Before You Redesign: A 10-Point Website Checklist

A redesign is a big investment. The best ones start with an honest look at what the current site does well, what it does badly and what it should be doing that it isn't. Run through these ten checks before you brief anyone.

1. Know your one job

What is the single most valuable action a visitor can take? A purchase, a booking, a quote request? Write it down. Every page of the new site should make that action easier.

2. Pull your real numbers

Check analytics for your top pages, traffic sources and conversion rate. You can't measure an improvement without a baseline.

3. List what's ranking

Export the pages and search terms that already bring traffic. These need to survive the redesign, with redirects for any URL that changes.

4. Test it on your phone

Most of your visitors are on mobile. Try to complete your one job on your own phone. Every frustration you feel, your customers feel too.

5. Check your speed

Run your homepage through a performance test. Slow pages lose visitors before they see anything. Bloated themes and oversized images are the usual suspects.

6. Audit your content

Which pages are out of date, duplicated or never visited? A redesign is the time to cut, merge and rewrite, not to copy everything across.

7. Gather proof

Collect reviews, testimonials, project photos, certifications and results. Proof is what turns a nice design into a convincing one.

8. Study competitors, then do the opposite

Look at the sites your customers compare you with. Note what they all do the same way. That's your opportunity to stand out.

9. Decide who will edit it

Who updates the site after launch, and how comfortable are they with technology? This should shape the platform and how the CMS is set up.

10. Set a realistic timeline

Content is the most common cause of delays. Decide early who is writing what, and give yourself room for feedback rounds.

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With these ten answers in hand, any good studio can give you a far more accurate plan and price. Want a second pair of eyes? Book a call and we'll go through your checklist together.