10 Red Flags Your Website Is Sabotaging Your Success—Time To Redesign?

Even the best websites eventually degrade amid evolving market trends, technological advancements, business shifts and the passage of time.

So, when should you replace your website? Here are the top 10 warning signs it’s time for your organization to begin a website redesign, based on our team’s years of expertise creating effective new websites for our clients.

10. Your Website Has Low Engagement Rates

In addition to common visual cues your website is behind on the times, a telltale sign that it may be time for a redesign is low engagement rates, indicating that users are not interacting meaningfully with your website. 

"Engaged sessions" is an important metric to watch in your analytics program. Google Analytics 4 (GA4), for instance, is a tool we frequently use to diagnose engagement rate. In GA4, you can access this metric in a number of ways, such as clicking on Reports > Generate leaders > User acquisition.

Most digital marketing experts consider a good engaged sessions per active user to be .60 (roughly 60 percent) or more. If your website is experiencing below .20 to .30 percent across key landing pages, it indicates most users are leaving quickly due to issues like poor design, irrelevant content or technical problems.

A skilled web development agency can identify engagement rate problems and create a new website designed to boost visitor engagement.

9. Your Website Is Experiencing Security Issues (Or You’re Worried It Might)

In the last couple of years, data breaches rose by 72 percent worldwide, claiming the personal information of millions of people. If your website security isn’t providing you with peace of mind, it’s time to start the search for a new website development vendor. 

This is especially relevant if your website collects data such as email addresses, home addresses, credit card info, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, medical info, etc.  

Avoid potential crises. If your website is outdated, unstable or has faced security issues before, act now and start the redesign process. Seek a web vendor that is well-versed in website and content management system (CMS) security. They should offer secure hosting, a content security policy (CSP), DDoS mitigation and regular vulnerability scanning, to name a few.

A key sign of a website vendor’s security expertise is SOC 2 compliance. Verify they maintain SOC 2 standards in all website development and hosting practices.

8. Your Competitors Are Outranking You In Google Search Results

Since high-quality website traffic often stems from organic Google searches, your business must stay ahead of competitors in the search engine optimization (SEO) race.

While your current website may be able to improve its SEO with keyword research and quality content, there are structural issues that may be at play. Many technical factors impact a website’s potential in search rankings, such as the quality of the code, schema markup, load times, calls to the server, content architecture and more. 

If you’re struggling with SEO and can’t seem to overcome your competition, it’s likely time to scrap the website and go with a full redesign. 

7. Your Website Isn’t Generating Traffic From Generative AI Platforms Like ChatGPT

SEO remains critical, but generative AI optimization (GAIO) is rapidly gaining equal importance. Increasingly, your target audience is turning to platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok and Google's AI Mode for answers. Future-proof websites are designed to be AI-bot-friendly, boosting visibility on generative AI platforms and driving more traffic.

If your website isn’t driving measurable traffic from these AI platforms, a redesign may be necessary. (Unsure about traffic from these sources? Review GA4’s user acquisition reports.) 

A skilled digital marketing agency can optimize your website’s structure, schema markup and content to enhance visibility on these emerging AI platforms.

AI optimization may sound complex and futuristic, but it’s crucial for keeping your brand relevant to your audience and competitive in the coming years.

6. It’s Frustratingly Difficult To Update Your Website 

If you’re struggling with an old, outdated, sluggish content management system (CMS), it’s likely time to undergo a full redesign and CMS upgrade. 

A stagnant website can severely damage your online presence. Continuously expanding content is essential to keep your target audience and search bots engaged. If your CMS is so cumbersome that your team struggles or refuses to add new content, it’s definitely time for a change.

5. Your Website Navigation Is Cluttered and Unintuitive

Over time, websites can become cluttered with new pages and content, leading to bloated, confusing and unintuitive navigation that hurts performance. 

First impressions matter—your audience judges your brand based on how intuitive your website is. Many excellent organizations with top-notch products or services are let down by poor web design and navigation that fail to reflect their quality. 

If users can’t quickly and easily find what they need, they’ll leave, often turning to competitors. If your site’s navigation feels outdated, cluttered or obsolete, it’s time for a thorough content and page audit to guide a complete redesign.

4. Your Web Pages Are Loading Slowly 

The best websites provide fast-loading web pages for users. In fact, roughly 40 percent of visitors will leave a website if it takes longer than three seconds to load.

Older websites often suffer from slower page load times due to evolving technologies and accumulating bloat, such as excessive marketing pixels, unoptimized images and other additions. A well-crafted, newly designed website with optimized images and clean code can effectively resolve these issues.

Not sure how long it takes for your web pages to load? You can test it out with Pingdom’s excellent website speed test tool. 

3. Your Website Suffers From Brand Misalignment 

Over time, branding standards shift. If your website was built five or more years ago, its design and imagery may no longer align with your organization’s current branding. 

Maintaining consistency across your brand is crucial, as it signals strength and reliability to your audience. If your website’s look and messaging don’t match your ads, social media, print materials or signage, it’s probably time for a redesign.

2. Your Website Has Accessibility Issues 

Over time, governments, businesses and organizations have placed increasing importance on website accessibility. ADA compliance, for example, is essential for nearly all websites, particularly those collecting visitor information. 

An inaccessible website not only excludes people with disabilities but can also harm your SEO, as Google incorporates accessibility metrics into its ranking algorithms.

1. Your Website Isn’t Delivering The Results You Seek

The primary reason to pursue a full website redesign is that your current site fails to deliver the results your business requires. Your brand can’t afford to give its audience a poor online experience, especially if your competitors have a strong website.

Whether your goal is generating leads, driving online sales or achieving another key metric, conversions are critical. 

Partner with a web vendor that prioritizes your conversion goals throughout the redesign process. A skilled vendor will analyze your data and tailor the site’s design and functionality to maximize the results you seek.

How Long Does It Take To Go Through The Redesign Process? 

The duration of a website redesign varies based on several factors. A smaller site might be completed in just a few months, whereas a large, intricate website could require six months or more. It’s crucial to consult with your web vendor to understand the timeline and prepare for the time and effort your team will need to invest in providing feedback, approvals and content.

How Do I Select A Good Website Design & Development Partner to Work With? 

Selecting the right website agency is critical. Partner with a web development company that prioritizes your business, actively listens to your needs and maintains clear, frequent communication. Here are some key tips to guide you in choosing the ideal web development partner.

Blue Compass Is Here To Help You Through Your Next Redesign