--- title: Managing Website Redesigns description: If the website you own or manage is not meeting expectations, it is time to consider engaging in ... image: https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/websiteredesigns-4-1-1-1.jpg --- [Log In](https://www.websitemagazine.com/_hcms/mem/login) [Subscribe](https://websitemagazine.tradepub.com/free/w_webk05/prgm.cgi) [![Website Magazine Logo](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hs-fs/hubfs/gradient-regular@3x-1.png?width=586&height=145&name=gradient-regular@3x-1.png "Website Magazine Logo")](http://Website%20Services,%20Inc.) - [About](https://www.websitemagazine.com/about) - [FAQs](https://www.websitemagazine.com/about/faq) - [Advertise](https://www.websitemagazine.com/about/advertise) - [Editorial Staff](https://www.websitemagazine.com/about/editorial-publishing-staff) - [Resources](https://websitemagazine.tradepub.com) - [Newsletter](https://www.websitemagazine.com/newsletter-sign-up) - More - [Contact Us](https://www.websitemagazine.com/contact) [Log In](https://www.websitemagazine.com/_hcms/mem/login) [Subscribe](https://websitemagazine.tradepub.com/free/w_webk05/prgm.cgi) Search - [Latest](https://www.websitemagazine.com) - [Design](https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-design) - [Development](https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-development) - [SEO](https://www.websitemagazine.com/seo) - [Ecommerce](https://www.websitemagazine.com/ecommerce) - [Content](https://www.websitemagazine.com/content) - [Marketing](https://www.websitemagazine.com/marketing) - [Advertising](https://www.websitemagazine.com/advertising) - [Email](https://www.websitemagazine.com/email) - [Infographics](https://www.websitemagazine.com/infographics) - [View All Topics](https://www.websitemagazine.com/channels) # Managing Website Redesigns ![Peter Devereaux](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Peter_Devereaux.png) [by Peter Devereaux](https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-design/author/peter-devereaux) 23 Mar, 2010 - - - [mailto:?Body=https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-design/managing-website-redesigns](mailto:?Body=https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-design/managing-website-redesigns) - Link Copied! ![Managing Website Redesigns](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/websiteredesigns-4-1-1-1.jpg) If the website you own or manage is not meeting expectations, it is time to consider engaging in a comprehensive redesign process. While the notion of undertaking a project of this magnitude can seem overwhelming, doing some benchmarking and research, reviewing website analytics and performance metrics, and aligning that information with your objectives will make the redesign process much less cumbersome and result in a more polished, more effective final product. While it's not uncommon to grow tired of how a website looks, a more logical reason to take on a redesign project is that the site is not meeting its objectives. The number or amount of sales and leads generated is a solid indicator of site performance but there are others. Is time spent on site noticeably low? This might be an indication that the wrong visual impression is being given to users. Are you receiving feedback about users' inability to locate specific content items? A website's user-friendliness is a catalyst for overall performance - so inaccessibility is also a logical reason to take on a website redesign. Search engine friendliness (more on that later) is also a common reason for redesigning a website and is frequently the reason most sites start the process at all. A formal redesign process will include a sufficient amount of audience research, taking into account an organization's on-site marketing objectives, developing a wireframe, and establishing a fixed framework from which design elements can be applied and implemented in the future. **Audience Research and Benchmarking** While website analytics can tell us a great deal about how a site is performing now (and where improvements can be made), it often falls short when it comes to acquiring qualitative (not quantitative) data - the information that machines alone can't pick up on. Human-powered solutions like Amazon's Mechanical Turk can help gather actionable insights into users' visual impressions of a website, the accessibility of any particular content item, or any other defined criteria. Survey software solutions are also valuable resources for acquiring existing user opinions about possible site improvements. Take it a step further by leveraging services like uTest, a company providing professional-level software testing services to identify what is working and what is not, in relation to your Web, mobile or desktop applications. **Formalizing Marketing Objectives** A website might be the face of your brand online but it is also the marketing engine. Getting a handle on what you and others within your enterprise expect from the site will aid in charting a course toward creating a final product that meets the needs of everyone and everything - including the bottom line. For example, conducting interviews with the sales and customer service departments might reveal a need for easier access to pricing or support information. The business development team could request that contact and lead forms be prominent throughout the site and connected directly to a CRM platform. Discussions with C-level executives might reveal that press kits, investor information and founder biographies are essential. As you can see, there are many marketing objectives so taking all of them into account at the outset will ensure a final product everyone is excited to support. There are also some important considerations to make related to search engine optimization (SEO) that must be addressed during a formal website redesign. For many companies, SEO tends to be an afterthought and not included in the initial planning stages of a website redesign. At the very least, one should consider implementing a prioritized site architecture and a focus on ease of navigation. Making sure that: - pages receiving traffic are placed higher to the root URL in your site hierarchy - a sufficient number of pages are cross- or inter-linked - top-level pages and pages aggressively being optimized are focused on conversion - navigational menus for users are visible to search engines - through CSS or by having a text-based navigation menu in the footer of the page and on a sitemap - the use of 301 redirects (should the structure of a site change dramatically) is managed and monitored closely **"Doing" the Redesign** Before handing over audience research and marketing objectives to your Web designer, it is important to take into account whether this is really just a redesign (i.e. a freshen-up) or if an entirely new software platform will be integrated. Should it be the latter, understanding the features and limitations of the selected solution and asking designers and developers for recommendations and guidance will prove to be extremely useful. For example, if you are deploying a new content management system (CMS), ask for input from your Web designer about the level of complexity in relation to creating new design themes and templates, or quiz the developer about challenges integrating new modules. The next step in redesigning is often where most Web professionals immediately jump - the layout and wireframing. Only when you are armed with a sufficient amount of benchmarking insights and elements necessary to satisfy marketing objectives should you start working with wireframes and layouts. Web-based diagram tools like Gliffy can help layout the structure of a website and ensure that all the "pieces of the puzzle" are present before moving on to actual site wireframing. Some of the most popular wireframing tools include Mockingbird (gomockingbird.com), HotGloo (hello.hotgloo. com), MockFlow (mockflow.com), and a personal favorite in Pencil (evolus.vn/pencil/), a free add-on for Firefox. Completely redesigning a website every few years might seem like a daunting task. But staying fresh in the eyes of your users and relevant to the employees that support your business is imperative. Understanding how all users (consumers and employees) use the site, how your site's competitors stack up, understanding the underlying but required marketing objectives and getting started with the redesign with a layout and wireframing session will prove to shorten design and development time and ensure that your newly redesigned website make a difference to your company. ![Peter Devereaux](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Peter_Devereaux.png) [Peter Devereaux](https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-design/author/peter-devereaux) As the Editor-in-Chief of Website Magazine and President of Website Services, Peter has established himself as a prominent figure in the digital marketing industry. With a wealth of experience and knowledge, Peter has been a driving force in shaping the landscape of digital marketing. His leadership in creating innovative and targeted marketing campaigns has helped numerous businesses achieve their revenue growth goals. Under his direction, Website Magazine has become a trusted source of information and insights for digital marketers worldwide. As President of Website Services, Peter oversees a team of talented professionals who specialize in SEO/SEM, email marketing, social media, and digital advertising. Through his hands-on approach, he ensures that his team delivers exceptional results to their clients. With a passion for digital marketing, Peter is committed to staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends and technologies, making him a sought-after thought leader in the field. - - - - - [mailto:peter.devereaux@websitemagazine.com](mailto:peter.devereaux@websitemagazine.com) #### Popular Post ### [6 Sexy Web Design Agency Websites ![6 Sexy Web Design Agency Websites](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/gradient-regular-logo-mark-Jan-23-2023-02-19-54-9734-PM-Apr-10-2023-01-58-57-4342-PM-Apr-25-2023-03-47-11-5390-AM-May-01-2023-10-24-02-6643-PM.png)](https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-design/6-sexy-web-design-agency-websites) ### [Six User Testing Questions to Ask While Navigating Website Redesigns ![Six User Testing Questions to Ask While Navigating Website Redesigns](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/question-mark483bf98ec5e163acbc5dff0000ff1aaa-3-1-1-1.png)](https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-design/six-user-testing-questions-to-ask-while-navigating-website-redesigns) ### [The Most Popular Fonts of 2015 ![The Most Popular Fonts of 2015](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/serifshot-3-1-1-1.jpg)](https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-design/the-most-popular-fonts) #### Subscribe to Our Newsletter! [![](https://a.impactradius-go.com/display-ad/13053-1438301)](https://semrush.sjv.io/c/3976891/1438301/13053)![](https://imp.pxf.io/i/3976891/1438301/13053) #### Latest in Web Design [![The Vertical Split Screen Design Trend](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/gradient-regular-logo-mark-Jan-23-2023-02-16-08-6449-PM-Apr-10-2023-02-12-54-4429-PM-Apr-25-2023-04-00-11-0245-AM-May-01-2023-10-36-44-2646-PM.png) The Vertical Split Screen Design Trend](https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-design/slicing-dicing-the-split-stacked-screens-trend) [![Six User Testing Questions to Ask While Navigating Website Redesigns](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/question-mark483bf98ec5e163acbc5dff0000ff1aaa-3-1-1-1.png) Six User Testing Questions to Ask While Navigating Website Redesigns](https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-design/six-user-testing-questions-to-ask-while-navigating-website-redesigns) [![Design for Conversion: Apply the Von Restorff Effect](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/unsplash-53117-Jan-23-2023-02-22-47-9807-PM-1-1-1.jpg) Design for Conversion: Apply the Von Restorff Effect](https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-design/design-for-conversion-apply-the-von-restorff-effect) [![Why Modern Web Design Is No More: The New Era of 'Product Design'](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/gradient-regular-logo-mark-Jan-23-2023-02-24-25-7392-PM-Apr-10-2023-02-13-05-1129-PM-Apr-25-2023-04-00-33-0074-AM-May-01-2023-10-36-52-3196-PM.png) Why Modern Web Design Is No More: The New Era of 'Product Design'](https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-design/why-modern-web-design-is-no-more-the-new-era-of-product-design) [![Before and After: Transforming Email Design with the 3 P's](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/gradient-regular-logo-mark-Jan-23-2023-02-16-08-6449-PM-Apr-10-2023-02-12-54-4429-PM-Apr-25-2023-04-00-11-0245-AM-May-01-2023-10-36-44-2646-PM.png) Before and After: Transforming Email Design with the 3 P's](https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-design/before-and-after-transforming-email-design-with-the-3-p-s) [![5 Fab, Fresh & Free Animation Libraries](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/gradient-regular-logo-mark-Jan-23-2023-02-16-08-6449-PM-Apr-10-2023-02-12-54-4429-PM-Apr-25-2023-04-00-11-0245-AM-May-01-2023-10-36-44-2646-PM.png) 5 Fab, Fresh & Free Animation Libraries](https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-design/5-fab-fresh-free-animation-libraries) [![gradient-regular@3x](https://www.websitemagazine.com/hs-fs/hubfs/gradient-regular@3x.png?width=128&height=128&name=gradient-regular@3x.png)](https://www.websitemagazine.com/) 999 E Touhy Ave, Des Plaines, IL 60018   [info@websitemagazine.com](mailto:info@websitemagazine.com) [(888) 7WEBMAG](tel:18887932624) [(312) 313-6576](tel:13123136576) About - [Advertise](https://www.websitemagazine.com/about/advertise) - [Editorial](https://www.websitemagazine.com/about/editorial-publishing-staff) - [Contact Us](https://www.websitemagazine.com/contact) Resources Membership - Login - Subscribe Signup for our newsletter © 2026 Website Magazine. All Rights Reserved - [Privacy Policy](https://www.websitemagazine.com/about/privacy) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Peter Devereaux", "url" : "https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-design/author/peter-devereaux" }, "dateModified" : "2023-05-01T22:31:35.087Z", "datePublished" : "2010-03-23T05:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Managing Website Redesigns", "image" : [ "https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/websiteredesigns-4-1-1-1.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.websitemagazine.com/web-design/managing-website-redesigns", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.websitemagazine.com/hubfs/gradient-regular@3x-1.png" }, "name" : "Website Services, Inc." } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "NewsArticle", "author" : [ { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Peter Devereaux" } ], "headline" : "Managing Website Redesigns", "publisher" : { "name" : "Website Magazine", "url" : "https://www.websitemagazine.com/" } } ```