How Does the Website Redesign Process Really Work?
A website revamp needs a solid strategy if you want it to be successful. Don't let anything get in its way.
When you modernise your website at the right time and using the right strategy, it can be a real game-changer for your business. But during the entire process, it's important to be aligned with the designers and developers that you're working with and to be proactive. In many cases, the most successful website redesigns always include clear goals and a solid timeline.
To help you out, this guide walks you through the entire process of planning a website redesign week-by-week, including all requirements you need and how to prepare for the project. And we've included simple steps for each phase that you can do as a client to make it work as well as possible.
Before booking your website redesign
Time for a little self check-in. Before booking your web redesign, make sure you have your ducks in order so that the timeline can be settled and the process can flow between you (the website owner) and the design agency.
To start things off, can you answer Yes to all of these questions?
Do I have every login for my website?
Who has the final say with the redesign?
When will my content be ready?
Have I blocked time for reviews?
Have I listed every tool the site needs to connect to?
You will need to get to these tasks during the web design process anyway, so it’s best to get to them before the planning stages are launched.
This timeline also depends on the size of your site. Find out more (including estimated costs) in our blog post How Long Does It Take to Redesign a Website.
The website redesign process: a timeline from industry experts
It’s important to be aligned. Understanding how agencies manage website redesign projects will help you determine if their process truly matches your business needs.
Here are the steps for a redesign week-by-week to help you stay informed and proactive throughout your website redesign process. The end result will thank you for it! Let's get started.
Week 1 — Kicking off the redesign
This is the first step of the redesign process, starting with the basics. The design agency should be receiving everything from your website login access, brand assets, and any other important website and business design resource that might be needed for the project.
To better streamline your workflow, make sure that one person is designated as the main administrator for the redesign. Having one main go-to person will help keep things simple. Week 1 is also when the redesign timeline is agreed upon.
Make it work: The redesign project can't start until every login is handed over: domain, hosting, website platform, Google Analytics, Search Console, and the booking system.
One common time-waster that we see happen is when the domain is registered under an old developer's or ex-partner's account, and nobody knows the password. Recovering it can take one to two weeks before any real work starts. To combat this, find your domain login before booking your redesign.
Weeks 2-3 — The Discovery step
How is your website's overall performance? Step 2 of your website redesign project is the best opportunity to check your SEO, because the Discovery step is where you'll get a full content audit and see how your website measures up.
Your analytics will be reviewed and competitors outlined in order for the redesign to go in the right direction. The redesign hasn't begun yet, but this important step will catch any problems as well as what is currently working with your website.
Make it work: If you feel yourself getting anxious and wanting to push the project directly to the design phase, don't. Without this very necessary audit, you'll miss access to some vital data, For example, any website pages that currently bring in traffic or bookings can be cut by accident.
Need some branding tips? The key is understanding about the psychology of colours and shapes.
Weeks 4-5 — Your new website visual blueprint
This step in the process is where you'll start to give your input. A visual blueprint of your revamped website will be ready for your review in the form of grey and un-styled page layouts with the basic structure in place. Expect about 1-2 rounds of revision during this time.
Don't expect the jazzy new design yet; put the look aside and just judge the order of the pages and their content. To make the most of this phase, don't hold back on your input and make sure that the overall structure is solid. Fixing the page structure during this step will be much cheaper than making any changes once the full design is set.
Make it work: While it might be tempting to speed things up during this step, one big mistake we see with these projects is when too many placeholders are created. Think boxes marked as "we'll fill that section later." Why? Because if not, that empty section comes back in Week 9 (the building phase) as a problem.
Weeks 5-7 — The visual design phase
Out with the grey, in with the colour. The middle phase of most website redesigns is when the visuals start to come to life you'll see everything from your brand colours, typography, spacing, and media assets (videos and images) on your new website prototype. You'll see the visual design in desktop and mobile versions to get the full preview of your website's user experience (UX).
After you've looked over the prototypes, take a little time to send one round of constructive feedback to the designer. It's important to have your comments and insight aligned with your business goals (conversions, brand personality and reputation) for this section. Be proactive and don't be afraid to say "the booking button isn't working on mobile" so that any issues can be addressed sooner than later.
Make it work: While it's a good idea to share the progress with a few people, don't get too many outside opinions on your website. Keep it simple and look to a few other founders or friends whom you really trust.
There's a difference between simply a revision and an addition to the work. Any scope changes like restructuring navigation, adding website pages or other major pieces to the website will affect the cost of the website redesign so make sure that they are absolutely necessary before suggesting any.
Weeks 5-8 — The website content timeline
From sourcing your new website's images and videos to writing the copy, make sure the deadline is set for this phase of the timeline. One of the biggest things that delay the website redesign process/project is when this content isn't ready on time. Schedule your deadline for around Week 7 of the project, because that's approximately when the development phase will begin.
Make it work: If you plan to update your brand photos, book that photoshoot sooner than later (like, the day you book the project!) So that they are ready to be used by Week 7. Putting in stock images as placeholders instead will create yet another task for the to-do list once your professional photos are ready.
Weeks 8-10 — Website rebuild phase
The website redesign starts to come together in this step, with the site now built in a private preview mode including all forms, booking systems, analytics, and newsletter integration.
After you get a full walkthrough of the new site, testing all UX at this phase is essential, so do it yourself before approval: make a real booking in the system, go through all web pages and fill in the forms, and test out your newsletter and see if you receive that email.
Make it work: Make sure that you inform the web developer about all booking platforms and payment tools you use or want to use from the get-go. It shouldn't be mentioned during the rebuild phase but at Week 1.
Week 11 - Pre-launch phase
Get ready to see the results! The website redesign pre-launch phase is all about tying those loose ends: URL redirects, adding all meta tags for optimal SEO, checking forms, speed checks on mobile and desktop, and making sure the best SEO practices are in place.
Make it work: Updating the copy of your privacy policy and terms and conditions at the last minute, especially if they include anything health-related. This is especially important for health and wellness brands, because all published health claims must comply with each market's laws: The FTC in the USA, ACL and TGA in Australia, and EU health-claims rules, for instance.
Week 12 - Your website redesign launch
Your new website is live, so take a moment to enjoy it. Let things settle for the first week of the launch and prepare to share your new site with your networks.
Make it work: To ensure the launch phase runs smoothly, avoid making any last-minute edits on launch day. Unapproved edits only add risk and will end up slowing down the technical checks by you and the developer. Instead, keep any notes and edits you might have for the post-launch phase of the redesign project.
Post launch — 30/60/120 days, depending
Your support time for the post-launch phase of the website redesign all depends on the package you purchased. Most have 30 days, 60 days, and in some cases 120 days.
Please know that this post-launch phase includes mostly technical monitoring and bugs, but not any additional design creation or changes. Don’t make the mistake of assuming you can add pages or design aspects in this later phase; this work is for the earlier stages of the website redesign project.
How Heyvii can help you launch your new and improved website
We hope you now have a better grasp on the website redesign process, and how you can be a part of making the revamp as successful as it can be. Are you ready to get started?
As a global digital agency, Heyvii has worked with health and wellness brands all over the world, helping them expand their online presence to match their growth through efficient web redesigns. We understand the importance of exceptional website aesthetics and usability, and our website redesign services are built to strategically enrich your site’s user experience to drive conversions and help your business thrive.
Our expert team is ready to work with you so that your website can stand out in the digital space. Book your one-on-one 30-minute consultation with us today. We can’t wait to get started!
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