Web design ROI

It's annual planning time again in client-agency world. A magical time of year when we examine all the possibilities, compare them to the budget of time / people / and money and proceed to wildly whack away at the dream.

It was in the midst of this cacophony of contentious meetings, PPT slides and bound reams of review books that a favorite AE of mine came to me with this question:

Last year, we recommended that the client redesign their consumer products site, but traffic still hasn't increased. What now...

So, we figured out "what now."

But, if we could go back a year, I'd rather ask the question: what metrics should be on the table to define the ROI of a Web site redesign?

Traffic - in my opinion - doesn't even make the list. That's a metric of SEO or advertising or marketing... not really design. Design's* role is being more effective with people who land at the site - not getting them there.

*I'm assuming design = usability design, copy, art direction and programming

Here are my top picks for metrics for your next annual plan:

Comments

[Custom Logo Design]

Thanks for the chart, few minutes ago i was thinking for the bounce rate that what it is, now got it through your post. Thanks alot.

[Andrew]

Good points. I would also bring up for your consideration compatibility. Many of todays sites still do not subscribe to the W3C's design standards.

The problem is that if you don't design for these standards you don't know what someone using a browser other than Internet Explorer sees including mobile phones, FireFox, Mac users etc.

[Stephen]

First, I want to say your blog is one of my favorites and I am glad you are back.

Secondly, I think many of the metrics you put here deal specifically with web usability and so many sites today fail to align their usability and design into a successful package.

So I would suspect any conversation on web design ROI should incorporate a high-level of usability. We should constantly be asking questions like is this feature engaging? Is it easy to find?

So a redesign is not nearly enough to tip the traffic scales anymore. You have to stand out in a web full of sites by addressing your own sites as a story that is engaging, refreshing and usable.

PS - Thanks for the Buzz measure (Full disclosure - I work for Nielsen BuzzMetrics) many people leave this out and it is so important these days.