Before you go re-arranging main menus and dreaming of fancy home page animations, let’s talk about what really goes into a successful website redesign. The important stuff, not just making your site look pretty.
We’re Dovetail, your friendly St. Louis digital marketing agency. We’re here to guide you through the maze of websites with our redesign know-how and the help of this handy checklist. Whether you’re a small business owner or a decision-maker at a larger organization, we’ve got the insights and tips to make your web redesign a smashing success.
Why Redesign in the First Place?
Assessing the Need
Before you decide to overhaul your website, ask yourself — do you really need a redesign? Sometimes, a few tweaks to your website can fix your woes, as opposed to a full overhaul. A complete redesign is a significant investment in both time and money, so it’s crucial to know if it’s absolutely necessary.
The Real Problem
Often, businesses think a shiny new website will solve all their problems. But what if the problem isn’t the design itself? Maybe it’s the content, the user experience, or even your marketing strategy that’s lacking. At Dovetail, we believe in diagnosing the real issue before prescribing just any ol’ solution.
Setting Clear Objectives
What do you want to achieve with your redesign? Whether it’s increasing traffic, improving user engagement, or boosting conversions, setting very clear goals will help you measure the success of your project.
What do you want to achieve with your redesign?
The Planning Phase
Define Your Target Audience
Who are you designing for? Understanding your audience’s preferences and behaviors is key to creating a site that resonates with them. Conduct surveys, look at analytics, and create user personas to guide your design choices.
Competitor Analysis
Take a little peek at what your competitors are doing. Some of what works for them might work for you too — but don’t just copy. Use competitor analysis as a springboard for innovative ideas that set you apart.
Sitemap and Wireframes
Before jumping into the design, map out your website’s structure. A clear sitemap and detailed wireframes will serve as your blueprint, ensuring a smooth design process without missing any critical elements.
Who are you designing for?
Content is King
Audit Existing Content
Review your current content to see what’s working and what’s not. Good content is engaging, informative, and optimized for search engines. Identify gaps and opportunities for new content that aligns with your brand’s voice and goals, while keeping your audience engaged.
SEO Strategy
A beautiful website is useless if no one can find it. Develop an SEO strategy that includes keyword research, on-page SEO, and a plan for ongoing content creation. At Dovetail, we integrate SEO from the ground up to ensure your site ranks well from day one!
Visual and Written Content
Balance is key. High-quality images, videos, and graphics should complement your written content, creating an engaging user experience that keeps visitors coming back for more.
A beautiful website is useless if no one can find it.
Design and User Experience
Mobile Responsiveness
Did you know that over half of all web traffic comes from mobile devices? Make sure your new design looks and functions well on smartphones and tablets. Google rewards mobile-friendly sites with better rankings too!
Intuitive Navigation
Your website should be easy to explore. Use clear menus, breadcrumbs, and a logical flow to guide visitors effortlessly through your content. If users can’t find what they’re looking for, they’ll bounce — literally.
Accessibility
An accessible website is not just good practice; it’s a necessity. Ensure your design complies with accessibility standards, making it usable for people with disabilities. This includes alt text for images, keyboard navigation, and readable fonts.
If users can’t find what they’re looking for, they’ll bounce — literally.
Technical Considerations
Speed Optimization
Website speed is critical. Slow loading times frustrate users and hurt your overall SEO. Optimize images, leverage browser caching, and minimize overly intricate code to keep your site running smoothly and consistently.
Security Measures
A secure website builds trust with your audience. No one wants to be constantly looking over their shoulder to make sure their information doesn’t get stolen! Implement SSL certificates, regular security updates, and strong password policies to protect your site and its valuable visitors.
Analytics Setup
Track your website’s performance right from the launch. Integrate tools like Google Analytics to monitor traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates. Data-driven decisions are the backbone of ongoing improvements to your new website.
A secure website builds trust with your audience.
Launch and Beyond
Testing, Testing, 1-2-3
Before going live, test your website thoroughly. Check for broken links, ensure forms work correctly, and verify that all elements display properly across different browsers and devices.
Training Your Team
Ensure your team knows how to use and update the new website. Provide training sessions and create documentation to help them manage content, monitor performance, and address basic issues.
Post-Launch Review
After launching, review the website’s performance against your initial objectives. Gather feedback from users and be prepared to make adjustments as needed. Remember, a website is never truly finished — it’s your most important, continually evolving asset.
Remember, a website is never truly finished — it’s your most important, continually evolving asset.
The Final Stretch
Redesigning your website is a significant step toward enhancing your online presence and boosting up your brand. By following this comprehensive checklist, you’re setting yourself up for a successful transformation that addresses your unique needs and goals.
A website redesign and launch, as you can see from everything listed here, is… a lot, to say the least. At Dovetail, we’re passionate about helping businesses like yours thrive in the digital landscape. That means, when we take on a web project, we take into account every item above (and more) to make sure that your goals are exceeded.
This list is a lot to worry about! Let us do the heavy lifting for you. Ready to take the plunge?
Let’s Get Re-Designing!