Do you need a new (or updated) lab website? Here’s how you know!

Does your lab website reflect your excellence? If not, in might be time to collaborate on a new design.

In this day and age, you need a professional lab website if you want to effectively build a public audience for your science, attract top-tier students and collaborators, and stand out from other labs in your field.

In addition, your website shouldn’t just function like a digital business card. Your website should be a machine - driving traffic to your publications, harnessing interest from your website visitors, and funneling them into actions that do more than clog your email inbox!

Most labs have some type of web presence, but if your site is slow, outdated, or unresponsive across devices then it might be doing more harm than good for your lab’s reputation.

So, what are the signs that it is time to update your lab website (or build something new)?

1. Slow page load speeds.

Studies show people will wait as little as 2-3 seconds before abandoning a website, regardless of how important they perceive the content to be. Does your site take awhile to load? You could be losing your hard-earned website traffic.

2. Confusing website navigation.

People want to find information on a website quickly and easily. The most important information should be presented first, and often!, and the rest should be painless to find. Good navigation comes from knowing exactly what your audience is looking for, and tailoring the design to make their life as simple as possible.

3. Doesn’t reflect you or your research.

Whether your projects have ended, or your science focus has shifted, it is time to update your website to make sure it reflects you and your vision today. Your website should mirror the things you are working on and excited about currently. If not, your website visitors are missing the chance to connect with you!

4. Unable to update content yourself.

If you can’t add and manage the content on your website, it is already a non-starter. Websites can only thrive with activity and updates! So if you cannot update your website content yourself, it is time to build something new.

5. Not mobile friendly or responsive.

Imagine an opportunity arises, for which you would be the PERFECT fit! Someone searches for you on Google, and low and behold your website is at the top of the search list. They check your website from their phone and, dear heavens!, your site doesn’t work on mobile. They can’t figure out how to reach you and move onto someone else. In fact, you never know what kinds of devices people are using to find you, so make sure your website looks great on any size screen, held in any orientation.

6. Site just feels old? Stale? Left behind?

Your website needs to feel current and fresh. If it looks old or stale, people will think your research is old and stale! Cuttting-edge science demands a cutting-edge website, so let us help you get there. Also, let’s make sure you have an active news blog to help others keep up with your work and to improve your google search rankings.

If your lab or project website isn’t performing the way that it should, let’s change that! A professional website design agency like Impact Media Lab can help you strategize about your communication goals and build a site that reflects your science and strengths as a lab. Let’s make sure your lab website shows the world what you’re capable of!

About the author

Impact Media Lab is a small-but-mighty creative team that helps scientists develop strategies for impact. We believe science can lead to seismic shifts in how we understand the world, but it takes great media (and rigorous strategy) to make it happen.