A website redesign is a big job, and most of the cost comes from deciding things late. Work through this checklist before you hire anyone, and the project will move faster and cost less.
1. Decide why you are redesigning
Pick one or two real reasons: it does not work on phones, it is slow, it does not bring in calls or quotes, it is hard for you to update, or it no longer looks like your business. “It looks old” is a reason, but it is rarely the only one.
2. Look at what the current site is doing
- Which pages get visitors, and which bring calls or form fills?
- What do people search to find you?
- Which pages rank well today? Do not lose these in the redesign.
Google Search Console is free and shows you the searches that bring people to your site.
3. Write down your top three goals
For example: more phone calls, more quote requests, more bookings. Every page should help with at least one.
4. List the pages you need
Most local service sites need a home page, one page per main service, an about page, a contact page and a few proof pages such as reviews or case studies. If you serve more than one town, add a page for each, with real local details.
5. Gather your real content
- Your own photos of your work and team
- Customer reviews you have permission to use
- Your services, written in plain words
- Your service area, hours, phone number and address
6. Protect your search rankings
Keep the address of every page that ranks, or redirect old addresses to the new ones. Keep your page titles and descriptions unless you are improving them. This is where many redesigns lose traffic.
7. Make it work on a phone first
Most local customers look on a phone. Tap-to-call, large buttons, short forms and fast loading matter more than animations.
8. Plan the call to action
Decide what you want a visitor to do on every page, and make that action obvious and repeated: call, request a quote or book.
9. Set up tracking before launch
Make sure calls, form fills and button clicks are tracked from day one, so you can tell whether the new site works.
10. Test before you launch
Click every link, submit every form, call every number and view the site on a phone, a tablet and a computer. Then check that the old addresses redirect.
Ready to start?
We can review your current site for free and tell you what to keep and what to change. See our website redesign service or our Carlisle web design page, call (888) 849-2397 or send a message.
