August 6th 1991 is an important date that Internet users should remember. Why? You may ask… Because on this date the first web page went live and the web as we know it was born. From this, the web design industry was spawned, in all its majestic (and in some cases hideous) glory. There’s no doubt that it’s moved at a breath-taking pace, but it’s important to remember that it is still a very young industry. And as with all industries in their early days, there are always likely to be snags, things we get wrong, and better ways of doing things…
The traditional web design model has been used by businesses across the world, without questioning whether there is a better way. The truth is, the conventional web design model leads to frustration, late and over budget projects, and inconsistent results. This puts a strain on the client / agency relationship and, understandably, can lead to a negative view of the web design process. But, it doesn’t have to be this way… There is a better way of doing things!
What is Growth-Driven Design?
Simply put, Growth-Driven Web Design is a web design methodology which uses real user data to inform design decisions and deliver optimal results. It comprises of 3 stages – Strategy, Launch Pad and Continuous Improvement. The goal is to develop a website based on the strategic analysis of your user behaviour and customer needs, which will immediately outperform your current website. Once live, the website undergoes continuous data-driven improvements resulting in a peak performing website.
The Strategy Stage
The Strategy stage is fundamental to the success of the project. During this stage you will set SMART goals and develop a deep understanding of your audience. Learning about your customers’ needs, pain points and goals, will form the framework for your Launchpad website.
The Launchpad Stage
This stage is the initial design and development of your website and will be based on the data analysis carried out during the strategy stage. The aim of the Launchpad stage is to quickly develop a website which will out-perform your current site, and will form the basis for improvements and enhancements during the next stage. The process of launching then improving eliminates the bottlenecks often found in traditional web design.
The Continuous Improvement Stage
Once your Launchpad website is live, it’s time to start the all-important Continuous Improvement stage. Initially this will involve collecting and analysing user data, highlighting problem areas within the site, and identifying potential improvements. When you have identified which metrics need to be improved, it’s time to build into the site high-impact items to reach these goals. Experimentation and analysis are key parts of the Continuous Improvement stage, helping your website reach its peak performance goals.
Sounds Great… But is it really better than Traditional Web Design?
OK, it’s a fair question… How do we know for sure that the Growth-Driven Design process will be cost effective for your business? Well let’s look at some facts and data to find out which process delivers better results.
Traditional web design uses a “launch it and leave it” process. What this means is that once the website is live, it is left as it is for anywhere between 2 to 5 years. And often without any improvements or enhancements. If you have an under-performing website, this is not a good strategy for business growth. When the time comes for a redesign 2 to 5 years later, there is no real guarantee that the website will perform any better. This process is understandably frustrating for the client, and will damage their confidence in websites as a tool for business growth.
A Growth-Driven Design website, on the other hand, will be continuously improved over time, leading to sustained growth for your business. Luke Summerfield of Hubspot (and the founder of the Growth-Driven Design methodology), surveyed 350 companies using Growth-Driven Design. The following findings were taken just 6 months into their campaigns:
- Website Visitors: 14% higher growth when compared to traditional web design methods
- Website Leads: 16.9% more leads compared to traditional web design
- Business Revenue: 11.4% higher growth when compared to traditional web design
And the exciting thing about Growth-Driven Design is that the above growth keeps on increasing as the campaign progresses. This is because the methodology focuses on continually improving the user experience, leading to even more visitors, leads and revenue.
OK, so what about the cost?
Growth-Driven Design and Traditional Web Design are two very different approaches and have different pricing models. With traditional websites you tend to pay a fixed amount once the website is ready and live (or sometimes split into 2 or 3 payments during development). With Growth-Driven Design the payment schedule is split into the Launchpad Website fee and the monthly Continuous Improvement fee. This cost is spread out over the duration of the retainer, which means less to pay out in one go.
Broadly speaking a Growth-Driven Design website is likely to cost around 20% more than a traditional website. But, the additional work that goes into improving and enhancing the website means that your business will experience a greater than 20% increase in revenue.
We strongly believe that Growth-Driven Design is the future of web design. By combining web design, data analytics, and marketing goals, your website will help deliver repeatable and scalable growth for your business. To find out how Growth-Driven Design can help your business, speak to our team for a friendly chat.
