Rebuilding Your Digital Presence: Insights from Industry Experts on Website Redevelopment

Author: Alex Aldous Chair

Rebuilding Your Digital Presence: Insights from Industry Experts on Website Redevelopment
With the majority of pre-purchase B2B research now taking place online, the need for a functional, engaging, and effective website has never been greater. Recently, the committee of the CIM Construction Sector Interest Group came together to share their experiences, challenges, and insights on the process of website redevelopment.
From outdated designs to shifting business goals, we explored the many drivers that prompt organisations to take the plunge into reimagining their online presence.

Watch the webinar on-demand:

Why Redevelop Your Website?
Outdated Design and Performance Issues
As Alex Aldous explained, “Our existing website was quite outdated from a design perspective. When we looked at the competitor landscape and modern design standards, ours didn’t measure up. High bounce rates, low conversions, and slow loading speeds were significant metrics that flagged the need for a change.”

Beyond aesthetics, functionality and responsiveness were critical concerns. “Our site wasn’t mobile-responsive and couldn’t reflect our updated service offerings,” she continued. This misalignment with the company’s current needs and goals made a revamp essential.

Karen Mensa added, “Our industry has traditionally focused on relationship building, and the role of the website was overlooked. But as behaviours evolve and digital presence becomes integral to revenue strategy, leaders are coming to realise it is time to take this seriously.”

Internal and External Feedback
Pete Jeffrey commented that Narro’s website project came as a result of the business’s overall upweighted investment in marketing, that meant there were people now in the business with knowledge and experience of what could be achieved, and how they would like to see the brand being expressed.

Lori Smith highlighted the role of internal teams in identifying problems. “Our marketing team was very clear that the customer journeys didn’t make sense. It was actually our internal team raising concerns that helped senior management realise the urgency of redevelopment,” she said.

Key Drivers for Website Redevelopment
The speakers identified several core drivers for undertaking a website overhaul:

1.Brand Evolution “Brand and positioning change over time,” noted Charlotte Waters. “This could be driven by new service lines, updated locations, or shifting business goals. Your website needs to reflect these changes.”

2.Functionality and Technology Charlotte also emphasised, “Sometimes, the technology underpinning a site becomes outdated, creating lags and inefficiencies. Upgrading to a better platform can make all the difference.”

3.SEO and Competitor Analysis “Google is changing all the time,” said Alex. “We need to adapt to stay competitive.
Outdated practices, poor content optimization, and broken links hurt our SEO. Keeping
up with these changes is vital.”

4.Employee Experience Pete shared, “Our old website didn’t reflect the employee experience at all. Highlighting why it’s great to work with us became a big part of the redevelopment process.”

5.Customer-Centric Content “We often have to remind clients that websites aren’t just repositories of information,” Charlotte remarked. “They need active calls-to-action and a well-thought-out customer journey that aligns with the business’s future, not its past.”

Planning for Success: The Importance of a Clear Brief
Several speakers stressed the value of detailed planning and research to set the foundation for a successful project.

Setting Clear Objectives
“We put together clear objectives linked to business goals,” said Alex. “A competitor analysis and ROI projections helped demonstrate the value of the project to senior management.”

Engaging Stakeholders
Lori described McLaughlin & Harvey’s collaborative approach: “We held focus groups and surveys across our 800-person company to gather feedback. While the final decision rested with senior management, involving employees early helped us define the scope and gain buy-in.”

However, as Pete cautioned, “While it’s important to consult widely, you need clarity on who makes the final decisions. Otherwise, it’s easy to get bogged down by conflicting opinions.”

Karen also pointed out, “The management team might not necessarily know about elements like SEO keywords and so you need to listen to the intent of their contribution, and translate that into the methods to achieve the outcomes. Also, everyone really gets engaged when it comes to design and yet there is so much to consider before it gets to that stage so you have to try to get input along the way.”

Selecting the Right Agency
Finding the right agency to partner with can make or break a project. Alex outlined Gleeds’ approach: “We created a detailed RFP, outlining our objectives and timelines, and invited several agencies to pitch. The relationship with the agency was a critical factor for us. We wanted a partner who would challenge us and bring fresh ideas to the table.”

Lori echoed this sentiment: “We interviewed agencies that looked great on paper, but some didn’t click during conversations. This project requires a strong partnership, and communication is key.”

Pete also advised around transparency on budgets: “Make sure that you have an agreement on budget from the stakeholders, and then share that knowledge with your agency. You can only work well together with trust and, as your partner, they will advise on how best the investment can be used for your objectives.’

Overcoming Challenges Along the Way
One common challenge is balancing content and design. Charlotte shared, “Content often becomes a bottleneck. It’s crucial to have a strategy in place to guide decisions and ensure the content is ready before design begins.”

Alex added, “We sometimes had to push back against stakeholders who wanted overly long content. Educating people on best practices was part of the process.”

The iterative nature of website development also came up. “Websites are never 100% done,” said Alex. “We launched at 90%, knowing we had phases 2, 3, and 4 planned. It’s an ever- evolving process.”

Building for the Future
A well-planned and executed website redevelopment can transform how businesses interact with their customers, employees, and stakeholders. As Charlotte summed up, “It’s about creating a site that serves the business’s goals today and evolves with it tomorrow.”

By addressing outdated designs, engaging stakeholders, and partnering with the right agency, businesses can create a digital presence that drives growth and reflects their brand’s true potential. Whether you’re starting from scratch or reworking an existing site, these insights provide a roadmap for success.

Part 2: Collaborating for Website and Brand Success: Key Learnings from Real-World Experiences
In the previous article, the Committee of the Construction Sector Interest Group discussed strategies for gathering and processing feedback during major projects like website redesigns or rebranding efforts. But what about the decision-making process? Should it involve a wide audience, or is a more focused approach best? Let's dive deeper into how businesses have navigated these challenges and what they learned along the way.

Balancing Inclusion and Focus
When it comes to collecting feedback, a common approach involves conducting surveys or focus groups across different business units. This allows teams to identify pain points, priorities, and opportunities for improvement.

However, many of the group found that the decision-making process often benefited from being handled by a smaller, cross-functional group.

As Lori shared:
"We gathered input from across the business, but decision-making remained within a steering group that included representatives from multiple departments. This allowed us to move forward efficiently while keeping the wider business informed through regular updates. The process wasn’t short - it spanned 9 to 12 months - so communication was essential to maintain engagement and trust."
Prioritising Content Creation
Another challenge consistently highlighted is the scope and scale of content creation. For many businesses, launching a new website involves rewriting vast amounts of content—sometimes up to 90% of the site. Here’s what worked for one team:
• Starting Early: Waiting for wireframes or designs can delay content development. Teams found that beginning content discussions earlier in the process eased the pressure later on.
• Team Collaboration: Engaging subject matter experts in informal, in-person sessions proved far more effective than relying on email exchanges. Sitting down with stakeholders allowed marketers to tap into their passion and knowledge, making it easier to craft compelling copy.
• External Support: Bringing in copywriters to assist with large workloads was invaluable, especially during crunch periods.

Lori reflected:
"We started design too early. We should have had a stronger focus on getting content together earlier but we under-estimated the size of the job "

Flexibility and Agility Are Key
Website projects rarely proceed without surprises. Whether it's unexpected functionality requests, shifting business goals, or budget constraints, flexibility is critical. A solid partnership with your agency can make all the difference.

Karen shared:
"You can’t go into a web project with a fixed mindset. Budgets change, priorities change, deadlines change – making trade offs and being adaptable, while delivering value, is key.”

Celebrating Success and Looking Forward
After months of hard work, launching a new website or rebrand isn’t just a moment of relief—it’s a source of pride. Teams found immense satisfaction in seeing the business embrace their work and in receiving recognition both internally and externally.

"It’s like your baby," Alex noted. "When we launched, it wasn’t 100% perfect, but the positive feedback from the business showed we had delivered something meaningful. Winning an industry award for the website was the cherry on top - it validated the entire team’s effort."

Final Thoughts
Large-scale projects like these are rarely without their challenges, but the key takeaways are clear:
1. Involve stakeholders early, but streamline decision-making to a core group.
2. Start content creation as soon as possible and make it a collaborative effort.
3. Build flexibility into the process to handle unforeseen challenges.
4. Communicate frequently and celebrate milestones along the way.

By staying adaptable, involving the right people at the right time, and maintaining a clear focus, you can navigate the complexities of rebranding or redesigning with confidence. And remember, the work doesn’t end at launch - a website is a living, breathing platform that evolves with your business.