Adapt or Die: A Future-Proof Website is a Fool’s Errand
Throughout the internet, there are calls to action for building a “future-proof” website. Websites so perfectly designed, built so carefully, that they can handle any changing trend, business priorities, or customer needs.
Make your plans, set your intentions, and smile as it all falls apart.
The reality is, websites are meant to change and adapt over time––endlessly, in fact. New business priorities come and go throughout the year, sometimes causing teams to pivot mid-quarter, and a website has to be flexible enough to adapt right alongside.
Here at 3 Media Web, we’ve redesigned our website almost every other year, constantly tweaking our front end to stay ahead of changing web design trends, and updating our back end systems to match our shifting business needs.
Here are our best tips for designing and building a website that can keep up with the times.
Build the Best Customer Experience
Every project needs a north star, something for your digital marketing or web development teams to aim towards while designing and implementing a new website. Instead of solely thinking about your business, a focus on customer experience helps to create a website that works year after year (even if you have to make minor tweaks).
Of course, you can’t make every customer happy. Focus instead on designing and building functionality for your best customers, those long-term or repeat customers that have supported your business again and again.
- Review your highest performing services or products and design your website around those conversion funnels
- Survey your favorite clients or customers to find any gaps in your planning––and make sure to implement those requests
- After launch, open up a review process to uncover the features that work best for them, and the features they could live without
Test the Latest Integrations or Tools
New tools, software, and solutions are coming out of the woodwork every day, pursuing that elusive future-proof website dream. If your website is under lock and key, tied too tightly to your extended development roadmap, you might miss out on a new tool that could really support your business or your teams.
Open-source platforms like WordPress allow businesses to test any new tool or software integration as they’re released, without needing to make major backend changes or hack away at source code just to make it work.
- Experiment with new tools as often as you can
- Make sure new integrations help your business run smoother
- Match the platforms and tools to your business, instead of twisting your business to fit the new software or integration
Leave Room for Problems or Pivots
Our WordPress project management teams work hard to keep projects on track, but they also know how to plan for unforeseen circumstances. Problem-solving takes time, so leave room in your development timeline to review the project before launch.
If you find an issue, dig in to resolve the root cause the first time, rather than covering it up and launching anyways. You may find, especially if you’ve started to receive customer feedback, that you need to pivot. Much better to pivot now than to remain rigid and believe your “future-proof website” can make up the difference.
Website Should Live and Breath
Businesses that can adapt with the changing needs of their customers, evolving competitors, and changing trends are more likely to last. Websites designed to last are similar, they’re built to change and pivot constantly.
“Future-proof websites” are fun to imagine, but the reality is, your website should change and grow as quickly as your business.
Does your website need a change? We’re here to help. Start a project with 3 Media Web and design a website that helps your business grow online––no matter what life throws at you.