“Our website looks old, let’s redesign it.” We hear this all the time, and sometimes it’s exactly the right call.
But we’ve also seen redesigns that looked beautiful and lost half the site’s Google traffic in a month. The design wasn’t the problem. The planning was.
Here’s the checklist we go through before we start.
1. Be clear on why
“It looks old” is a feeling, not a goal. Try to name the real problem:
- Not enough leads or sales?
- People don’t understand what you do?
- The site is slow or hard to update?
- Your brand has changed?
The answer shapes everything else.
2. Find out what’s already working
Before you throw anything away, look at your analytics and Search Console. Which pages get the most traffic? Which ones bring in leads? Those pages need to survive the redesign, ideally at the same URLs.
3. Protect your SEO
This is where redesigns go wrong. If page addresses change, set up 301 redirects from every old URL to its new home. Keep your best content, titles and headings, and improve them rather than starting from zero.
4. Write the words first
Most sites are designed around placeholder text, and then the real content never quite fits. Start with what you want to say: who you help, what you do, why you, and what to do next. Then design around it.
5. Design for phones first
For most businesses, the majority of visitors are on a phone. Check every important page on a real phone, not just a resized desktop window.
6. Make the next step obvious
Every page should answer one question: what should the visitor do now? Call, book, get a quote, buy. Make that button easy to find and easy to use.
7. Plan for speed
A redesign is the perfect time to fix performance. Choose a lightweight setup, optimize images, and avoid piling on plugins and effects that slow things down.
8. Test before you launch
Forms, links, redirects, mobile layout, page speed, analytics tracking. Test all of it on a staging copy first. Then launch, and keep an eye on Search Console for the next few weeks.
If you only remember one thing: a redesign should keep everything that’s working and fix what isn’t. It’s not a fresh start for your SEO.
Thinking about a redesign?
We’d be happy to take a look at your current site and tell you honestly whether you need a redesign or just a few smart fixes. See our web design service or get in touch.