From the smallest local businesses to the most well-established companies, it is becoming more and more crucial to have a compelling web presence as people head online to learn more about business. In today’s digital world, your audience’s first impression of your business is mostly based on your website, so keeping your website appealing and functional is not a task to take lightly.
According to web credibility research from Stanford, 75% of users admit to making judgments about a company’s credibility based on their website’s design. Dysfunctional and outdated websites not only irritate users, but also damage your brand’s image.
The truth is, visual appeal and functionality of the website matter and it is not a one-time investment. In order to stay relevant and modern in the digital era as well as not to lose prospects, you need to revamp your website from time to time.
Although, the words “website redesign” might sound quite tedious and can be enough to strike fear into your heart, the good news is, you do not have to redesign everything completely. The process can be less painful if you follow a smarter approach that will cut down the amount of time, work and money and deliver a better performing website. The secret lies in an agile methodology known as Growth-Driven Design.
Growth-Driven Design (GDD) is a more efficient and smarter method of designing and maintaining a website. Unlike traditional website redesign which can take anywhere from three to five months and even longer, GDD succeeds in shortening the time to launch by focusing on the 20% of the website that produces 80% of the results. Its principles help minimise risks of any project by making continuous improvements through analysing real data, testing and observation.
According to The State of Growth-Driven Design report, websites launched with GDD approach saw 14% increase in traffic over six months than those launched with a traditional redesign approach, and they saw more than a 44% increase in leads over the same time period. These metrics clearly indicate how much impact GDD can make on strengthening your online presence as well as reaching overall business objectives.
One of the main advantages of GDD is the speed at which you can get your website up and running. By focusing on getting a launch pad completed first with functions that produce 80% of the results, you can have a fresh website up and start gathering user data much faster than waiting for the whole website to be finalised. Once it is live, new features can be gradually added to the website, enhancing the user experience one step at a time.
At its heart, GDD is more flexible in terms of budget because it focuses on developing websites that are fit for purpose. Rather than the traditional method of paying for the entire website which has unnecessary features, GDD lets you spread out the costs over time and allocate them to areas that have the most impact on business goals
Everything about GDD is data-driven. Every decision, every new feature is built on the data collected through analysing how users interact with the website and identifying the areas that need improvement.
The way in which users browse through your website not only gives the signals on what to improve on the website, but also gives invaluable data on what your users are actually looking for, what resonates with them and which offerings get the most attention, all of which can enhance your marketing and sales strategies.
By continuously gathering user data and marrying it with creativity, GDD helps ensure your website is always delivering the best possible user experience, and the statistics show it:
GDD is usually split into three stages: strategy, launch pad and continuous improvement.
The first stage is about gaining an intimate understanding of what the company wants to accomplish, setting SMART project goals, identifying fundamental assumptions and developing a wish-list of ideas that have an immediate impact on business’s success.
The second stage involves quick implementation of initial product based on the most valuable “must-have” items on the wish-list. This is not a final product, but rather a solid foundation from which further improvements can be implemented as user data is collected and analysed over time.
A truly successful project is one that is not just developed perfectly the first time, but that is continuously refined and improved based on learnings. Therefore, the third stage is the longest and the most important part of GDD, where business continuously optimises results by collecting and analysing user data.
When you want a website that efficiently performs its function by strengthening your online presence and increasing your bottom line as well as providing an edge against your competitors, the Growth-Driven Design approach is the best choice to consider for your next website development or website redesign.
Although GDD is a methodology that is mostly used in the context of web design, its framework can be applied to any problem that calls for a solution. At SPX, we use our own tweaked-up version of GDD approach combined with design thinking methodology to creatively solve problems, minimise risks, continuously learn and improve. We do the same for our customers, always focusing on delivering measurable and high performing results.
Curious to learn more about the ways GDD can improve your business outcomes and how we helped other businesses to succeed with this approach? Get in touch today and let’s boost your website’s performance together!
