How To Tell If Your Website Should Be Rebuilt + Industry News and Insights
Field Tips is a biweekly email series bringing you the latest marketing trends and topics directly to your inbox. Covering everything from digital marketing and social media to content strategy and more, we curate the industry’s top stories and present them as easily digestible insights. The content contained within this post comes directly from our November 19, 2025 issue. If you’d like to receive Field Tips, subscribe to our email or on LinkedIn.
I met with a prospect a couple of weeks ago who’d been told by two different vendors that they had to rebuild their website. Full redesign. New CMS. The works.
But before we got into our recommendations, she asked me point-blank:“Is my website salvageable?”
It’s a great question. Because let’s be honest—not every website needs a rebuild. And we don’t recommend one unless it’s truly necessary. We’re not in the business of lining our pockets with bloated projects (nobody has time for that). We’re in the business of making marketing work.
So, how do we decide when a website isn’t worth salvaging:
- It’s built on a platform that’s outdated or no longer supported
- It’s painfully slow, unsecure, or impossible to update without dev help
- The UX is confusing enough to lose visitors within seconds
- The brand or messaging has evolved so much that the current site feels off
- Or, rebuilding would simply cost less than band-aiding all the problems
If your site doesn’t check those boxes, there’s a good chance it can be refreshed strategically—updated messaging, better conversion flow, faster performance—without rebuilding from scratch.
The key is knowing the difference.
Let’s take a look at what you’re working with. Just contact us for a no-pressure assessment of your website.
One in Three AI Users Get Inaccuracies
WHAT’S HAPPENING. A September 2025 Deloitte survey found that 33% of U.S. genAI users have encountered inaccurate or misleading outputs when using the technology. Meanwhile, nearly all (98%) market researchers have adopted genAI, with 72% using it daily—but quality concerns persist.
WHY IT MATTERS. For marketers relying on AI for content, research, or customer-facing applications, accuracy isn’t optional—it’s foundational to trust. This data underscores the need for human review checkpoints before deployment and highlights the gap between adoption enthusiasm and output reliability. If your team is scaling AI use, build verification steps into your workflows now, before an inaccuracy damages credibility or compliance.
Comment Replies Boost Social Engagement by Up to 42%
WHAT’S HAPPENING. Buffer analyzed over 2 million social media posts and found that when creators reply to comments, overall post engagement jumps by an average of 42%. Threads saw the biggest lift, while LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X all showed meaningful increases when brands actively engaged with their audience.
WHY IT MATTERS. Engagement isn’t just about posting—it’s about participating. Algorithms reward interaction, and replies signal to platforms that your content is worth surfacing. For social teams stretched thin, this data makes the case for shifting time from creating more posts to engaging more deeply with the posts that are already working. If you’re chasing reach, start by showing up in your own comments.
Almost No One Is Clicking On ChatGPT Links
WHAT’S HAPPENING. A recently leaked OpenAI file shows that although ChatGPT displays publisher links frequently (hundreds of thousands of impressions for some pages), most users barely click on them. Overall CTRs are often under 1%, and in some cases nearly zero.
WHY IT MATTERS. Though AI search may be growing, it’s not replacing traditional search traffic yet. For content marketers, the opportunity isn’t in pivoting away from SEO—it’s in enriching cornerstone content to earn citations within AI-generated answers. Focus on answer-first content that prioritizes clarity and authority over conversion-first messaging. Brands that show up in ChatGPT responses are building long-term visibility, even if the traffic payoff is still small.
More To Explore
82% of Marketers Fail AI Adoption – Here’s Why
Only 18% of Marketers consider themselves leading-edge AI adopters, according to Forrester research. And despite interest in AI, most marketing teams are struggling to integrate it effectively: many lack clear roadmaps, structured workflows, or the autonomy to experiment. The problem isn’t the technology—it’s organizational structure. See how teams that can act independently on data, creative, and optimization will thrive on MarTech.
Vine Reboot “diVine” Backed by Jack Dorsey, Says No to AI
Jack Dorsey is funding a revival of Vine called diVine that restores over 100,000 archived six-second videos and allows users to create new content—with one critical difference: AI-generated content is strictly prohibited. For social platforms and creators alike, it could signal a counter-trend: authenticity over algorithmic optimization. See what the reboot could mean for social media on Mashable.
Balance AI Efficiency with Human Quality for SEO Wins
There’s a growing debate around whether generative AI will make traditional SEO obsolete. While some fear that AI-powered search will replace Google-style optimization, many experts argue the opposite — that SEO will evolve, not disappear. Explore how the winning strategy builds a hybrid between AI and humans — read more on Search Engine Land.
Cloudflare Outage Triggers 5xx Spikes: What it Means for SEO
Cloudflare recently experienced a major outage, causing widespread 5xx server errors across sites. From an SEO perspective, these kinds of errors can disrupt how Google crawls your site. If bots hit repeated 5xxs, crawl rates may slow — potentially affecting indexing. Learn how to respond to infrastructure outages on Search Engine Journal.
Google Launches Agentic AI Shopping Features for the Holidays
Google is rolling out conversational shopping in AI Mode, letting users describe what they’re looking for in natural language and get organized responses with prices, reviews, and inventory. New agentic features include having Google call stores to check stock and availability, and even buying items on your behalf when they hit your target price using Google Pay. Explore what this means for retailers and holiday shoppers on the Google Blog.
12 Design Principles Every Marketer Should Know
Ever feel like your creative briefs get lost in translation? Mastering these 12 design principles—like balance, contrast, and white space—helps marketers speak the same language as designers, boost clarity, and make visuals that actually drive results. Whether you’re leading a campaign or tweaking ad creatives, these tips can level up your game fast. Get the full rundown on Responsory.
About the Author
A prominent marketing strategist and nationally recognized thought leader, Grant A. Johnson is president and CEO of Responsory. He is a sought-after public speaker, direct marketing trainer, copywriter, award-winning author and the creator of Direct Branding℠, Responsory’s method for producing sure-fire measurable results.
