Website redesign represents significant investment in time, resources, and organizational attention. When done well, redesign delivers improved user experience, better conversion rates, and stronger brand presence. When done poorly, redesign wastes resources while creating new problems to replace old ones.
The difference between successful and failed redesigns often lies in planning and process, not just design execution. Strategic clarity about why you’re redesigning, what success looks like, and how you’ll manage the project dramatically improves outcomes.
This guide covers website redesign from strategic planning through launch and beyond, helping you approach redesign projects with the preparation they require.
Deciding Whether to Redesign
Redesign isn’t always the right answer. Before committing, evaluate whether redesign serves your actual needs.
Symptoms suggesting redesign:
– Site looks dated compared to competitors
– User experience problems persist despite optimization
– Brand has evolved significantly since last design
– Technology limitations prevent needed improvements
– Mobile experience is fundamentally broken
– Conversion rates consistently underperform benchmarks
Alternatives to consider:
– Iterative improvements may address specific issues without full redesign
– Performance optimization might solve perceived problems
– Content updates can refresh feel without structural changes
– Conversion optimization may improve results with existing design
Honest assessment: Is redesign solving real problems or just desire for something new? Redesign for clear business reasons, not aesthetic preference.
Setting Redesign Goals
Clear goals shape every subsequent decision. Vague goals produce vague results.
Define measurable objectives. What should the new site achieve that the current site doesn’t? Improved conversion rates, better engagement, faster load times, improved accessibility—specific targets enable success measurement.
Prioritize ruthlessly. Every redesign has constraints. What matters most? Ranking goals helps make tradeoffs when necessary.
Align stakeholders on goals. Different departments often have competing priorities. Establish shared understanding of what success looks like before design begins.
Document current state baselines. Measure current performance against each goal. You can’t demonstrate improvement without baseline data.
Set realistic expectations. Redesign takes time and won’t solve every problem. Clear communication about scope and timeline prevents disappointment.
Discovery and Research Phase
Understanding users and context informs design decisions.
Audit current site performance. Analytics reveal what’s working and what isn’t. Identify high-performing pages to preserve and problem areas to address.
Gather user insights. User research—surveys, interviews, testing—reveals how users experience your current site and what they need.
Competitive analysis shows what others in your space are doing well. Identify approaches worth adopting and opportunities to differentiate.
Content inventory catalogs existing content. What should migrate? What should be consolidated or removed? What gaps need new content?
Technical assessment identifies infrastructure considerations. What technology constraints exist? What integrations are required?
Planning and Strategy
Strategy translates research into design direction.
Define site architecture. How will content be organized? What pages are needed? How will users navigate?
Establish design direction. What visual approach will serve brand and user goals? Mood boards, style tiles, and design principles guide visual development.
Plan content strategy. What content is needed? Who will create it? How will it be maintained?
Define technical requirements. What functionality is needed? What platform and technologies will be used?
Create project timeline. What are major milestones? What dependencies exist? What resources are required when?
Design and Development Process
Execution brings strategy to life.
Wireframe before visual design. Establish layout and functionality before investing in visual treatment. Wireframes enable faster iteration.
Design key templates first. Not every page needs custom design. Establish flexible templates that scale across content types.
Build in phases. Incremental development enables testing and adjustment before full build completion.
Test throughout development. Don’t wait until launch to discover problems. User testing, quality assurance, and stakeholder review should occur throughout.
Plan for content population. Design and development mean nothing without content. Ensure content creation and migration are progressing alongside design work.
Launch and Post-Launch
Launch is beginning, not end.
Pre-launch testing should verify functionality, performance, and content accuracy across devices and browsers.
Launch monitoring tracks for problems that testing missed. Be prepared to respond quickly to issues.
Redirect planning ensures old URLs redirect to appropriate new locations. Broken links lose traffic and SEO value.
Performance baseline establishes new starting point for ongoing optimization.
Post-launch optimization addresses issues discovered after launch and begins iterative improvement process.
Avoiding Common Redesign Pitfalls
Awareness of common mistakes helps avoid them.
Scope creep extends timeline and budget. Define scope clearly and manage additions deliberately.
Stakeholder misalignment creates conflict and delays. Invest in alignment before design begins.
Ignoring data repeats old mistakes. Let evidence inform design decisions.
Perfectionism delays launch without proportional benefit. Launch when good enough; optimize afterward.
Neglecting SEO risks organic traffic loss. Preserve URL structures, redirects, and on-page optimization.
Underestimating content leaves sites without substance. Content takes longer than expected; start early.
Website redesign is complex undertaking that rewards careful planning and systematic execution. The approach in this guide helps you manage redesign projects for successful outcomes.
Ready to redesign your website? Our team at Horizon Digital Agency guides businesses through strategic redesign processes that achieve real business objectives. Contact us to discuss your website redesign project.