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The relaunch of a new intranet portal or the new corporate website of a large company may not only have positive effects. For example, a new intranet portal can mean a huge change for employees because functions are now difficult to find due to a change in information architecture. And even if the usability of the portal may now appear better, employees have most likely worked out workarounds in the meantime to achieve the desired results efficiently. When relaunching websites, the same thing could happen to potential and current customers. To avoid this, it makes more sense to pursue the concept of continuous relaunches. This means that a web application is not completely relaunched after a certain time x, but is continuously developed further. In addition to avoiding the problems just mentioned, the continuous relaunch has other advantages:
1. Previous sales
There are many reasons for relaunches, for example an outdated design, internal changes or the need for new features. If you wait until the next relaunch to implement features that benefit lead generation or even sales generation, you are missing out on hard cash. You can find a detailed calculation example here: Continuous website development.
2. Usability of the website increases continuously
Don't make it unnecessarily difficult for users to use your website. I'm not saying that you shouldn't change, on the contrary, show the courage to change, just not all at once. The example of Windows 8 makes it easy to see that big changes are not always well received. Instead, try to find out what improvements you can make to your website through continuous testing and analysis.
3. Your website is always up to date with the latest technology
If you work with an agency on a long-term basis and have opted for continuous relaunches, features can be implemented within 14 days, for example. So if new technologies or optimization potential are found, for example in the speed of website delivery, this issue can be addressed flexibly and you don't have to wait until your idea can - perhaps - be implemented at the next relaunch. The same applies to results from analysis tools or a survey. If users miss a certain function, it can be planned and implemented promptly. Optimizing a website together and not having to wait forever for the fruits of success is motivating! In addition, the early implementation of features can bring a benefit in a timely manner, whether in monetary terms or in terms of the user experience.
4. Time and cost savings through a continuous partnership
The acquisition phase for a new project, especially the search for an agency, the right content management system and the development of a completely new concept, takes a lot of time. In particular, it can take a long time to consider the content and functions (which will remain, which will be replaced and what can be deleted without replacement). However, mutual understanding of each other's work and work processes is also important. Once this foundation has been laid, nothing stands in the way of professional and successful collaboration.
5. Search engine ranking remains intact
With what we call a big bang relaunch, which usually takes place every three to five years, it can happen that your hard-earned ranking in search engines is lost because, on the one hand, the structure of your site and therefore the URL can change (after all, a relaunch allows you to question everything that already exists). Due to strategic changes regarding branding, corporate identity, content strategy, etc., content and imagery can also change. In the case of continuously relaunched projects, on the other hand, SEO measures are not nullified, but rather supported because better rankings are promoted through technical changes.
6. Mistakes are avoided
Large relaunch projects that drag on for months carry a high risk. There are many things to consider and because everything is being redeveloped, it is more error-prone - for various reasons: because the relaunch date is approaching, because the site has not been tested as well, because some test devices or browsers have been forgotten or would require too much effort, or or or or... the advantage of continuous relaunch is therefore obvious: if you focus on making changes to just one topic, you will make fewer mistakes.
7. Less time pressure is easier on the nerves!
Because new features may go live every week with continuous relaunches, or at least changes are made relatively regularly, there is no need for a big relaunch date. As a result, a project can be carried out in a much more relaxed and stress-free manner for all three parties involved: you, your agency and your customers.
8. External perception = internal structures
Finally, it can also be mentioned that the external perception of customers can reflect what the company actually stands for. This means that if a company changes, these changes can also be made visible to the outside world promptly via the website.
If you have any questions about Continuous Relaunch, for example how such a project can actually be realized, please feel free to contact us!
