Reasons to refresh your website
Nine reasons a website falls behind the organization.
Organizations change faster than their websites. New work, new people, new strengths, and a site that still describes who you were. Here are nine ways that shows, and what I do about each.
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01
The website describes an earlier version of the organization.
New capabilities, programs, leadership, or areas of expertise are missing. Someone reading the site today meets the organization as it was three years ago.
What I do about itI interview you and the people who lead the work, read what you have shipped in the last two years, and rewrite the site around what the organization does now. Each page gets a named owner, so it stays current after launch.
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02
An introduction is hard to pass along.
A contact knows the organization. Their colleagues need a clear explanation and relevant examples, and the site does not give them one they can forward.
What I do about itA homepage that explains the organization in one screen, and one page per area of work that a contact can send with a single link. I also write a one-page version for email, so the introduction travels on its own.
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03
The organization's strongest work is difficult to find.
Your publications, projects, or results exist, but they are buried in a list or explained in a sentence that does not say what happened.
What I do about itWe pick the ten pieces that matter most. Each gets its own page with a plain summary, who it was for, and what came of it, and sits one click from the homepage.
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04
People know the organization for only one thing.
The public presentation reinforces an outdated or overly narrow reputation, and the newer work never gets the chance to change it.
What I do about itStructure and copy that lead with the full range of what you do, in the order you want to be known for it, with evidence under each. The old strength stays. It stops being the only thing.
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05
The site does too little to support funding or sponsorship conversations.
It does not clearly explain the mission, the activities, the results, or the ways to participate, so every conversation starts from zero.
What I do about itA mission stated in one paragraph, a results page built from your real numbers, and a page for funders and sponsors that says what participation looks like and who to call. The deck and the site tell the same story.
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06
Membership benefits are difficult to understand or use.
People cannot easily determine what membership offers, who it is for, or how to participate once they join.
What I do about itOne membership page, written in the member's words, that answers what you get, who it is for, what it costs, and how to join. I test the join path from start to finish before launch.
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07
Recruitment is poorly supported.
Candidates cannot understand the work, the team, the opportunities, or the application process, and the best ones do not call back.
What I do about itA careers page that explains what the work is actually like, who they would work with, with real names and faces, and the steps to apply. Open roles are listed where a candidate expects them and reachable in one click.
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08
Routine website updates consume too much staff time.
Publishing a report, changing a biography, or adding an event requires a developer, a ticket, or an afternoon nobody has.
What I do about itAn editing setup built around the things you publish most. Reports, bios, and events are each a form a staff member fills in. You get a one-page guide and a training session, and routine changes never need a developer again.
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09
Important actions are difficult or broken.
A person who is already interested cannot easily register, reach you, contact an expert, download a report, or inquire about a partnership.
What I do about itWe map the five actions that matter most. Each becomes one or two clicks, and I test every path on a phone before launch. On the care plan, I recheck them every quarter.
A website that gives people an accurate picture of your work, expertise, and value.
Six things, delivered by one person: the strategy, every word, the design, and the build.
A fresh, relevant, visually strong identity
One you can be proud to put the organization's name on, built from who you are now.
Clear language explaining the organization and its work
Written so a stranger understands it in a minute and a colleague can repeat it.
Better presentation of selected projects, publications, or results
The work that proves the point, given its own pages and put where people look.
Improved pages and navigation for your most important audiences
Two or three audiences, each with a path through the site built for what they came to do.
Working, straightforward paths to contact, apply, join, or register
Every important action one or two clicks away, tested on a phone before launch.
An editing setup your staff can maintain
Reports, bios, and events as simple forms, with a one-page guide. No developer for routine changes.
Does your website give people an accurate picture of your work, expertise, and value?
If you are not sure, send me the URL. You will get a short written review within two business days: what a visitor sees, what is missing, and what I would change first. No call needed.