Refreshing Your Manufacturing Website

Website Refresh

Technology changes fast, and while most manufacturers stay on top of up to date advancements with their products, their websites can become outdated when updated only with basic maintenance. Left un-optimized, the market facing website of a manufacturer can reflect poorly on the company, reflecting the sense that the brand might not be up to date with with the latest technologies – from their product lines to their digital presence.

While a full website redesign is recommended every few years, a yearly website refresh can extend the life of a website, bring in heightened conversion and help a company remain timely and competitive in the marketplace. Implementing website refresh doesn’t have to be a costly or lengthy task, but there are certain creative and strategic elements that are most effective in the process.

Messaging

Content strategies are perhaps the most important aspect of a website refresh. Often, the messaging of an aging manufacturing website is too lengthy, pulled directly from manuals or product details. While it’s important to include this information for customers at point of purchase, it’s essential to pare down messaging on landing pages to core content.

Mobile Optimization

The key to staying on top of the latest technology is being visible across device. If a company only does one thing for a refresh, mobile optimization is the the most critical. With mobile usage at an all time high and growing daily, particularly for manufacturing – embarking on a mobile optimization strategy is key. Responsive web design (RWD) is the best route, and most sound investment to ensure compatibility for all platforms and devices.

User Journey

From navigation to strong calls to action, ensuring that a visitor to the site can easily find what they are looking for is essential to heightening conversion. Determining the goal of the site (purchase, call, subscribe, download etc.) and mapping the pathway to that conversion will lead to better customer engagement.

Imagery

In terms of design aesthetics, short of a full brand refresh – optimizing photography will provide the most ‘bang for the buck’. Because most manufacturers have a specialized process, custom photography is recommended to provide an experiential approach that truly reflects the perspective of the brand.

With the right strategy, design and development, a website refresh can be the smartest investment a manufacturing company can make. From usability to conversion, the site will reflect positively for the company and work better for the business.