Failing to define clear objectives for your redesign, whether that be increased traffic and/or sales, is the equivalent of buying a house off the plans, says Murphy: within a few years it almost invariably becomes apparent that changes need to be made.
If, on the other hand, you get the foundations of your website right, you will find it much easier to redesign elements of your it in future without having to commit to global design changes. So, make sure any website redesign is built around your website's intended function.
SMEs should also make sure to look at what they are trying to achieve with their business offline and then try to match that with their online efforts, says Murphy, who believes that too often, there is a disconnect between businesses' online and offline marketing content.
Understanding your market
Before committing to a website redesign, it's important for companies to reevaluate the marketplace, especially in terms of online opportunities for business, says Murphy.
The simplest way to do this is to visit the Google AdWords website and do some searches based around keywords relevant to your business. This process will help you determine the potential search volume for your products or services.
The information you glean from Google AdWords can help you determine how much you should invest in your website redesign - and, indeed, whether you should engage in a website redesign at all. Avoid redesigning your website just for the sake of it. Make sure that it is worth the investment of time and money.
Murphy advises SMEs operating in markets with a small online audience not to invest majorly in website redesign, but to create a Facebook page instead and focus their efforts there. "Facebook has the user base. It is free. And it is the best alternative to investing in your website," he says.
SEO
One of the most common mistakes SMEs make is investing in a website redesign but not spending enough time getting their SEO right. Try to see the redesign process as a way of honing your SEO techniques.
"Not getting your SEO right is the equivalent of ringing the Golden Pages and asking to take out an advert, but not saying where you want your ad to be listed," says Murphy. "That's where SEO comes in. It's about helping Google understand what you are about and where you would like to be classified online."
Conversion points
"One of the most common mistakes we see across the board with SME websites is that they don't have enough conversion points," says Murphy.
Conversion points are places on your website where visitors have an opportunity to interact with your company - for example, through feedback forms, or signing up for your company's email newsletter. Many SMEs' only conversion point is a phone number on their website's 'Contact Us' page, says Murphy.
"We see conversion points as being like sales people. Imagine a customer going into a large retail outlet and there is only one sales person and the customers don't know where that sales person is. Chances are, that customer is going to leave," says Murphy.
Increasing the number of conversion points on your website is like adding more sales people to a physical retail outlet.
So, try to use the website redesign process as a way to provide visitors to your website with numerous opportunities to interact with your business.
Don't forget the basics
Finally, keep in mind that the basic principles of good web design apply in any web redesign process. So, avoid straying too far from the basics and stay focused on the basic principles of good navigation, consistent branding and customer-friendly content.
A website redesign can improve traffic, boost sales, and grow your email list. But before investing heavily in the process, determine the potential size of your online audience, set clear goals for your redesign and remember not to deviate from universally accepted web design standards.