When it comes to redesigning a Web site, the most common mistake businesses make is starting out without a clear set of goals, says Marc S. Levitt, principal and creative director at MSLK (mslk.com). Most sites are rebranded for purely cosmetic reasons, overlooking the more crucial content, navigational, and marketing challenges that lie underneath. Levitt offers these seven tips to ensure that your investment of time and money in a site redesign will lead to online niche marketing success:

1. Start with a plan. Just like blueprints in architecture, a properly executed wireframe shows you how the new site will function before it’s built. It is far easier to move a wall during the planning stage than after construction has begun. The same principle applies to Web sites.

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2. Don’t be seduced by technology. A Web site that is well thought out and easily navigable will always outperform the latest technology in the long run. Hot technology features should be integrated only if they serve the needs of the site. Don’t feel that you need to include the latest feature just because everyone else is doing it.

3. Get buy-in from all stakeholders. Too often we see one person (or division) within an organization pushing for a Web site overhaul without seeking buy-in from their colleagues. A Web site redesign is an enormous investment of time, and the late entry of a key decision maker always undermines the intentions of the group. Anyone worth getting feedback from at all should be involved during the planning stage.

4. Consider the writing on the wall. Seek feedback from your customers about what is working and what is not working on your existing site. Send out a questionnaire, conduct a phone interview, or make a few house calls — whatever it takes. You should hear what the people who use the site are saying.

5. Guarantee freshness. One of the biggest challenges with any Web site is to keep the content fresh and encourage repeat visitors. Plan specific areas on the site that can pull feeds from your blog (you do have a blog, don’t you?), along with designated areas that can be updated seasonally. This flexibility will allow your site to evolve naturally over time without changing its fundamental structure.

6. Plan to promote from the beginning. If you don’t tell people about your new site, no one will ever hear about it. A detailed marketing plan will enable you to create innovative promotions that will drive traffic toward the new site.

7. Search and succeed. The best sites make effective use of search engine optimization practices. This elusive art is something that should be considered from the outset, as it can affect the site’s very content.

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