Design trends change quickly, and if your website isn’t up-to-date, you may be missing out on new renters who don’t feel connected to your brand. Ask yourself, does my website appeal to my target audiences? Does it accurately represent my property? Is it encouraging users to take targeted, specific actions? If the answer to any of these questions is no, it’s time to redesign your website.

Business Goals

Before redesigning your website, you need to know your business goals. Are you in lease-up and need to attract more attention to your property while it is under construction? Do you need to drive more leads due to increased exposure? Or are you simply trying to maintain occupancy? Each of these situations requires a different approach to how you present information on your website and how aggressive your are in obtaining new leads. Regardless, your website needs to speak to the right audience and drive them down the funnel to conversion.

Target Audience

Every good website targets a specific audience or audiences. Who are yours? Once you have identified them by demographics, interests, and user behaviors, you can determine if and how your current website works to attract these personas. Be mindful of your language as well as your imagery. 

Design Preferences

Benchmarking is a great way to evaluate your current website. Take the time to review competitor websites to learn more about what you like — and what you don’t. Elements like custom graphics, typography, and photos are all quick fixes. A whole new layout though? That will take a little more time to implement, especially if you would like to apply those changes across a portfolio.

Brand Identity

Your brand identity is another important factor to consider when evaluating your website. Is your property individually branded, or does it fall under a corporate umbrella? If individually branded, you have the opportunity to completely overhaul your website if the brand is out of date. If it adheres to a corporate brand, take the time to ensure your messaging, imagery, and user experience align with what you offer overall. Remember, inconsistencies can be hard to overcome for users.

More to Consider: Website Redesign Guide

G5’s Website Redesign Guide details even more about the above elements and provides questions that will help focus your redesign process. If you’re ready to get started, the guide also outlines several key steps to take before working with a design team. Download the guide now.