Stress-Free Website Redesign Checklist

What better way to help you with your website redesign than to give you an informational website redesign checklist that will aid you in planning for your redesigned site as well as get you on your way to generating more leads. Every now and then your website needs a refresh. There are many good reasons for a website redesign, whether it’s a rebranding, moving onto a new Content Management System (CMS), the site is getting lackluster results, or it looks like it was built in 1999. Eventually, there comes a time when you’ve gathered all the low-hanging fruit possible. That’s when you need a bigger change. Radical redesigns are a great way to transform your site into a beautiful new butterfly. Here’s how you can do so successfully:

Benchmark your current metrics Before you start thinking about anything, document your current performance metrics. Start by analyzing your existing site over its history, including:

• Number of visits/visitors/unique visitors
• Bounce rate
• Time on site
• Current SEO rankings for important keywords
• Domain authority
• Number of new leads/form submissions
• Total amount of sales generated

If you don’t have access to this information, then it is recommended that you add a tool like Google Analytics for better tracking and visibility into site performance.

Determine your goals If you’re considering a redesign, there needs to be a good reason for it. Many times we hear “just because it’s been a while since we’ve done one,” or “I want our business to look bigger.” These are not good reasons for a redesign. It’s not just about how your site looks, but how it works. Be really clear about why you’re doing the redesign in the first place and tie it to measureable results. Then communicate your goals with your team, designer, or agency. Consider the following objectives for your own website:

• Number of visits/visitors
• Bounce rate
• Time on site
• Domain authority

Many of these goals are dependent on each other. For example, in order to get more conversions, you need to increase traffic while decreasing the bounce rate, so it’s common to have many of these objectives. Some may be more important than others for your business. Once you determine this list, tie those objectives to a specific success metric e.g., “to increase site traffic by 50% in the next six months.” Number of new leads/form submissions Total amount of sales generated Current SEO rankings for important keywords.

Design Your Site around Personas Your website is not just about you. Your visitors ask, “What’s in it for me?” Speak to them in their language by designing content around buyer personas. A buyer persona is when you slice your marketplace into individual groups of people. They are fictional representations of your ideal customers, based on real data about customer demographics and online behavior, along with educated speculation about their personal histories, motivations, and concerns.

Optimize Your Site for Search Getting found online is essential to improving the rest of your site metrics. If no one is coming to your site, how can you increase leads, downloads, or sales? Here are some tips to designing your site for search engine optimization (SEO):

• Document your most search-valued pages. As mentioned in step three, know what pages have the strongest SEO juice, the most traffic, inbound links, and keywords rankings. If you plan to move highly ranked pages, create proper 301 redirects so you don’t lose any of that value.
• Create a 301 redirect strategy. This may be THE most important step in terms of retaining traffic and rankings. Simply create a spreadsheet to record and map out your 301 redirects.
• Do your keyword research. For every page, pick one to two keywords that the page will focus on. Once you determine the keyword(s), use on-page SEO tactics, such as internal link building and optimizing your header tags (H1, H2, s H3, etc.)

Identify Calls-to-Action Calls-to-action are the elements on your website that drive visitors to take an action, whether it’s a whitepaper download, contacting sales, or product purchase. Your website shouldn’t be a static brochure but should prompt your visitors to do something that further engages them with your brand. When you’re planning for the redesign, think about all the potential opportunities for conversion. For example:

• Ebooks and whitepapers
• Contests and promotions
• Product purchases
• Email newsletter subscription
• Free trial Contact us/consultation/demonstration/etc.

While the “design” of your website is important, focus on functional. Make sure there are plenty of calls-to-action so you don’t lose visitors.

Create an Ongoing Content Strategy

If you have more content, on average you will have more website visitors and grow your business faster. A 100-page website will beat a 10-page website 99% of the time. And a 500-page website is even better, especially when it includes a constant flow of fresh content. Build a strategy to continue to add more and more content to your website over time.

• Start a blog: This is one of the best ways to have an on-going flow of great content. In fact, companies that blog have 55% more website visitors and 88% more leads than those who do not.
• Include some PR: Post press releases and updates, but don’t rely on this alone.

A successful website redesign starts even before the site is being “designed.” Often times, people get caught up in how the website looks and this focus overshadows how well it is working. Remember, a website is not a silo. Its integration with other functions, such as social media, email marketing, and lead generation, is critical. Be sure to come back to this website redesign checklist when perfecting your new site.

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