Drab or\nmalfunctioning websites don\u2019t reflect well on your business. Consumers are\nconstantly making choices. They often don\u2019t even know they\u2019re doing it, but\nthey\u2019ll favour a website that\u2019s engaging and attractive over one that isn\u2019t,\nevery time. It\u2019s easier in the digital world to up and leave your place of\nbusiness. Moving from one store to another no longer requires a walk or a\ndrive. Clients and customers do their walking with the click of a mouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A website can be a\ncompany\u2019s greatest asset. Paying attention to keeping that asset user-friendly\nand relevant can pay great dividends when it comes to generating leads.\nNeglecting that asset will have a negative impact, pretty quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, how long does\na website last? What\u2019s the lifespan you can expect between rebuilds? And, what\ncan you do to maximise longevity and function? Stick around, and we\u2019ll try to\nget to the bottom of those questions in this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Getting the balance right: What you need to\ndo, and when<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAt FutureLab, we think a lot about websites. I mean, some of us probably spend way too much time thinking (and even dreaming) about them. No matter how much I try to avoid it, I end up taking my work home. The first time I talked about PHP<\/a> in my sleep, it didn\u2019t go down too well. It got even worse when I started dreaming about React<\/a> and Gutenberg<\/a> \u2013 but that\u2019s another story.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnyway, enough\nabout my problems. The point is, we know that you don\u2019t think about websites as\nmuch as we do. We realise that often, all you want to know is:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n- What will it cost? <\/li>
- How often, to keep it working?<\/li>
- How can I minimise that cost and frequency?<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
To get to the\nbottom of some of these questions, it\u2019s helpful to have a quick look at the two\nmain ways your website will go out of date. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aesthetics and Design, Function and Technology,\nUser Interface<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThere are three\nmain ways in which your website will age. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Designs go out of\nfashion and visual trends come and go, in website design as with all other\nforms. After a relatively short period of time, your website will begin to look\ndated. That\u2019s the first way in which a website gets old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The second way\nthat time catches up with your website, is technology. It moves quickly on the\ninternet. Small changes happen all of the time, but eventually bigger changes\nand advances will start to affect your website. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Probably the most\nalienating way your website will get old, from a customer point of view, is the\nuser interface. Technology and design in UI move quickly, and a website can\nstart to feel old if it doesn\u2019t keep up with trends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Design and changing trends<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe importance of keeping web design in line with trends can perhaps best be illustrated looking at logo and branding evolution. It\u2019s a good place to begin at any rate. Smart companies know the dangers of looking outdated, and there\u2019s always been a need to keep up with the Joneses on the web. We\u2019re back once more to the fact that things change quickly in cyberspace. It doesn\u2019t take long before the fresh design starts to look dated all over again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s look at a\nlogo and a brand that most of us encounter many times every day. Over the\nyears, Google has become one of the most recognisable brands on the planet.\nTheir logo looks as familiar as anything you\u2019re ever likely to encounter\nonline. But it\u2019s important to remember that the familiarity, and how current the\nsearch engine\u2019s logo looks, are the result of painstaking maintenance \u2013 not of\nanything accidental. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brand identity\nand familiarity are not a consequence of Google resting on their laurels. Far\nfrom it. That modernity is contrived and it\u2019s the result of careful\nconsideration for what\u2019s changed over the years on the web. The Google logo<\/a> looks the same,\nbut it\u2019s not. In fact, it\u2019s changed a total of six times over a thirteen-year\nperiod. It reflects changes in web design trends as they happened over time. A\ndrop-shadow dropped here, a move to flat design there. <\/p>\n\n\n\nAnd that all keeps things very current, projecting exactly the image a company like Google need to have. Remember when Google made one of the most subtle logo changes<\/a> ever? The way their logo has changed over the years is all about keeping up with trends. Fashion on the web goes beyond logos too. Not too long ago, the trend was to animate everything. Then we saw a theory take over which favoured having lots of written content. We\u2019ve moved to the simplicity of design and easy navigation recently. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe only thing\nthat\u2019s static and certain about web design, is that it will change every couple\nof years. It\u2019s massively important for websites to keep up with those changes.\nWhen your website looks dated, the perception of your potential client will be\nthat your company is dated too. Getting ROI from the original cost of your\nwebsite design means maintaining the look and the feel of the website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Technology and the ageing process<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nWe know that\ndesign and branding aren\u2019t the only things that regularly change on the\ninternet. Arguably, technology moves even quicker. The web can be a place where\nif you blink, you fall behind or slow down. Constant changes in the way\nwebsites are built, rapid advances in the tools and vehicles which make\nresponsive websites possible, improvements in terms of loading speeds, the rate\nat which transactions can be processed and payments taken. If you don\u2019t keep up\nwith changes, and fail to carry out regular maintenance, you\u2019ll soon be at a\ndisadvantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Angular, Google\u2019s popular framework is a great example of how web technology marches ever forward. A glance at Angular\u2019s wiki page<\/a> reveals how often Google changes the version. We saw a major new release twice during a six-month period in 2018. There have been seven versions of Angular since 2014, with the most recent preview release taking place a month ago (4th<\/sup> April 2019).<\/p>\n\n\n\nFurther\ninspection of Angular\u2019s wiki page reveals the scope of the changes and\nimprovements made to the framework in the last few years. Angular isn\u2019t unique,\nit\u2019s very typical of the way technology evolves, and of the rapid rate at which\nit changes the internet environment. To stay functional, a website requires regular\nmaintenance. Development of tools like Angular, which sees versions supported\nfor eighteen months or so before technology once again ups sticks and advances,\nmeans that there\u2019s a finite inevitability built into every web design \u2013 no\nmatter how good the developer on your project. Redesigns aren\u2019t just advised \u2013\nthey become necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
User Interface and the client experience<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe user interface is an area where it\u2019s possible to clearly see how the internet has been rapidly changing in recent years. Nowhere are advances and evolution more apparent to website users and clients than at their point of contact. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Website](\"https:\/\/futurelab.digitalmachine.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/website_usability-1024x683.jpg\")
Elements of website usability<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nOver recent years we\u2019ve moved on from just making websites for desktops, as more and more devices become available on which to utilise the web, and mobile technology has leapt well and truly toward the mid twenty-first century. The adaptive design came and went, with all the time-consuming challenges that designing for multiple devices presented. We\u2019re in the era of responsive design, and we\u2019re now building mobile-first websites. Things have changed a lot, and the innovation within mobile-first web development isn\u2019t going to slow down any time soon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To stay on top of the changes, and to keep that website performing and functioning well, as mobile device versions come and go, and as web design changes with that \u2013 it\u2019s essential to adapt. Where the client meets website isn\u2019t just the limit of your commercial reach and appeal, it\u2019s also at the very cutting edge of web technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What can you do?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBeing aware of the\nway in which the internet changes is a great place to be at. Understanding that\nthe web is not a static environment is perhaps the greatest thing you\u2019ll ever\ndo for your own website. Your greatest asset isn\u2019t a thing that you can switch\non, walk away from, and then expect it to keep performing optimally, generating\nbusiness indefinitely. There\u2019s a real requirement to be realistic about the\nconstant and relatively quick evolution of the internet and the technology\nencapsulated in it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We take for a\ngiven in modern times that the tech landscape is advancing at lightning speed.\nHowever, many businesses fail to connect that with web maintenance and\nredesign, to their detriment. It\u2019s a fact that regular maintenance both\nprolongs the life of a website build, and also keeps the site current and\nengaging for longer. Being wise to the fact that tech and design frequently\nchanges can add great value to the original cost of a website. Your site will\nstay responsive and attractive for longer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Failure to keep\nup with the march of technology, and to reflect changing trends in web design\nultimately result in poor user experience, and a less than desirable brand\nimage. It\u2019s hard to avoid falling sales when that happens, and it defeats the\nidea of why you built a website in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stay current and\nlet your web designer advise as to which designs and technology changes are\nlikely to be around for a while, not just a flash in the pan. Take advice on\nwhat will add value to and prolong the functionality and appeal of your\nwebsite. Then act on that advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At FutureLab, we\ncan keep your site optimised with regular updates. We\u2019ll keep your CMS up to\ndate and we can even provide bigger companies and more complex sites with\nperiodic reviews. Staying on top of web design, adding new technology and\nfeatures, it\u2019s all possible. You may wish to add a landing page, update your\ncontent, or change graphic elements to keep the site looking fresh. Adding the\nright features and tech will only improve your site, updates under the skin\nwill keep it ticking over and doing the job it\u2019s designed for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another thing to\nconsider when you build your website is scalability. Building in some scope for\ngrowth can be a great way to prolong the lifespan of your website, especially\nwhere one of the targets for its performance is to generate business growth.\nIt\u2019s a great idea to budget for scalability at the point of website design, and\nit means you won\u2019t outgrow your website before technology outgrows it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Adapt and evolve<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Anyway, enough\nabout my problems. The point is, we know that you don\u2019t think about websites as\nmuch as we do. We realise that often, all you want to know is:<\/p>\n\n\n
- What will it cost? <\/li>
- How often, to keep it working?<\/li>
- How can I minimise that cost and frequency?<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
To get to the\nbottom of some of these questions, it\u2019s helpful to have a quick look at the two\nmain ways your website will go out of date. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aesthetics and Design, Function and Technology,\nUser Interface<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
There are three\nmain ways in which your website will age. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Designs go out of\nfashion and visual trends come and go, in website design as with all other\nforms. After a relatively short period of time, your website will begin to look\ndated. That\u2019s the first way in which a website gets old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The second way\nthat time catches up with your website, is technology. It moves quickly on the\ninternet. Small changes happen all of the time, but eventually bigger changes\nand advances will start to affect your website. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Probably the most\nalienating way your website will get old, from a customer point of view, is the\nuser interface. Technology and design in UI move quickly, and a website can\nstart to feel old if it doesn\u2019t keep up with trends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Design and changing trends<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The importance of keeping web design in line with trends can perhaps best be illustrated looking at logo and branding evolution. It\u2019s a good place to begin at any rate. Smart companies know the dangers of looking outdated, and there\u2019s always been a need to keep up with the Joneses on the web. We\u2019re back once more to the fact that things change quickly in cyberspace. It doesn\u2019t take long before the fresh design starts to look dated all over again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s look at a\nlogo and a brand that most of us encounter many times every day. Over the\nyears, Google has become one of the most recognisable brands on the planet.\nTheir logo looks as familiar as anything you\u2019re ever likely to encounter\nonline. But it\u2019s important to remember that the familiarity, and how current the\nsearch engine\u2019s logo looks, are the result of painstaking maintenance \u2013 not of\nanything accidental. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brand identity\nand familiarity are not a consequence of Google resting on their laurels. Far\nfrom it. That modernity is contrived and it\u2019s the result of careful\nconsideration for what\u2019s changed over the years on the web. The Google logo<\/a> looks the same,\nbut it\u2019s not. In fact, it\u2019s changed a total of six times over a thirteen-year\nperiod. It reflects changes in web design trends as they happened over time. A\ndrop-shadow dropped here, a move to flat design there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that all keeps things very current, projecting exactly the image a company like Google need to have. Remember when Google made one of the most subtle logo changes<\/a> ever? The way their logo has changed over the years is all about keeping up with trends. Fashion on the web goes beyond logos too. Not too long ago, the trend was to animate everything. Then we saw a theory take over which favoured having lots of written content. We\u2019ve moved to the simplicity of design and easy navigation recently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The only thing\nthat\u2019s static and certain about web design, is that it will change every couple\nof years. It\u2019s massively important for websites to keep up with those changes.\nWhen your website looks dated, the perception of your potential client will be\nthat your company is dated too. Getting ROI from the original cost of your\nwebsite design means maintaining the look and the feel of the website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Technology and the ageing process<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
We know that\ndesign and branding aren\u2019t the only things that regularly change on the\ninternet. Arguably, technology moves even quicker. The web can be a place where\nif you blink, you fall behind or slow down. Constant changes in the way\nwebsites are built, rapid advances in the tools and vehicles which make\nresponsive websites possible, improvements in terms of loading speeds, the rate\nat which transactions can be processed and payments taken. If you don\u2019t keep up\nwith changes, and fail to carry out regular maintenance, you\u2019ll soon be at a\ndisadvantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Angular, Google\u2019s popular framework is a great example of how web technology marches ever forward. A glance at Angular\u2019s wiki page<\/a> reveals how often Google changes the version. We saw a major new release twice during a six-month period in 2018. There have been seven versions of Angular since 2014, with the most recent preview release taking place a month ago (4th<\/sup> April 2019).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Further\ninspection of Angular\u2019s wiki page reveals the scope of the changes and\nimprovements made to the framework in the last few years. Angular isn\u2019t unique,\nit\u2019s very typical of the way technology evolves, and of the rapid rate at which\nit changes the internet environment. To stay functional, a website requires regular\nmaintenance. Development of tools like Angular, which sees versions supported\nfor eighteen months or so before technology once again ups sticks and advances,\nmeans that there\u2019s a finite inevitability built into every web design \u2013 no\nmatter how good the developer on your project. Redesigns aren\u2019t just advised \u2013\nthey become necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
User Interface and the client experience<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The user interface is an area where it\u2019s possible to clearly see how the internet has been rapidly changing in recent years. Nowhere are advances and evolution more apparent to website users and clients than at their point of contact. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elements of website usability<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n Over recent years we\u2019ve moved on from just making websites for desktops, as more and more devices become available on which to utilise the web, and mobile technology has leapt well and truly toward the mid twenty-first century. The adaptive design came and went, with all the time-consuming challenges that designing for multiple devices presented. We\u2019re in the era of responsive design, and we\u2019re now building mobile-first websites. Things have changed a lot, and the innovation within mobile-first web development isn\u2019t going to slow down any time soon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To stay on top of the changes, and to keep that website performing and functioning well, as mobile device versions come and go, and as web design changes with that \u2013 it\u2019s essential to adapt. Where the client meets website isn\u2019t just the limit of your commercial reach and appeal, it\u2019s also at the very cutting edge of web technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What can you do?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Being aware of the\nway in which the internet changes is a great place to be at. Understanding that\nthe web is not a static environment is perhaps the greatest thing you\u2019ll ever\ndo for your own website. Your greatest asset isn\u2019t a thing that you can switch\non, walk away from, and then expect it to keep performing optimally, generating\nbusiness indefinitely. There\u2019s a real requirement to be realistic about the\nconstant and relatively quick evolution of the internet and the technology\nencapsulated in it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We take for a\ngiven in modern times that the tech landscape is advancing at lightning speed.\nHowever, many businesses fail to connect that with web maintenance and\nredesign, to their detriment. It\u2019s a fact that regular maintenance both\nprolongs the life of a website build, and also keeps the site current and\nengaging for longer. Being wise to the fact that tech and design frequently\nchanges can add great value to the original cost of a website. Your site will\nstay responsive and attractive for longer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Failure to keep\nup with the march of technology, and to reflect changing trends in web design\nultimately result in poor user experience, and a less than desirable brand\nimage. It\u2019s hard to avoid falling sales when that happens, and it defeats the\nidea of why you built a website in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stay current and\nlet your web designer advise as to which designs and technology changes are\nlikely to be around for a while, not just a flash in the pan. Take advice on\nwhat will add value to and prolong the functionality and appeal of your\nwebsite. Then act on that advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At FutureLab, we\ncan keep your site optimised with regular updates. We\u2019ll keep your CMS up to\ndate and we can even provide bigger companies and more complex sites with\nperiodic reviews. Staying on top of web design, adding new technology and\nfeatures, it\u2019s all possible. You may wish to add a landing page, update your\ncontent, or change graphic elements to keep the site looking fresh. Adding the\nright features and tech will only improve your site, updates under the skin\nwill keep it ticking over and doing the job it\u2019s designed for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another thing to\nconsider when you build your website is scalability. Building in some scope for\ngrowth can be a great way to prolong the lifespan of your website, especially\nwhere one of the targets for its performance is to generate business growth.\nIt\u2019s a great idea to budget for scalability at the point of website design, and\nit means you won\u2019t outgrow your website before technology outgrows it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Adapt and evolve<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n