Five signs your website needs rescuing, not rebuilding
A slow, buggy or outdated website is not always a reason to start again. Here is how to tell when a repair is the smarter move.
When a website starts to let you down, the first instinct is often to throw it away and begin again. Sometimes that is right. Quite often it is an expensive way to fix a problem that could be solved in a few weeks.
Here are five signs that what you have is worth saving.
1. It looks dated, but it works
If customers can still find what they need, and the pages do their job, a fresh design on the existing foundations may be all you need. A new look does not have to mean a new system underneath.
2. It is slow on phones
Slowness is usually caused by a handful of things: huge images, too many add-ons, or old code that was never tidied. All of these can be fixed one by one, and the results are quick to see.
3. One part is broken, not everything
A booking form that stopped working or a payment page that shows an error is a specific fault. Find it, fix it, and the rest of the site carries on as before.
4. You want a new feature, not a new website
Adding a login area, a shop or a booking calendar to an existing site is normal work. If the site was built reasonably, features can be added without rebuilding the pages around them.
5. The person who built it has disappeared
This is stressful, but not fatal. A good developer can read what was built, document it and take over looking after it. You keep your content and your address, and you gain someone to call.
And when does a rebuild make sense?
When the foundations are the problem: software so old it can no longer be updated safely, security holes that cannot be patched, or a structure that fights every change you ask for. In those cases we will say so plainly, and explain why.
Not sure which camp you are in? Send us the address and a few lines about what is bothering you. We will give you an honest opinion before you spend anything.