How to Redesign an Existing Website

If you find yourself dissatisfied with your current website, whether due to a shift in your brand concept, declining conversions, or simply a desire for a more stylish digital presence, you’ve come to the right place. The decision to redesign your website is a significant one, and to ensure optimal results, it demands a thoughtful and well-defined strategy. Without a clear plan in place, it’s easy to make missteps that can hinder rather than enhance your online presence. 

In this article, we invite you to learn the key components of a successful website redesign. By examining the issues that need to be addressed before starting the redesign process and providing a comprehensive checklist, our goal is to guide you through a smooth transition that won’t just happen. but it will exceed your business goals. Read on to pave the way for a website that reflects your vision but also drives you to digital success.

What is Website Redesign?

It’s crucial to clarify the concept of a website redesign. Before delving into the process, consider what exactly constitutes a redesign. When contemplating alterations to your website, it’s advisable to assess the extent of changes you envision—whether mere layout adjustments or more profound transformations. A famouse quote,

“Your old site is the best prototype of your new site.”

– Hoa Loranger, Vice President at Nielsen Norman Group

A website redesign involves substantial modifications to both the internal and external elements, encompassing code, structure, visuals, navigation, and content. When executed effectively, a redesign contributes to reducing bounce rates, fostering conversion growth, and enhancing overall user experience. It’s essential to discern the transformative potential of a website redesign to optimize its impact on your digital presence.

Is it Time For a Website Revamp?

Are you considering a website overhaul and wondering if now is the right time for a change? How to rely on subjective feelings and how to use analytics to assess the need for a redesign? Two approaches are needed to guide you. If your current website is regularly generating leads that turn into customers, a complete overhaul may not be necessary. However, if both your intuition and data suggest that your expectations don’t match, consider giving your website another chance.

To gain a clearer perspective, ask yourself essential questions:

• Does the current site effectively convert potential leads into customers?
• Are there any glitches or technical issues hindering the site’s performance?
• How well is the website currently performing?
• Is the site optimized for seamless mobile use?
• Does the website ensure accessibility for all users?

Your responses likely form a distinct balance of “yes” and “no” to these inquiries. If your negatives outweigh the positives, it’s a strong indicator that a website redesign is in order. In such a scenario, it’s crucial to delve into how to prepare for this redesign journey. By addressing these questions and acknowledging the areas that require improvement, you set the stage for a successful website overhaul that aligns with your goals and enhances your online presence. Let’s explore the steps you can take to embark on this transformative process of website revamped that truly meets your needs.

Key Considerations for Redesigning a Website

To maximize the effectiveness of the redesign, ensure you articulate precise questions before initiating the process.

• Clarify Essential Pages

When tackling the redesign of your existing website, it’s essential to clarify the significance of each page in terms of both traffic and conversions. Consider the following points as you navigate this crucial step:

1. High Conversion, High Traffic Pages: These are the backbone of your online presence, representing your bread and butter. Exercise extreme caution when making adjustments, as any missteps can lead to a decline in both traffic and conversions. Preserve the elements that contribute to their success while carefully implementing changes.
2. High Conversion, Low Traffic Pages: Despite lower traffic volumes, these pages play a vital role in yielding positive conversion results. Treat them with the same caution as high-traffic pages to ensure their continued effectiveness during the redesign process.
3. High Traffic, Low Conversion Pages: While modifications to these pages pose less risk to conversions, they provide an opportunity for experimentation. Explore enhancements that can boost conversion rates without compromising the existing traffic flow.
4. Low Traffic, Low Conversion Pages: With little to lose, these pages offer a canvas for unrestricted adjustments. Use this opportunity to experiment and innovate, potentially transforming these pages into valuable contributors to your overall web presence.

By approaching the redesign process with a nuanced understanding of each page’s role, you can strategically enhance your website’s performance while preserving elements that contribute to traffic and conversions.

• Recognize Hindrances in User Experience

To enhance your website’s effectiveness, it’s imperative to recognize and address hindrances in user experience before diving into a redesign. Here are key considerations to guide your evaluation:

1. Identify Frictions: Meticulously evaluate the user journey, pinpointing any frictions that impede customers from seamlessly reaching their goals.
2. Product Feedback: Determine what aspects of your product resonate positively or negatively with customers. Understand their likes and dislikes to inform the redesign process.
3. Performance Disparities: Investigate potential disparities in performance between the web and mobile versions of your site. Ensure a consistent and smooth experience across platforms.
4. Action Challenges: Pinpoint challenges users may encounter when trying to execute desired actions. Assess if CTA buttons and other interactive elements function as expected.
5. Address FUDs: Delve into fears, uncertainties, and doubts (FUDs) that may be deterring leads from converting. Understand and alleviate concerns to encourage conversion.

To gain valuable insights, perform comprehensive website analysis using tools like Google Analytics and Mixpanel. Additionally, use apps like Hotjar and Crazy Egg to analyze your customers’ on-page behavior and interactions with various elements of your website. By proactively identifying and eliminating these roadblocks, you can lay a solid foundation for a website redesign that not only meets user expectations but also significantly improves the overall user experience. .

• Establish Metrics for Website Performance

As you embark on the journey to redesign your existing website, it’s crucial to establish clear metrics for evaluating its performance and impact on your business objectives. Regardless of the design changes you implement, these modifications should align with specific business goals. To gauge the success of your website overhaul, set key metrics that provide insights into improvements in business performance. Consider the following metrics:

• Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR): Track the monthly income generated from your website.
• Average Order Value (AOV): Analyze the average value of each transaction on your site.
• Conversion Rate: Measure the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action, such as making a purchase.
• Churn Rate: Monitor the rate at which customers stop engaging with your website or services.
• Customer Lifetime Value (LTV): Evaluate the total value a customer brings to your business over their lifetime.

In addition to these quantitative metrics, don’t overlook the importance of customer satisfaction metrics. Utilize:

1. Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT): Send surveys to loyal customers to gather feedback on the upgraded website’s user-friendliness, attractiveness, and functionality.
2. Net Promoter Score (NPS): Monitor user advocacy by assessing if more individuals are recommending your website.
3. Customer Effort Score (CES): Emphasize the importance of a seamless user experience by measuring the effort customers exert to achieve their goals on your website.

By establishing and monitoring these metrics, you can effectively measure the success of your website redesign in achieving your business objectives.

• Test the Aspects Targeted for Alteration

When you start to improve an existing website, an important step is to test the elements you want to change. Before making major changes to your entire site structure and user interface, A/B test each element. This detailed approach allows you to evaluate whether these changes result in performance improvements compared to the current version of your site. Use this space to test different options:

• Logo, colors, and fonts
• Design and content of product pages
• Eye flow on the home page
• Impact of changes to images, icons, and infographics
• Scrutiny of contact forms and the checkout process
• Assessment of the design of links and buttons

Additionally, don’t overlook the significance of testing each of these components thoroughly. Once you’ve completed this comprehensive testing phase, you’ll find yourself halfway through the preparation for a successful website revamp, poised to seamlessly transition to the next stage of the redesign process. This meticulous testing approach ensures that each modification contributes positively to your website’s overall effectiveness.

 

8 Steps of a Website Redesign

The journey of redesigning your existing website involves a strategic process, and the eight essential steps outlined in this article serve as your no-nonsense roadmap. As the title promises, we’ll skip the fluff and dive straight into the website redesign checklist. Tailor these steps to align with your specific business objectives; they aren’t rigid rules but rather adaptable guidelines. 

Whether you choose to incorporate or omit certain steps, view them as a helpful reference, ensuring you cover all bases for a successful website redesign project. This checklist is your practical companion, reminding you of the key actions needed to guarantee project triumph.

• Capture Present Performance Indicators

In your quest to master the art of redesigning an existing website, a crucial step is capturing present performance indicators. This involves creating a detailed spreadsheet, dedicating a separate sheet to each web page on your site. Imagine each sheet as a comprehensive table, meticulously outlining the current performance metrics. This meticulous approach enables you to discern what’s working well and what might need improvement across various pages. Moreover, it provides a snapshot of the existing SEO content, which can be invaluable for future use on updated pages.

However, as you embark on this journey, it’s wise to err on the side of caution. Before diving into the redesign process, consider backing up the recent version of your website. This precautionary measure ensures that you retain the existing SEO content, safeguarding it for potential utilization on the revamped pages. By capturing these performance indicators and preserving your current website state, you set the foundation for a redesign that not only meets but exceeds your expectations, ultimately steering your digital presence towards enhanced success.

• Determine Budget for Website Revamp

When considering the intricate process of redesigning your existing website, it is crucial to delve into the realm of performance indicators to ensure a well-informed and financially sound strategy. Begin this journey by acknowledging the significance of capturing present performance indicators, as it sets the foundation for a successful redesign.

• Financial Awareness: Hubspot’s research has revealed a staggering 63% of marketers were unaware of the costs associated with their website redesigns. This oversight often leads to exceeding budgets, causing frustration among stakeholders.
• Establish a Baseline Budget: To avoid this common pitfall, empower yourself by establishing a baseline budget that acts as a safeguard against unnecessary expenditures. While pinpointing the exact costs of a comprehensive redesign can be challenging, having a predetermined limit allows you to make informed decisions throughout the planning phase.
• Financial Foresight: This financial foresight not only instills confidence in your project’s trajectory but also fosters a transparent and accountable approach.
• Comprehensive Understanding: By capturing and comprehending your current performance indicators, you not only gain valuable insights into your website’s existing state but also pave the way for a redesign that aligns seamlessly with your financial parameters, ultimately ensuring a smoother and more successful transformation.

So, embark on your redesign journey armed with a clear understanding of your present performance metrics, and let it be the compass guiding you toward a revamped website that not only meets but surpasses your expectations.

• Preparatory Content Work for Redesign

It’s crucial to recognize the fundamental importance of content in the process of redesigning website. Think of content as the water and design as the cup — a perfect harmony is essential. Imagine the risk of ending up with either a half-full cup or a puddle on the floor if the design doesn’t precisely match the content volume. The phrase “Content is water; the design is a cup” encapsulates a universal truth in the realm of web redesign.

As you delve into the preparatory stages of your website revamp, pay special attention to avoiding the dreaded “content gap.” This phenomenon occurs when your website successfully attracts your ideal audience, only to leave them with an incomplete experience. For instance, imagine bringing in potential leads without having a relevant case study that demonstrates your competence in their specific industry. To ensure a seamless redesign process, consider the following:

• Conduct a Comprehensive Content Audit: Evaluate the existing content’s relevance and quality.
• Identify Content Gaps: Pinpoint areas where your current content may be lacking or outdated.
• Plan Strategically: Develop a roadmap to fill these gaps with fresh, engaging, and industry-specific content.

By addressing these content intricacies early in the redesign process, you lay a solid foundation for a revamped website that not only captures attention but also keeps your audience engaged and satisfied. Remember, in the realm of redesign, harmonizing content and design is the key to a successful and impactful online presence.

• Develop Hierarchy for the Website

When you consider the main task of developing a hierarchical structure for a website, it is important to understand that a sitemap is a navigational plan that guides users through an online space. Although the concept may seem simple, many websites underestimate the importance of creating a logical structure. Without a clear structure, visitors may feel confused moving from page to page, affecting their overall experience. When you plan to redesign an existing website, focus on creating a clear and understandable menu that will effectively guide users to the information and products they are looking for.

Remember, even if your offering is precisely what a user needs, a convoluted website structure may test their patience. In the worst-case scenario, a frustrated user may opt to leave your site, wishing you “all the best.” By focusing on developing a user-friendly hierarchy, you not only enhance the overall navigation experience but also increase the likelihood of retaining and satisfying your audience.

• Draft Fresh Website Interface

As you embark on the journey of revitalizing your website with a fresh design, a pivotal step involves the creation of a draft for the new website interface. After establishing the sitemap as the foundational backbone of your site structure, the next crucial phase is developing a visual representation, often referred to as a wireframe or “skeleton.” This is a collaborative effort between you and your design team, where the choice between a simple freehand sketch or a sophisticated, high-fidelity wireframe produced with specialized tools lies at your discretion. 

Regardless of the method chosen, the wireframe serves as a blueprint, offering a clear depiction of the placement of each webpage element, including shapes, boxes, text, images, and forms. It acts as a visual guide, outlining the spatial arrangement and interconnectivity of these elements, ensuring a cohesive and strategic design. This preliminary draft not only streamlines the design process but also provides a tangible visual framework for your envisioned website transformation. 

By carefully mapping the elements within your wireframes, you’ll be ready for a sleek and effective website interface that seamlessly adapts to your purpose. As we delve into this design phase, we consider user experience, functionality, and aesthetics to lay the foundation for a website that not only grabs attention, but also provides a user-friendly and visually appealing online experience.

• Strategize Redesigned Site Layout

Once you’ve meticulously crafted the wireframe for your redesigned website, the next crucial step is to strategically plan the layout. Dive into the details by making informed decisions on typography, color scheme, and textures. Here’s a breakdown of key considerations to enhance your redesigned site:

1. Typography: Choose fonts that align with your brand’s personality and effectively communicate your message. Consider readability and ensure consistency across your site.
2. Color Scheme: Decide on a color palette that not only reflects your brand identity but also resonates with your target audience. Leverage the psychological impact of colors to evoke specific emotions and enhance user experience.
3. Textures: Integrate textures thoughtfully to add depth and tactile appeal to your online presence. Textures can contribute to a visually engaging website and create a memorable user experience.
4. Brand Identity: Ensure that your layout authentically communicates your brand’s look and feel. Consistency across design elements reinforces your brand identity and fosters brand recognition.
5. Customer Experience: Strive for a unique and positive customer experience by harmoniously combining typography, color, and textures. A well-designed layout contributes to a seamless and enjoyable user journey.
6. Conversion Optimization: Recognize the significant impact of color on conversion rates—color is accountable for 85% of conversions. Align your color choices with your conversion goals to maximize the effectiveness of your redesigned website.

By paying meticulous attention to these details in your site layout strategy, you empower your revamped online platform to not only align with your brand vision but also optimize user engagement and conversion rates. This strategic approach results in a compelling and effective online presence.

• Creative Design and Technical Development

Congratulations, you’ve reached your peak of creativity and web design! Now, it’s time to give the imagination to your professional designers and let them work their magic. Give them the space they want to bring their artistic talents into the fabric of your digital presence. As the person responsible for your online identity, it’s understandable that features and aspects of the design process can be somewhat mysterious. However, every time your designer presents the finished images for your articles, make sure you are blown away by their graphic brilliance. Nowadays the transformative power of creative design can be seen and breathe new life into your digital space.

Creative Design Highlights:

• Artistic Muse Unleashed: Provide your designers with the freedom to channel their creative energies.
• Stunning Graphics: Witness the awe-inspiring illustrations that add visual allure to your articles.

Once the visual poetry of your new design has been penned, the mantle passes to the technical virtuosos—the development team.

Technical Development Insights:

• Functional Transcendence: Transform artistic vision into a functional and interactive online reality.
• Coding Mastery: Experience the skillful coding and technical finesse that shape your website’s backbone.

Their task is no less vital, for they are the architects who will translate the artistic vision into a functional and interactive online reality. With skillful coding and technical finesse, they embark on the journey to give substance to the captivating visuals your designers have meticulously crafted. The synergy between creative design and technical development is where the alchemy of a successful website redesign truly unfolds. It’s a collaborative dance between the aesthetics that captivate your audience and the functionality that ensures a seamless user experience. So, as the development team takes the reins, anticipate the harmonious convergence of creative ingenuity and technical expertise, poised to elevate your website to new heights.

• Techniques for Improving User Experience through Design

The journey to redesign your existing website provides a prime opportunity not only to enhance its aesthetic appeal but also to significantly elevate the overall user experience. Incorporating strategic design techniques can be instrumental in achieving these objectives. Here are key tips to consider:

• Contrast Optimization: Meticulously balance the contrast between text and background to enhance readability and accessibility.
• SEO Optimization: Strategically optimize your website for search engines by incorporating relevant keywords and elements to improve visibility.
• Visual Branding: Introduce visuals and unique brand elements to add aesthetic value and make your website more memorable and distinctive.
• Voice Search Integration: Consider implementing a voice search option to cater to the growing trend of voice-activated interactions, providing a convenient alternative for users.
• Mobile-Friendly Design: Prioritize mobile-friendliness across all pages to ensure a seamless and enjoyable experience for users accessing your site from various devices.

By implementing these design tips, you not only infuse creativity into your website but also cultivate a user-centric approach, ultimately amplifying the effectiveness of your redesign efforts and creating a digital space that resonates positively with your audience.

Last Words:

It’s important to stay aware of the evolving landscape, including market trends, design methodologies, and customer preferences. Despite the initial effectiveness of a new design, the fast pace of the environment may require revisiting the redesign process after a year or so. If you would like continued support with your website efforts, please continue to contact us. If you need help redesigning your website, feel free to contact us. Until then, stay tuned for more valuable insights in future articles. We look forward to continuing to help you improve your online presence and make it a success.