What is a Website Redesign?
Ever walked into a room and thought, "Wow, this place could use a makeover"? Well, sometimes websites need the same treatment. A website redesign process is like giving your digital home a fresh coat of paint - and maybe knocking down a wall or two while at it.
Here's the thing: not all redesigns are created equal. The level of redesign can vary widely based on the needs and goals of your business.
Sometimes, it's a simple touch like homepage redesign – refreshing the look and feel while keeping the basic structure intact. Other times, it's a full theme website overhaul, where you redesign the visual aspects to match a new brand aesthetic or align with current web design trends.
However, redesigning an existing website isn't just about looks. It involves significant changes to both "inner" and "outer" site elements – tweaking code, restructuring site maps, revamping visuals, simplifying navigation, and refreshing content. When done right, it's a game-changer: refreshed user experience usually brings refreshed KPIs like bounce rate decrease, and conversions grow.
So, the main idea of redesign is to make the website better for both your business and users.
When a website might need redesigning
It's not always obvious when to start thinking about website makeover, especially when you're so used to your current site. Let's dive into some telltale signs that your digital home might be due for a redesign.
- Poor User Experience: Imagine walking into a grocery store where you can't find anything, the aisles are a maze, and the checkout is hidden in a back corner. Frustrating, right? That's what a poor UX feels like. A good website should be well-organized — easy to navigate, quick to load, and a pleasure to use. If users bounce faster than a rubber ball, it's a clear sign UX redesign is needed.
At Lazarev., we’ve seen firsthand how a clunky dotcom experience can drag down business performance. When UX falls short, so do the KPIs — and that’s when smart brands call in the experts. One such case was our web redesign for Prytula Charity Foundation. The challenges were real, but so were the results. Dive into the full case study to see how we turned problems into progress.
- Website Performance: No one likes to stare at a loading screen and impatiently tap their fingers. If your website takes longer to load than it takes to make a sip of coffee, you've got a problem. Slow loading times can seriously hurt your search engine rankings and user engagement.
- Outdated Design: First impressions matter, especially online. But it's not just about looks. Older designs may not be optimized for current web standards, leading to slower load times and compatibility issues with modern browsers. Modernizing your site's designs is about creating a framework that supports better performance, user engagement, and ultimately, better business results.
- Low Conversion Rates: If your website is not converting visitors into customers, it's not doing its job. Take a good, hard look at your conversion paths. Analyze your conversion paths and identify areas where users may be dropping off. Are your calls to action clear? Are your forms user-friendly? If your conversion rates are consistently low, it's time to rethink your website redesign strategy.
One of the projects we pride ourselves is RipTide. Before teaming up with Lazarev., the client faced stalled sales and untapped potential. The result was a $500K sellout. See how we made it happen in the full case study.
- Brand Evolution: As your business grows and changes, your website should reflect these developments. If your site doesn't accurately represent your current brand identity, products, services, and features, it's sending the wrong message to your visitors. Your website should be a digital mirror of your brand's current purpose, mission, and vision.
- Global Digital Trends: The digital world evolves rapidly, and your website needs to keep pace. For example, when Google announced its shift to mobile-first indexing, websites had to become mobile-friendly or risk losing organic traffic. Staying current with industry changes is crucial for maintaining your online presence and competitiveness.
Here’s the Prytula Foundation case — a notorious example of redesign made a crucial difference. Through streamlined donations and clearer information, the redesigned effectively tackled wartime challenges and significantly increased donation impact.
How to Redesign a Website?
- Determine your goals
Let's get real about why you need to revamp your website. Are you looking to boost conversions? Improve user experience? Align with a new brand identity? Your redesign should solve problems and open doors to new opportunities.
Your "why" should be as clear as possible — nail down your objectives, and make them specific, measurable, and tied to your business goals.
- Learn current KPIs
Start by documenting your current metrics. How many visitors are you getting? What's your bounce rate? Are people converting, or just window shopping? These numbers aren't just data; they're the breadcrumbs leading you to improvement. Maybe your traffic is great, but your conversion rate is low, indicating a need to optimize your user journey or calls-to-action.
This baseline helps you set realistic goals for website redesign and measure your success post-redesign. So, get cozy with your data because knowing where you stand is the first step to figuring out where you want to go.
- Learn competitors
Don't redesign in a vacuum — scope out your competitors' websites to gain valuable insights. What are they doing well? Where do they fall short? This isn't about copying their homework, but about understanding the digital landscape you're competing in. Look at their design, user experience, content strategy, and functionality. Are there features you're missing? Do they present information more engagingly?
Also, consider what they're not doing well - these could be opportunities for you to stand out. Use tools like SimilarWeb or Ahrefs to dig deeper into their traffic and keyword strategies. This competitive analysis will help you benchmark your site and identify areas where you can leapfrog the competition in your redesign.
- Redefine TA
Your target audience isn't set in stone - it evolves, just like your business. Take this redesign opportunity to reassess who you're talking to. Are you planning to expand into new markets? Is your product range growing? Your website needs to cater to these changing needs. Dive into your analytics to see who's actually visiting your site - it might surprise you. Conduct surveys or interviews with current customers to gain deeper insights.
Consider creating or updating your buyer personas to reflect any shifts in your target demographic. This refined understanding of your audience will inform every aspect of your redesign, from content creation to user interface decisions, ensuring your new site resonates with the right people.
- Identify Very Important Pages
Think of your website as a digital city, with some pages being the bustling downtown and others the quiet suburbs. To identify your important pages, take a look at this BCG matrix.
- High-traffic, high-conversion pages are critical to your site's success. Handle these with care during redesign to avoid disrupting their performance.
- Low-traffic, high-conversion pages are valuable assets. Consider ways to increase their visibility without compromising their effectiveness.
- High-traffic, low-conversion pages represent significant potential. Focus on improving these pages to better capitalize on their existing audience.
- Low-traffic, low-conversion pages offer room for experimentation. Feel free to implement more substantial changes here, as the risk is lower.
This method helps understand the role and importance of each page on your site. Use it to guide your redesign strategy, ensuring you protect what works well while improving underperforming areas.
- Define branding and messaging
Your website should be a clear billboard for your brand. When visitors land there, they should instantly grasp what you do, why it matters to them, and what makes you special. No cryptic mission statements or vague value propositions. Be crystal clear about your offerings, your unique selling points, and the benefits you provide.
A cohesive brand identity and clear messaging will not only keep visitors on your site but also convert them into customers. Remember, you have mere seconds to capture attention before visitors bounce off to your competitors.
- Start redesign
With all the groundwork laid, it's time to kick off the actual redesign process. Bring in your UX design team and share all the insights you've gathered. Brief them on your goals, target audience, competitor analysis, and branding guidelines. Encourage collaboration between designers, developers, and content creators from the start. Begin with wireframes and prototypes to establish the basic structure and user flow of your new site.
Don't rush this stage. Remember, a solid UX foundation is crucial for a successful redesign. As the process unfolds, regularly check back against your initial objectives to ensure you're on the right track.
Key Considerations for Your Redesign
Site Structure and Navigation
Your site's structure is its backbone — it pleases visitors and search engines alike. Dive into your analytics to see how visitors navigate. Are they finding what they need or getting lost? High bounce rates or low time-on-page might signal confusing navigation. Consider simplifying your menu, adding breadcrumbs, or reorganizing content for better flow.
Technical Requirements
A solid technical foundation enhances user experience and boosts search rankings. You can address technical issues by bringing in developers to optimize performance and ensure responsive design. Implement lazy loading, code minification, and improved caching. Prioritize security with HTTPS and updated plugins.
SEO and Content Strategy
There’s no way you can forget about SEO! Enlist experts to audit your site, optimize on-page elements, and align keywords with business goals. Revamp your content strategy to improve organic traffic and engagement. Focus on creating valuable, relevant content that serves both your audience and search engines.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Ignoring existing user data
Don't scrap everything and start from zero. Your current site, even with its flaws, is a goldmine of insights Before overhauling, dive deep into your analytics. Which pages perform well? Where do users bounce? What content engages most? These lessons should guide your redesign.
Evolution often trumps revolution. Your new site should be an improved version of your current one, not a stranger to your existing one.
Lack of clear objectives
Jumping into a redesign without a solid plan is like navigating without a map - you'll likely get lost. Start by clearly identifying why you redesign a website and list all the issues you want to address.
This list becomes your roadmap, helping you focus efforts and resources where needed. Skimping on planning can lead to blown budgets, missed deadlines, poor quality, and even project failure. A well-planned redesign is more likely to meet your goals and provide a solid return on investment. Take the time to plan thoroughly — your future self (and your users) will thank you.
Overlooking mobile optimization
Mobile isn't the future - it's the present. With over 58% of global web traffic coming from mobile devices, ignoring mobile optimization is a critical mistake. Your site needs to be as functional and appealing on a smartphone as on a desktop.
Prioritize responsive design in your redesign. Consider mobile-first design principles, where mobile design comes first and then scales up for larger screens. Remember, a poor mobile experience can lead to frustrated users, higher bounce rates, and lost conversions.
Factors Affecting Your Website Redesign Cost
If you want to spend your budget wisely, understanding the factors behind website redesign price is crucial. The cost can vary widely depending on several key factors.
- First, the website’s size and complexity. A simple five-page site will naturally cost less than a large e-commerce platform with hundreds of products.
- The level of required page customization also impacts the website redesign budget — off-the-shelf templates are quite affordable, but custom brand designs may break your bank.
- Complex features such as e-commerce capabilities, user account systems, or custom applications can significantly elevate your redesign costs.
- Developing new copy, images, videos, and other visual assets usually requires additional human resources which leads to new expenses.
- Don't forget to account for post-launch expenses like regular updates, security patches, and content management in your long-term budget planning.
DIY vs. Agency Website Redesign
DIY Approach
A DIY redesign can be appealing, especially for those on a tight budget. Many website builders offer user-friendly tools, making it accessible for non-experts to create functional sites. This approach gives you control over the process and timeline.
However, DIY has its limitations. You're often confined to existing templates, which restrict your site's uniqueness. Implementing custom features or complex functionalities may become a challenging task. While cost-effective, DIY might not deliver the professional polish or advanced features to elevate your digital presence in full.
Agency Approach
Hiring an agency is a great way to bring expertise to your redesign project. Usually, agencies offer a team of experienced project managers to gain site performance insights and offer innovative approaches to design and functionality.
Agencies bring a strategic mindset, focusing on aligning your website with your business objectives and user needs. While more expensive than DIY, for many businesses, the investment in an agency redesign pays off in a more effective, high-performing site that drives real results.
Website Redesign Tips for Better UX
- Contrast between text and background: Ensure your text is easily readable by maintaining appropriate contrast with the background. This improves accessibility for all users, including those with visual impairments. Use color contrast checkers to meet WCAG guidelines.
- Adding visuals and unique brand elements: Implement recognizable visual elements that reflect your brand identity. Use consistent color schemes, typography, and imagery across your site. This helps create a memorable user experience and strengthens brand familiarity.
- Considering voice website search option: With the rising popularity of voice assistants, integrating voice search capability can improve user experience. Optimize your content for natural language queries and consider implementing voice navigation features for improved accessibility.
- Making all pages mobile-friendly: Ensure your entire website is responsive and functions well on all devices. Use flexible layouts, scalable images, and touch-friendly navigation. A mobile-friendly site is crucial for user satisfaction and search engine rankings.
Embracing Change for Digital Success
A website redesign is more than just a cosmetic update—it's a strategic overhaul that can significantly impact your online presence and business success. By carefully assessing your current performance, understanding your audience, and setting clear objectives, you pave the way for a redesign that truly serves your business goals.
Remember, a successful redesign balances aesthetics with functionality, user experience with technical performance, and brand identity with user needs. Whether you choose a DIY approach or partner with an agency, the key is to stay focused on your objectives and your users' needs throughout the process.
Avoid common pitfalls by leveraging existing data, setting clear goals, and prioritizing mobile optimization. As you embark on this journey, keep in mind that your website is an ever-evolving asset. Regular updates and improvements based on user feedback and performance metrics will ensure your digital presence remains fresh, relevant, and effective in the ever-changing online landscape.
.webp)
