Website Redesign Checklist (and 7 Signs You Need One)

Key takeaways

• Poor mobile experience, outdated content and few enquiries are the clearest signs it’s time.
• Plan goals, content and budget before any design work starts.
• Protect SEO with a URL list, 301 redirects and strong existing content.
• Fix structure and ease of updating, not just the look.
• Sometimes a few targeted fixes are enough.

7 signs you need a website redesign

1. It doesn’t work well on a phone. If visitors have to pinch and zoom, they’ll leave.
2. It no longer matches your business. Your services, prices, team or brand have changed, and the site hasn’t.
3. You can’t update it yourself. Small changes need a developer, so they don’t happen.
4. It looks dated next to competitors. First impressions count, and visitors compare.
5. It’s slow. Heavy pages lose visitors before they even load.
6. It isn’t bringing in enquiries. People visit, but few call, book or fill in the form.
7. It’s hard to keep secure. Old themes and plugins that can’t be updated are a real risk.

If two or three of these sound familiar, a redesign is probably worth it. If only one does, a targeted fix might be enough.

Before you start: the planning checklist

Good redesigns are planned before anyone opens a design program. This is the website redesign guide I follow with clients:

• Write down your goals. More bookings? Fewer phone calls asking the same question? Selling online?
• List what works now. Pages people visit, content you’re proud of, features customers use.
• List what doesn’t. Complaints, confusing pages, outdated sections.
• Review your brand. Is your logo still right? A redesign is a good time to refresh it.
• Gather content. Updated text, new photos, recent reviews.
• Check access. Make sure you know who controls your domain, hosting and email.
• Set a budget. My guide on website redesign cost can help.

Website redesign SEO checklist

The biggest risk in a redesign is losing search traffic you’ve already earned. These steps protect it:

• Make a list of every current page address (URL) before you change anything.
• Note which pages get the most visits and keep their content strong.
• Keep the same addresses where you can.
• Where an address must change, set up a 301 redirect from the old one to the new one.
• Carry over page titles and descriptions that work, and improve the weak ones.
• Keep useful content. Shorter isn’t always better if the old page answered real questions.
• After launch, submit the new sitemap to Google Search Console and watch for errors.
• Check for broken links and missing images in the first few weeks.

For more on the basics, see my SEO checklist.

Website redesign best practices

A few habits make the difference between a redesign that just looks new and one that works better:

• Fix the structure, not just the style. Clear menus and logical pages matter more than new fonts.
• Design for phones first. Every site I build is fully responsive.
• Make updates easy. I build on WordPress so you can edit the site yourself after training.
• Add proof. Reviews and real examples help visitors trust you.
• Plan for after launch. Decide who will keep the site updated and secure.

Launch-day checklist

Before the new site goes live, run through these checks:

• Test every form, and confirm the messages arrive in the right inbox.
• Click every menu item and button on a phone, a tablet and a computer.
• Check that phone numbers can be tapped to call.
• Proofread headings, prices, hours and contact details one last time.
• Confirm that redirects from old page addresses work.
• Make sure the site is set to be visible to search engines. Development sites are often hidden, and that setting is easy to forget.
• Check that analytics, if you use them, are installed and recording.
• Take a full backup of the new site.

The first month after launch

A redesign isn’t finished on launch day. In the first few weeks, watch Google Search Console for crawl errors and missing pages, and fix anything that turns up. Ask a few regular customers to try the site and tell you honestly what they think. Note any questions that still come in by phone, because those are clues about what the site isn’t answering yet. Small adjustments in the first month often make the biggest difference.

Real redesigns from my portfolio

Girliture, a Kentville pillow maker selling across North America, needed more than a new look. The redesign added an online store so Tanya could sell her products directly. OutTakes Photography needed the opposite: a clean, modern portfolio that let the photography speak for itself. Both started with the same question: what does this site need to do now that it didn’t before?

Healthcare website redesign benefits

Clinics often have the most to gain from a redesign. Patients look for clear service descriptions, practitioner bios, accessibility information and an easy way to book. An older clinic site often buries those details. A redesign can cut down on routine phone calls, make new patients feel more confident and present the practice as professional and current. If you run a clinic, my page on medical clinic web design covers what I focus on.

Ready to start?

A redesign is easier than starting from scratch, because you already know your customers and what they ask. My website redesign service follows the same Discover, Plan, Design, Develop, Launch process as a new site, and you work directly with me the whole way through.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my website needs a redesign?

Common signs include a poor phone experience, outdated information, slow pages, few enquiries, difficulty updating it yourself and old software that can’t be kept secure.

Will a website redesign hurt my SEO?

It can if it’s rushed. Keep a list of current URLs, keep addresses where possible, set up 301 redirects for any that change and carry over strong content.

Should I refresh my logo when I redesign my website?

It’s a good time to check. If your logo still fits, keep it. If it feels dated, a refresh through my branding service can be done alongside the redesign.

How much does a website redesign cost?

It depends on the size of the site and what changes. My packages start from $1,200, and the redesign cost guide explains what affects the price.