch.
Website upgrade
The cost to upgrade a website in Singapore may start at $500 while the cost of website redesign in Singapore may start at $1200. If you are redesigning your existing eCommerce website, it may even cost you $3000 or more.
Therefore, the cost is definitely a major distinction between website redesign & upgrade.
#2 Timeframe for redesign vs upgrade
Website redesign
The time required to redesign a website can be significant, while upgrading a website may not take as much time.
Depending on the size and complexity of the website, a redesign can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months. If you want to add more advanced features to your new website, you may have to pay according to the effort your web developer will need to put in.
Website upgrade
An upgrade, on the other hand, may only take a few days or weeks. In the case of a website upgrade, your website designer just needs to upgrade all the plugins, themes, and software to their latest versions and then make the necessary configurations and customizations.
So, when deciding whether to redesign or upgrade your website, consider how much time and effort you’re willing to put into the project.
Perhaps, you can consult your website designer to estimate the timeframe to redesign or upgrade your website so that you can decide accordingly.
#3 Purpose of redesign vs upgrade
Website redesign
Should you opt for a website redesign or an upgrade? Focus on the purpose.
If you want a new look for your website, you should consider redesigning it. However, if you just want your website to perform better with the same design and features, you should consider a website upgrade.
A redesign may be the best option if your website is outdated and doesn’t effectively communicate your brand message.
Website upgrade
On the other hand, an upgrade may be needed if you want to add new features or update your content.
Ultimately, the decision comes down to what will better serve your business and help you achieve your desired results.
#4 Scope of work for redesign vs upgrade
Website redesign
The scope of work for redesigning a website is more complicated and comprehensive than just upgrading it. To achieve a successful website redesign, it is important to consider all aspects of the project, including the goals, target audience, content, design, functionality, and more.
Redesigning a website is a big undertaking that should not be taken lightly.
With so much at stake, it is essential to invest the time and effort necessary to create a website that meets the needs of your business or organization.
Website upgrade
Upgrading a website can just include enhancing a specific section or area of the website to enhance its performance.
This might mean improving the loading speed of pages, streamlining the checkout process, or adding new features that improve the user experience.
By making small upgrades like these, you can keep your website current and ensure that visitors have a positive experience.
#5 Scenarios for redesign vs upgrade
Website redesign
There are a few situations in which you might need a complete website redesign.
One situation is if your website is outdated and no longer represents your brand well. Another situation is if your website is not mobile-friendly and you’re losing out on potential customers.
Yet another situation is if you’ve recently undergone a rebrand, and your website needs to reflect that. In any of these cases, it’s important to avoid simply copying and pasting your old content onto a new design because that’s not what a redesign is for!
A redesign should be an opportunity to start fresh, engage your audience, and boost your business.
However, in many cases, a few small changes can make a big difference in your site’s overall appearance and feel.
Website upgrade
Which is the right situation for a website upgrade?
If you are experiencing issues & errors or performance lags on your website, it may be the time to upgrade it. Or, if your website has outdated information, you must upgrade it.
Some signs that you might just need an upgrade include:
- Your website forms are not responsive or don’t look good.
- Your website is difficult to navigate
- Your website is not mobile-friendly
- Your website loading speed is too slow
- You want to change the images and graphics of your website.
If any of these sound familiar, then this may be the time to search for a reliable website builder to upgrade & refresh your online presence.
With some strategic changes, you can bring your site up-to-date without starting from scratch.
#6 SEO impact in website redesign vs upgrade
Website redesign
Since website redesign may involve changing the CMS software, existing architecture, or structure of the site, changes in URL structure and meta tags may impact the website’s current score. This can be avoided by hiring an experienced and professional web designer who can understand the impact of website redesign on SEO.
Website upgrade
No major changes are made in the structure or URLs of the web pages during a website upgrade, so the SEO is not impacted at all. On the contrary, an upgrade can often improve the SEO of the website.
#7 UX intervention in website redesign vs upgrade
Website redesign
UX/UI plays a vital role in redesigning a website, as does the role of a UI/UX designer. If you want a new look for your website while revamping it, UX designs must be changed completely.
Website upgrade
There is no need to change the website’s UX/UI during an upgrade because the major focus is on enhancing its performance.