Before You Start: Know Why You're Redesigning
A redesign should solve a problem. A new look on its own rarely does. Common reasons include a site that doesn't work well on phones, a brand that has outgrown its old design, leads that dried up, a platform that's hard to update or services that have changed. If you're not sure, our posts on the signs it's time to redesign can help.
Write your goals down before the first meeting. "More quote requests from commercial clients in Utah County" gives a team something to design toward. "A modern look" doesn't.
Step 1: Discovery
Discovery is where your web team learns your business. Expect conversations about your customers, services, competitors, goals and what's working or not on your current site. A good team will also review your analytics and search rankings, so they know which pages bring in traffic and leads today.
Step 2: Sitemap and Content Planning
Next comes the structure of the new site: which pages it needs, how they're organized and what each one should say. This is the stage most people underestimate.
Content is the most common cause of delays in any website project. Decide early who's writing the copy and gathering photos. On our projects, content writing produces a full content wireframe for each page, so the design is built around real words, not placeholder text.
Step 3: Design
Design usually starts with the homepage and one or two key inner pages. You'll review them, give feedback and approve a direction before the rest of the pages are designed to match. Good design here is about more than looks: clear navigation, readable type, obvious next steps and layouts that work on phones first.
Tips for useful feedback:
- Gather everyone's comments in one place before sending them.
- Explain the problem rather than prescribing the fix: "this headline doesn't say what we do" helps more than "make it bigger."
- Judge each page by what your customers need, ahead of your own preferences.
Step 4: Development
Once designs are approved, developers build the site: pages, forms, integrations, eCommerce and the content management system your team will use. You'll typically review the site on a private staging link before it goes live.
Step 5: Testing
Before launch, everything gets checked: phones and browsers, forms and emails, speed, broken links, accessibility basics and analytics tracking. This is also when redirects are set up, which matters more than most people realize.
Step 6: Launch and What Comes After
Launch day should be uneventful. The new site goes live, the team confirms forms, tracking and redirects work, and search engines are told about the new sitemap. Afterward, you'll want training on how to edit the site and a plan for maintenance and security.
How to Protect Your SEO During a Redesign
A redesign can lose rankings if it's handled carelessly. To protect the search visibility you've built in Salt Lake City and beyond:
- Inventory your current pages and note which ones bring traffic and leads.
- Keep URLs where you can. If a URL must change, add a 301 redirect from the old address to the new one.
- Keep or improve the content on pages that rank. Thinner pages tend to rank lower.
- Carry over titles, descriptions and structured data, then improve them.
- Submit the new sitemap in Google Search Console and watch for errors in the weeks after launch.
Our post on how web design affects SEO in Salt Lake City covers more.
How Long a Redesign Takes
Timelines depend on size and how quickly content and feedback come together. Most projects are live in six to eight weeks from kickoff, once we have your content. Larger sites, online stores and complex integrations take longer.
How We Run Redesigns
Every project gets a dedicated project director leading a dedicated team, a fixed-price quote and a clear schedule, so you always know what's next. We've redesigned sites for businesses like Legato Security in Salt Lake City and Bjørn Woodworks in Provo. Our guide on what to expect when redesigning your website covers the client side in more depth.
If your site is due for a refresh, see how we work with Salt Lake City businesses or start a conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a website redesign take?
Most projects are live in six to eight weeks from kickoff, once we have your content. Larger or more complex sites take longer.
Will a redesign hurt my Google rankings?
Not if it's planned well. Keeping strong content, setting up 301 redirects for changed URLs and carrying over titles and structured data protects rankings, and a faster, clearer site often improves them.
What do I need to prepare for a redesign?
Your goals, access to your current site and analytics, examples of sites you like, and a plan for who will provide copy and photos.
Should I redesign or rebuild my website?
If the platform is outdated, slow or hard to edit, a full rebuild is usually better value than reskinning it. If the foundation is solid, a redesign of key pages may be enough.
How much does a website redesign cost?
Our projects start at $5,000. A typical project runs $8,000–$12,000; larger builds with ecommerce or custom features reach $25,000. See our Utah website cost guide for details.
