When you should consider a phased approach to your website redesign
Redesigning a website is a big undertaking and sometimes there’s not enough time or budget to include everything on your wishlist in one go. Thankfully, websites are not carved in stone and should change with relative frequency based on your industry to stay current.
This is why we often recommend clients utilize the strategy of a phased launch. Phase 1 is typically the largest phase including a new look and feel for the site, a content strategy that includes strategic navigation and all of the most pertinent site pages. The subsequent phases vary greatly by the client, but often include new features or additional functionality that wasn’t ready in Phase 1.
So, when should you consider a phased approach?
If you’re on a strict launch schedule.
A phased approach is perfect for a company that needs to hit those bigger, better KPIs but also needs it live as soon as possible. In these cases, we help clients identify their most important content for Phase 1, so you can start enhancing your online performance. Then, with more time, we go back to plan and execute the remaining items for Phase 2.
If your wishlist is bigger than your budget.
You know exactly what you want your site to include, but you don’t have the budget to make it all a reality—yet. In these cases, we identify what pieces will deliver the most ROI, and also the components that offer efficiencies and therefore cost savings when done together. By completing these priority items in Phase 1, it gives you time to refill the budget before incorporating more bells and whistles in Phase 2.
If you’re planning to release a new product or service.
You know a product launch is on the horizon, but the date isn’t set in stone yet. A website typically takes 3 months from start to finish. Four months if you include new branding or a brand refresh. Consider your product roadmap when you're about to launch a website project. If the product/service won't be ready on time for launch, the design team can ensure there's a strategic place for it on the site once it is. Or take the MVP approach (Minimal Viable Product) with a basic content page for the upcoming product in Phase 1 with improvements to come in a future phase.
When in doubt, don’t rush! It’s much better to take your time with a strategic, phased approach, led with recommendations that meet initial goals and provide enough lift to accommodate a second (and sometimes third) phase. Doing it right with a realistic approach that suits the goals of your stakeholders is a much better look than rushing through and ending up with a site you'll find yourself redoing with next year's budget.