Marketing

Jan 24, 2025

Website Redesign Checklist: 12 Steps to Success

Redesigning a website can feel overwhelming, but following a clear checklist makes it manageable. Here's a quick overview of the 12 essential steps to ensure your redesign improves performance, user experience, and business results:

  1. Set Redesign Goals: Define measurable objectives like faster load times or increased conversions.

  2. Review Current Website: Audit performance metrics (e.g., bounce rate, mobile responsiveness) and fix technical issues.

  3. Study Your Audience: Use surveys, analytics, and user testing to understand what your users need.

  4. Plan Content: Audit existing content, focus on SEO, and organize it for easy navigation.

  5. Create Wireframes and Mockups: Design layouts that prioritize usability and mobile responsiveness.

  6. Choose Design Tools: Select tools like Webflow or Framer based on your project needs and team skills.

  7. Test and Improve: Conduct usability tests, A/B testing, and browser compatibility checks.

  8. Launch and Track: Plan a smooth launch, preserve SEO, and set up analytics to monitor performance.

Quick Overview of Key Tools

This checklist ensures your redesign meets user expectations while achieving business goals.

My actual web design process for clients

Step 1: Set Redesign Goals

Clear and measurable goals are key to a successful website redesign. By defining specific objectives, you can ensure your redesign delivers real results for your business.

Define Objectives

Your goals should tackle your website's current issues while aligning with your broader business needs. Prioritize areas like user experience (navigation and flow), technical performance (faster loading times, mobile compatibility), business metrics (higher conversion rates), and brand consistency.

Establish Targets

Turn your objectives into measurable targets using the SMART framework. Here's how:

These benchmarks will guide you as you assess your current website in the next step.

Step 2: Review Current Website

With your goals from Step 1 in mind, it's time to dive into your website's performance. This step involves evaluating both numbers and user experience to pinpoint areas that need attention.

Check Site Performance

Start by assessing your site's key metrics with tools like Google Analytics. Here's a quick look at what to measure and how to improve:

Find Issues

A thorough audit will help you uncover the technical and usability problems holding your site back.

Technical Checks:

  • Use tools like Screaming Frog to find broken links and analyze your site's structure.

  • Review your XML sitemap to ensure it's well-organized and easily crawlable.

  • Check for outdated plugins or browser compatibility problems that might cause errors.

User Experience Insights:

  • Use heatmaps from tools like Hotjar to see where users get stuck or drop off.

  • Evaluate click-through rates to find navigation issues.

  • Look at form completion rates to identify what might be blocking conversions.

Focus on the issues that have the biggest impact on your goals from Step 1. These insights will set the stage for understanding your audience in Step 3.

Step 3: Study Your Audience

Once you've reviewed your website's performance, the next step is to dive into understanding your audience. Use data to create profiles that align with the goals you set in Step 1. These profiles will guide your content decisions in Step 4.

Build User Profiles

Start by documenting these key details about your audience:

Make sure your profiles are based on actual research - not guesses.

Gather User Data

Use these three methods to collect meaningful audience insights:

1. Direct Feedback

Conduct interviews and surveys to hear directly from users. Keep surveys short and focused to encourage participation.

2. Analytics Review

Expand on your website performance analysis by digging into user behavior with tools like Google Analytics. Look closely at:

  • Navigation patterns

  • Engagement metrics for content

  • Device preferences

  • Areas where users drop off or get stuck

3. User Testing

Run task-oriented tests to validate your design assumptions. Platforms like UserTesting can help you observe how real users interact with your site.

Step 4: Plan Content

Now that you've developed audience profiles, it's time to align your content with both what users need and your business goals.

Audit Content

Use the audience profiles from Step 3 to evaluate your existing content. Focus on these key areas:

Start by updating content that directly addresses the user challenges identified earlier.

Organize Content

To make your content easier to navigate and more impactful, try these strategies:

  • Topic Clusters: Group similar content together to strengthen your authority on core subjects.

  • Clear Navigation: Make sure users can find key information within three clicks.

  • Priority Placement: Place your most important content where users are likely to see it first, based on analytics.

When setting up your content:

  • Break it up with clear headings, visuals, and layouts that work well on mobile.

  • Write descriptive meta descriptions to improve click-through rates.

  • Design layouts that are mobile-friendly and easy to read.

A well-organized content structure will set you up for success in Step 5, where you'll create wireframes.

Step 5: Create Wireframes and Mockups

Now that you've organized your content in Step 4, it's time to bring your ideas to life with visual layouts. This phase bridges your content structure with the upcoming tool selection in Step 6.

Start with Basic Wireframes

Begin by sketching low-fidelity wireframes to outline the core structure of your pages. Focus on these key components:

Move to Detailed Mockups

Once your wireframes are finalized, create high-fidelity mockups that reflect your brand's visuals and enhance user experience. Keep these points in mind:

1. Incorporate Visual Identity

Ensure your mockups align with your brand while prioritizing usability. Include detailed specifications for:

  • Fonts and text sizes

  • Color schemes

  • Image placement and dimensions

  • Button styles and interactive states

2. Plan for Responsive Design

With most users expecting websites to work smoothly on all devices [2], design layouts for:

  • Desktop (1920px/1440px)

  • Tablet (1024px/768px)

  • Mobile (375px/320px)

3. Use a Design System

Develop reusable elements to streamline the process:

  • Component libraries

  • Spacing and margin guidelines

  • Icon sets and UI patterns

This framework will make the transition to development tools in the next step much smoother.

Step 6: Choose Design Tools

Now that you've set up your design system in Step 5, it's time to pick tools that will help you bring it to life.

Comparing Webflow and Framer

Webflow

Why Consider Webflow?

  • Built-in CMS for managing content

  • Advanced animation tools

  • A large library of templates

  • Reliable hosting options

What Makes Framer Stand Out?

  • Easy-to-use interface tailored for designers

  • Quick prototyping and iteration

  • Strong focus on interactive design

  • Smooth design-to-development handoff

  • Ideal for mobile-first projects

How to Choose the Right Tool

When deciding between Webflow and Framer, keep these factors in mind:

  • Project Needs: If you're building a complex, data-driven site or an e-commerce platform, Webflow is a great choice. For interactive designs and prototypes, Framer is better.

  • Team Skills: Webflow works best for those familiar with CSS/HTML, while Framer suits teams with Figma experience.

  • Workflow Compatibility: Think about how the tool will integrate with your current processes.

Your choice here will directly influence how smoothly testing goes in Step 7.

Step 7: Test and Improve

After choosing your design tool in Step 6, it's time to make sure your redesign works as planned. Testing helps you confirm that your updates meet your goals and highlights any major issues. Did you know that testing with just five users can reveal 85% of major usability problems? [1]. This step not only validates your design tool but also guides final tweaks before launch.

Test Usability

For example, HubSpot's 2022 redesign resulted in a 25% increase in conversions simply by streamlining navigation [1].

Here’s how to make your usability testing effective:

  • Use platforms like UserTesting or TryMyUI to record remote sessions.

  • Focus on key user journeys and areas that drive conversions.

  • Track patterns in user behavior and identify pain points.

  • Prioritize fixes based on their impact and the effort needed to implement them.

Check Browser Compatibility

Browser compatibility testing ensures your redesign performs well on various platforms and devices. This step validates the responsiveness goals you set back in Step 2.

Key elements to test:

  • Responsive layouts: Make sure your design adjusts seamlessly to different screen sizes.

  • Interactive elements: Confirm that buttons, forms, and navigation work as intended.

  • Media display: Ensure images and videos appear correctly across all browsers.

To cover all bases, tools like BrowserStack or CrossBrowserTesting can help you verify performance across:

  • Operating systems (e.g., Windows, macOS, iOS, Android)

  • Popular browsers

  • Different devices (desktop, tablet, mobile)

Wrap up this process by applying responsive design principles and systematically documenting your findings. This will set you up for a smoother launch in Step 8.

Step 8: Launch and Track

The final step focuses on launching your redesigned website while minimizing user disruptions and ensuring the changes align with the goals set in Step 1.

Plan the Launch

Choose off-peak hours for your website launch to reduce any impact on users. A well-thought-out launch plan includes the following components:

This approach builds on the testing done in Step 7 and helps safeguard the SEO progress made in Step 2.

To keep downtime to a minimum during the transition:

  • Use a staging environment to test the final version of the site.

  • Prepare detailed redirect maps to ensure all old URLs point to the correct new ones.

  • Optimize the robots.txt file to maintain SEO integrity.

  • Set up a temporary maintenance page to inform users during the transition.

Set Up Tracking

Tracking is essential to measure how well the redesign meets the goals defined in Step 1. Start by setting up key monitoring tools and processes.

Core Tracking Elements:

1. Analytics Setup

Implement custom events to track specific user actions, such as clicks, form submissions, or downloads.

2. User Interaction Monitoring

Use tools like Hotjar to generate heatmaps and record user sessions. This helps you understand how users interact with the new design.

3. Performance Metrics

Monitor metrics tied to your goals, such as:

  • Page load times

  • User engagement levels

  • Conversion rates

  • Mobile responsiveness

  • Browser compatibility

Technical Tips for Tracking:

  • Double-check that tracking codes are correctly installed on all pages.

  • Build custom dashboards to visualize key metrics.

  • Set up automated alerts for any major changes in performance.

Conclusion

Redesigning a website involves more than ticking off a checklist - it's an ongoing process that requires dedication to improvement after the launch. While the steps outlined provide a strong starting point, the real effort lies in what comes next.

Here are three key areas to focus on using the tracking systems mentioned in Step 8:

  • Consistent Monitoring and Updates: For example, Airbnb saw a 30% boost in booking conversions by using continuous feedback loops after launch.

  • User-Driven Improvements: Regularly test and gather feedback from users to guide future changes. This ties back to the user testing methods discussed in Step 5 and complements the browser compatibility testing from Step 7.

  • Technical Maintenance: Keep your site running smoothly with regular audits and updates to ensure top performance.

Related Blog Posts

Marketing

Jan 25, 2025

Website Redesign Checklist: 12 Steps to Success

Redesigning a website can feel overwhelming, but following a clear checklist makes it manageable. Here's a quick overview of the 12 essential steps to ensure your redesign improves performance, user experience, and business results:

  1. Set Redesign Goals: Define measurable objectives like faster load times or increased conversions.

  2. Review Current Website: Audit performance metrics (e.g., bounce rate, mobile responsiveness) and fix technical issues.

  3. Study Your Audience: Use surveys, analytics, and user testing to understand what your users need.

  4. Plan Content: Audit existing content, focus on SEO, and organize it for easy navigation.

  5. Create Wireframes and Mockups: Design layouts that prioritize usability and mobile responsiveness.

  6. Choose Design Tools: Select tools like Webflow or Framer based on your project needs and team skills.

  7. Test and Improve: Conduct usability tests, A/B testing, and browser compatibility checks.

  8. Launch and Track: Plan a smooth launch, preserve SEO, and set up analytics to monitor performance.

Quick Overview of Key Tools

This checklist ensures your redesign meets user expectations while achieving business goals.

My actual web design process for clients

Step 1: Set Redesign Goals

Clear and measurable goals are key to a successful website redesign. By defining specific objectives, you can ensure your redesign delivers real results for your business.

Define Objectives

Your goals should tackle your website's current issues while aligning with your broader business needs. Prioritize areas like user experience (navigation and flow), technical performance (faster loading times, mobile compatibility), business metrics (higher conversion rates), and brand consistency.

Establish Targets

Turn your objectives into measurable targets using the SMART framework. Here's how:

These benchmarks will guide you as you assess your current website in the next step.

Step 2: Review Current Website

With your goals from Step 1 in mind, it's time to dive into your website's performance. This step involves evaluating both numbers and user experience to pinpoint areas that need attention.

Check Site Performance

Start by assessing your site's key metrics with tools like Google Analytics. Here's a quick look at what to measure and how to improve:

Find Issues

A thorough audit will help you uncover the technical and usability problems holding your site back.

Technical Checks:

  • Use tools like Screaming Frog to find broken links and analyze your site's structure.

  • Review your XML sitemap to ensure it's well-organized and easily crawlable.

  • Check for outdated plugins or browser compatibility problems that might cause errors.

User Experience Insights:

  • Use heatmaps from tools like Hotjar to see where users get stuck or drop off.

  • Evaluate click-through rates to find navigation issues.

  • Look at form completion rates to identify what might be blocking conversions.

Focus on the issues that have the biggest impact on your goals from Step 1. These insights will set the stage for understanding your audience in Step 3.

Step 3: Study Your Audience

Once you've reviewed your website's performance, the next step is to dive into understanding your audience. Use data to create profiles that align with the goals you set in Step 1. These profiles will guide your content decisions in Step 4.

Build User Profiles

Start by documenting these key details about your audience:

Make sure your profiles are based on actual research - not guesses.

Gather User Data

Use these three methods to collect meaningful audience insights:

1. Direct Feedback

Conduct interviews and surveys to hear directly from users. Keep surveys short and focused to encourage participation.

2. Analytics Review

Expand on your website performance analysis by digging into user behavior with tools like Google Analytics. Look closely at:

  • Navigation patterns

  • Engagement metrics for content

  • Device preferences

  • Areas where users drop off or get stuck

3. User Testing

Run task-oriented tests to validate your design assumptions. Platforms like UserTesting can help you observe how real users interact with your site.

Step 4: Plan Content

Now that you've developed audience profiles, it's time to align your content with both what users need and your business goals.

Audit Content

Use the audience profiles from Step 3 to evaluate your existing content. Focus on these key areas:

Start by updating content that directly addresses the user challenges identified earlier.

Organize Content

To make your content easier to navigate and more impactful, try these strategies:

  • Topic Clusters: Group similar content together to strengthen your authority on core subjects.

  • Clear Navigation: Make sure users can find key information within three clicks.

  • Priority Placement: Place your most important content where users are likely to see it first, based on analytics.

When setting up your content:

  • Break it up with clear headings, visuals, and layouts that work well on mobile.

  • Write descriptive meta descriptions to improve click-through rates.

  • Design layouts that are mobile-friendly and easy to read.

A well-organized content structure will set you up for success in Step 5, where you'll create wireframes.

Step 5: Create Wireframes and Mockups

Now that you've organized your content in Step 4, it's time to bring your ideas to life with visual layouts. This phase bridges your content structure with the upcoming tool selection in Step 6.

Start with Basic Wireframes

Begin by sketching low-fidelity wireframes to outline the core structure of your pages. Focus on these key components:

Move to Detailed Mockups

Once your wireframes are finalized, create high-fidelity mockups that reflect your brand's visuals and enhance user experience. Keep these points in mind:

1. Incorporate Visual Identity

Ensure your mockups align with your brand while prioritizing usability. Include detailed specifications for:

  • Fonts and text sizes

  • Color schemes

  • Image placement and dimensions

  • Button styles and interactive states

2. Plan for Responsive Design

With most users expecting websites to work smoothly on all devices [2], design layouts for:

  • Desktop (1920px/1440px)

  • Tablet (1024px/768px)

  • Mobile (375px/320px)

3. Use a Design System

Develop reusable elements to streamline the process:

  • Component libraries

  • Spacing and margin guidelines

  • Icon sets and UI patterns

This framework will make the transition to development tools in the next step much smoother.

Step 6: Choose Design Tools

Now that you've set up your design system in Step 5, it's time to pick tools that will help you bring it to life.

Comparing Webflow and Framer

Webflow

Why Consider Webflow?

  • Built-in CMS for managing content

  • Advanced animation tools

  • A large library of templates

  • Reliable hosting options

What Makes Framer Stand Out?

  • Easy-to-use interface tailored for designers

  • Quick prototyping and iteration

  • Strong focus on interactive design

  • Smooth design-to-development handoff

  • Ideal for mobile-first projects

How to Choose the Right Tool

When deciding between Webflow and Framer, keep these factors in mind:

  • Project Needs: If you're building a complex, data-driven site or an e-commerce platform, Webflow is a great choice. For interactive designs and prototypes, Framer is better.

  • Team Skills: Webflow works best for those familiar with CSS/HTML, while Framer suits teams with Figma experience.

  • Workflow Compatibility: Think about how the tool will integrate with your current processes.

Your choice here will directly influence how smoothly testing goes in Step 7.

Step 7: Test and Improve

After choosing your design tool in Step 6, it's time to make sure your redesign works as planned. Testing helps you confirm that your updates meet your goals and highlights any major issues. Did you know that testing with just five users can reveal 85% of major usability problems? [1]. This step not only validates your design tool but also guides final tweaks before launch.

Test Usability

For example, HubSpot's 2022 redesign resulted in a 25% increase in conversions simply by streamlining navigation [1].

Here’s how to make your usability testing effective:

  • Use platforms like UserTesting or TryMyUI to record remote sessions.

  • Focus on key user journeys and areas that drive conversions.

  • Track patterns in user behavior and identify pain points.

  • Prioritize fixes based on their impact and the effort needed to implement them.

Check Browser Compatibility

Browser compatibility testing ensures your redesign performs well on various platforms and devices. This step validates the responsiveness goals you set back in Step 2.

Key elements to test:

  • Responsive layouts: Make sure your design adjusts seamlessly to different screen sizes.

  • Interactive elements: Confirm that buttons, forms, and navigation work as intended.

  • Media display: Ensure images and videos appear correctly across all browsers.

To cover all bases, tools like BrowserStack or CrossBrowserTesting can help you verify performance across:

  • Operating systems (e.g., Windows, macOS, iOS, Android)

  • Popular browsers

  • Different devices (desktop, tablet, mobile)

Wrap up this process by applying responsive design principles and systematically documenting your findings. This will set you up for a smoother launch in Step 8.

Step 8: Launch and Track

The final step focuses on launching your redesigned website while minimizing user disruptions and ensuring the changes align with the goals set in Step 1.

Plan the Launch

Choose off-peak hours for your website launch to reduce any impact on users. A well-thought-out launch plan includes the following components:

This approach builds on the testing done in Step 7 and helps safeguard the SEO progress made in Step 2.

To keep downtime to a minimum during the transition:

  • Use a staging environment to test the final version of the site.

  • Prepare detailed redirect maps to ensure all old URLs point to the correct new ones.

  • Optimize the robots.txt file to maintain SEO integrity.

  • Set up a temporary maintenance page to inform users during the transition.

Set Up Tracking

Tracking is essential to measure how well the redesign meets the goals defined in Step 1. Start by setting up key monitoring tools and processes.

Core Tracking Elements:

1. Analytics Setup

Implement custom events to track specific user actions, such as clicks, form submissions, or downloads.

2. User Interaction Monitoring

Use tools like Hotjar to generate heatmaps and record user sessions. This helps you understand how users interact with the new design.

3. Performance Metrics

Monitor metrics tied to your goals, such as:

  • Page load times

  • User engagement levels

  • Conversion rates

  • Mobile responsiveness

  • Browser compatibility

Technical Tips for Tracking:

  • Double-check that tracking codes are correctly installed on all pages.

  • Build custom dashboards to visualize key metrics.

  • Set up automated alerts for any major changes in performance.

Conclusion

Redesigning a website involves more than ticking off a checklist - it's an ongoing process that requires dedication to improvement after the launch. While the steps outlined provide a strong starting point, the real effort lies in what comes next.

Here are three key areas to focus on using the tracking systems mentioned in Step 8:

  • Consistent Monitoring and Updates: For example, Airbnb saw a 30% boost in booking conversions by using continuous feedback loops after launch.

  • User-Driven Improvements: Regularly test and gather feedback from users to guide future changes. This ties back to the user testing methods discussed in Step 5 and complements the browser compatibility testing from Step 7.

  • Technical Maintenance: Keep your site running smoothly with regular audits and updates to ensure top performance.

Related Blog Posts

Marketing

Jan 26, 2025

Website Redesign Checklist: 12 Steps to Success

Redesigning a website can feel overwhelming, but following a clear checklist makes it manageable. Here's a quick overview of the 12 essential steps to ensure your redesign improves performance, user experience, and business results:

  1. Set Redesign Goals: Define measurable objectives like faster load times or increased conversions.

  2. Review Current Website: Audit performance metrics (e.g., bounce rate, mobile responsiveness) and fix technical issues.

  3. Study Your Audience: Use surveys, analytics, and user testing to understand what your users need.

  4. Plan Content: Audit existing content, focus on SEO, and organize it for easy navigation.

  5. Create Wireframes and Mockups: Design layouts that prioritize usability and mobile responsiveness.

  6. Choose Design Tools: Select tools like Webflow or Framer based on your project needs and team skills.

  7. Test and Improve: Conduct usability tests, A/B testing, and browser compatibility checks.

  8. Launch and Track: Plan a smooth launch, preserve SEO, and set up analytics to monitor performance.

Quick Overview of Key Tools

This checklist ensures your redesign meets user expectations while achieving business goals.

My actual web design process for clients

Step 1: Set Redesign Goals

Clear and measurable goals are key to a successful website redesign. By defining specific objectives, you can ensure your redesign delivers real results for your business.

Define Objectives

Your goals should tackle your website's current issues while aligning with your broader business needs. Prioritize areas like user experience (navigation and flow), technical performance (faster loading times, mobile compatibility), business metrics (higher conversion rates), and brand consistency.

Establish Targets

Turn your objectives into measurable targets using the SMART framework. Here's how:

These benchmarks will guide you as you assess your current website in the next step.

Step 2: Review Current Website

With your goals from Step 1 in mind, it's time to dive into your website's performance. This step involves evaluating both numbers and user experience to pinpoint areas that need attention.

Check Site Performance

Start by assessing your site's key metrics with tools like Google Analytics. Here's a quick look at what to measure and how to improve:

Find Issues

A thorough audit will help you uncover the technical and usability problems holding your site back.

Technical Checks:

  • Use tools like Screaming Frog to find broken links and analyze your site's structure.

  • Review your XML sitemap to ensure it's well-organized and easily crawlable.

  • Check for outdated plugins or browser compatibility problems that might cause errors.

User Experience Insights:

  • Use heatmaps from tools like Hotjar to see where users get stuck or drop off.

  • Evaluate click-through rates to find navigation issues.

  • Look at form completion rates to identify what might be blocking conversions.

Focus on the issues that have the biggest impact on your goals from Step 1. These insights will set the stage for understanding your audience in Step 3.

Step 3: Study Your Audience

Once you've reviewed your website's performance, the next step is to dive into understanding your audience. Use data to create profiles that align with the goals you set in Step 1. These profiles will guide your content decisions in Step 4.

Build User Profiles

Start by documenting these key details about your audience:

Make sure your profiles are based on actual research - not guesses.

Gather User Data

Use these three methods to collect meaningful audience insights:

1. Direct Feedback

Conduct interviews and surveys to hear directly from users. Keep surveys short and focused to encourage participation.

2. Analytics Review

Expand on your website performance analysis by digging into user behavior with tools like Google Analytics. Look closely at:

  • Navigation patterns

  • Engagement metrics for content

  • Device preferences

  • Areas where users drop off or get stuck

3. User Testing

Run task-oriented tests to validate your design assumptions. Platforms like UserTesting can help you observe how real users interact with your site.

Step 4: Plan Content

Now that you've developed audience profiles, it's time to align your content with both what users need and your business goals.

Audit Content

Use the audience profiles from Step 3 to evaluate your existing content. Focus on these key areas:

Start by updating content that directly addresses the user challenges identified earlier.

Organize Content

To make your content easier to navigate and more impactful, try these strategies:

  • Topic Clusters: Group similar content together to strengthen your authority on core subjects.

  • Clear Navigation: Make sure users can find key information within three clicks.

  • Priority Placement: Place your most important content where users are likely to see it first, based on analytics.

When setting up your content:

  • Break it up with clear headings, visuals, and layouts that work well on mobile.

  • Write descriptive meta descriptions to improve click-through rates.

  • Design layouts that are mobile-friendly and easy to read.

A well-organized content structure will set you up for success in Step 5, where you'll create wireframes.

Step 5: Create Wireframes and Mockups

Now that you've organized your content in Step 4, it's time to bring your ideas to life with visual layouts. This phase bridges your content structure with the upcoming tool selection in Step 6.

Start with Basic Wireframes

Begin by sketching low-fidelity wireframes to outline the core structure of your pages. Focus on these key components:

Move to Detailed Mockups

Once your wireframes are finalized, create high-fidelity mockups that reflect your brand's visuals and enhance user experience. Keep these points in mind:

1. Incorporate Visual Identity

Ensure your mockups align with your brand while prioritizing usability. Include detailed specifications for:

  • Fonts and text sizes

  • Color schemes

  • Image placement and dimensions

  • Button styles and interactive states

2. Plan for Responsive Design

With most users expecting websites to work smoothly on all devices [2], design layouts for:

  • Desktop (1920px/1440px)

  • Tablet (1024px/768px)

  • Mobile (375px/320px)

3. Use a Design System

Develop reusable elements to streamline the process:

  • Component libraries

  • Spacing and margin guidelines

  • Icon sets and UI patterns

This framework will make the transition to development tools in the next step much smoother.

Step 6: Choose Design Tools

Now that you've set up your design system in Step 5, it's time to pick tools that will help you bring it to life.

Comparing Webflow and Framer

Webflow

Why Consider Webflow?

  • Built-in CMS for managing content

  • Advanced animation tools

  • A large library of templates

  • Reliable hosting options

What Makes Framer Stand Out?

  • Easy-to-use interface tailored for designers

  • Quick prototyping and iteration

  • Strong focus on interactive design

  • Smooth design-to-development handoff

  • Ideal for mobile-first projects

How to Choose the Right Tool

When deciding between Webflow and Framer, keep these factors in mind:

  • Project Needs: If you're building a complex, data-driven site or an e-commerce platform, Webflow is a great choice. For interactive designs and prototypes, Framer is better.

  • Team Skills: Webflow works best for those familiar with CSS/HTML, while Framer suits teams with Figma experience.

  • Workflow Compatibility: Think about how the tool will integrate with your current processes.

Your choice here will directly influence how smoothly testing goes in Step 7.

Step 7: Test and Improve

After choosing your design tool in Step 6, it's time to make sure your redesign works as planned. Testing helps you confirm that your updates meet your goals and highlights any major issues. Did you know that testing with just five users can reveal 85% of major usability problems? [1]. This step not only validates your design tool but also guides final tweaks before launch.

Test Usability

For example, HubSpot's 2022 redesign resulted in a 25% increase in conversions simply by streamlining navigation [1].

Here’s how to make your usability testing effective:

  • Use platforms like UserTesting or TryMyUI to record remote sessions.

  • Focus on key user journeys and areas that drive conversions.

  • Track patterns in user behavior and identify pain points.

  • Prioritize fixes based on their impact and the effort needed to implement them.

Check Browser Compatibility

Browser compatibility testing ensures your redesign performs well on various platforms and devices. This step validates the responsiveness goals you set back in Step 2.

Key elements to test:

  • Responsive layouts: Make sure your design adjusts seamlessly to different screen sizes.

  • Interactive elements: Confirm that buttons, forms, and navigation work as intended.

  • Media display: Ensure images and videos appear correctly across all browsers.

To cover all bases, tools like BrowserStack or CrossBrowserTesting can help you verify performance across:

  • Operating systems (e.g., Windows, macOS, iOS, Android)

  • Popular browsers

  • Different devices (desktop, tablet, mobile)

Wrap up this process by applying responsive design principles and systematically documenting your findings. This will set you up for a smoother launch in Step 8.

Step 8: Launch and Track

The final step focuses on launching your redesigned website while minimizing user disruptions and ensuring the changes align with the goals set in Step 1.

Plan the Launch

Choose off-peak hours for your website launch to reduce any impact on users. A well-thought-out launch plan includes the following components:

This approach builds on the testing done in Step 7 and helps safeguard the SEO progress made in Step 2.

To keep downtime to a minimum during the transition:

  • Use a staging environment to test the final version of the site.

  • Prepare detailed redirect maps to ensure all old URLs point to the correct new ones.

  • Optimize the robots.txt file to maintain SEO integrity.

  • Set up a temporary maintenance page to inform users during the transition.

Set Up Tracking

Tracking is essential to measure how well the redesign meets the goals defined in Step 1. Start by setting up key monitoring tools and processes.

Core Tracking Elements:

1. Analytics Setup

Implement custom events to track specific user actions, such as clicks, form submissions, or downloads.

2. User Interaction Monitoring

Use tools like Hotjar to generate heatmaps and record user sessions. This helps you understand how users interact with the new design.

3. Performance Metrics

Monitor metrics tied to your goals, such as:

  • Page load times

  • User engagement levels

  • Conversion rates

  • Mobile responsiveness

  • Browser compatibility

Technical Tips for Tracking:

  • Double-check that tracking codes are correctly installed on all pages.

  • Build custom dashboards to visualize key metrics.

  • Set up automated alerts for any major changes in performance.

Conclusion

Redesigning a website involves more than ticking off a checklist - it's an ongoing process that requires dedication to improvement after the launch. While the steps outlined provide a strong starting point, the real effort lies in what comes next.

Here are three key areas to focus on using the tracking systems mentioned in Step 8:

  • Consistent Monitoring and Updates: For example, Airbnb saw a 30% boost in booking conversions by using continuous feedback loops after launch.

  • User-Driven Improvements: Regularly test and gather feedback from users to guide future changes. This ties back to the user testing methods discussed in Step 5 and complements the browser compatibility testing from Step 7.

  • Technical Maintenance: Keep your site running smoothly with regular audits and updates to ensure top performance.

Related Blog Posts

Marketing

Jan 25, 2025

Website Redesign Checklist: 12 Steps to Success

Redesigning a website can feel overwhelming, but following a clear checklist makes it manageable. Here's a quick overview of the 12 essential steps to ensure your redesign improves performance, user experience, and business results:

  1. Set Redesign Goals: Define measurable objectives like faster load times or increased conversions.

  2. Review Current Website: Audit performance metrics (e.g., bounce rate, mobile responsiveness) and fix technical issues.

  3. Study Your Audience: Use surveys, analytics, and user testing to understand what your users need.

  4. Plan Content: Audit existing content, focus on SEO, and organize it for easy navigation.

  5. Create Wireframes and Mockups: Design layouts that prioritize usability and mobile responsiveness.

  6. Choose Design Tools: Select tools like Webflow or Framer based on your project needs and team skills.

  7. Test and Improve: Conduct usability tests, A/B testing, and browser compatibility checks.

  8. Launch and Track: Plan a smooth launch, preserve SEO, and set up analytics to monitor performance.

Quick Overview of Key Tools

This checklist ensures your redesign meets user expectations while achieving business goals.

My actual web design process for clients

Step 1: Set Redesign Goals

Clear and measurable goals are key to a successful website redesign. By defining specific objectives, you can ensure your redesign delivers real results for your business.

Define Objectives

Your goals should tackle your website's current issues while aligning with your broader business needs. Prioritize areas like user experience (navigation and flow), technical performance (faster loading times, mobile compatibility), business metrics (higher conversion rates), and brand consistency.

Establish Targets

Turn your objectives into measurable targets using the SMART framework. Here's how:

These benchmarks will guide you as you assess your current website in the next step.

Step 2: Review Current Website

With your goals from Step 1 in mind, it's time to dive into your website's performance. This step involves evaluating both numbers and user experience to pinpoint areas that need attention.

Check Site Performance

Start by assessing your site's key metrics with tools like Google Analytics. Here's a quick look at what to measure and how to improve:

Find Issues

A thorough audit will help you uncover the technical and usability problems holding your site back.

Technical Checks:

  • Use tools like Screaming Frog to find broken links and analyze your site's structure.

  • Review your XML sitemap to ensure it's well-organized and easily crawlable.

  • Check for outdated plugins or browser compatibility problems that might cause errors.

User Experience Insights:

  • Use heatmaps from tools like Hotjar to see where users get stuck or drop off.

  • Evaluate click-through rates to find navigation issues.

  • Look at form completion rates to identify what might be blocking conversions.

Focus on the issues that have the biggest impact on your goals from Step 1. These insights will set the stage for understanding your audience in Step 3.

Step 3: Study Your Audience

Once you've reviewed your website's performance, the next step is to dive into understanding your audience. Use data to create profiles that align with the goals you set in Step 1. These profiles will guide your content decisions in Step 4.

Build User Profiles

Start by documenting these key details about your audience:

Make sure your profiles are based on actual research - not guesses.

Gather User Data

Use these three methods to collect meaningful audience insights:

1. Direct Feedback

Conduct interviews and surveys to hear directly from users. Keep surveys short and focused to encourage participation.

2. Analytics Review

Expand on your website performance analysis by digging into user behavior with tools like Google Analytics. Look closely at:

  • Navigation patterns

  • Engagement metrics for content

  • Device preferences

  • Areas where users drop off or get stuck

3. User Testing

Run task-oriented tests to validate your design assumptions. Platforms like UserTesting can help you observe how real users interact with your site.

Step 4: Plan Content

Now that you've developed audience profiles, it's time to align your content with both what users need and your business goals.

Audit Content

Use the audience profiles from Step 3 to evaluate your existing content. Focus on these key areas:

Start by updating content that directly addresses the user challenges identified earlier.

Organize Content

To make your content easier to navigate and more impactful, try these strategies:

  • Topic Clusters: Group similar content together to strengthen your authority on core subjects.

  • Clear Navigation: Make sure users can find key information within three clicks.

  • Priority Placement: Place your most important content where users are likely to see it first, based on analytics.

When setting up your content:

  • Break it up with clear headings, visuals, and layouts that work well on mobile.

  • Write descriptive meta descriptions to improve click-through rates.

  • Design layouts that are mobile-friendly and easy to read.

A well-organized content structure will set you up for success in Step 5, where you'll create wireframes.

Step 5: Create Wireframes and Mockups

Now that you've organized your content in Step 4, it's time to bring your ideas to life with visual layouts. This phase bridges your content structure with the upcoming tool selection in Step 6.

Start with Basic Wireframes

Begin by sketching low-fidelity wireframes to outline the core structure of your pages. Focus on these key components:

Move to Detailed Mockups

Once your wireframes are finalized, create high-fidelity mockups that reflect your brand's visuals and enhance user experience. Keep these points in mind:

1. Incorporate Visual Identity

Ensure your mockups align with your brand while prioritizing usability. Include detailed specifications for:

  • Fonts and text sizes

  • Color schemes

  • Image placement and dimensions

  • Button styles and interactive states

2. Plan for Responsive Design

With most users expecting websites to work smoothly on all devices [2], design layouts for:

  • Desktop (1920px/1440px)

  • Tablet (1024px/768px)

  • Mobile (375px/320px)

3. Use a Design System

Develop reusable elements to streamline the process:

  • Component libraries

  • Spacing and margin guidelines

  • Icon sets and UI patterns

This framework will make the transition to development tools in the next step much smoother.

Step 6: Choose Design Tools

Now that you've set up your design system in Step 5, it's time to pick tools that will help you bring it to life.

Comparing Webflow and Framer

Webflow

Why Consider Webflow?

  • Built-in CMS for managing content

  • Advanced animation tools

  • A large library of templates

  • Reliable hosting options

What Makes Framer Stand Out?

  • Easy-to-use interface tailored for designers

  • Quick prototyping and iteration

  • Strong focus on interactive design

  • Smooth design-to-development handoff

  • Ideal for mobile-first projects

How to Choose the Right Tool

When deciding between Webflow and Framer, keep these factors in mind:

  • Project Needs: If you're building a complex, data-driven site or an e-commerce platform, Webflow is a great choice. For interactive designs and prototypes, Framer is better.

  • Team Skills: Webflow works best for those familiar with CSS/HTML, while Framer suits teams with Figma experience.

  • Workflow Compatibility: Think about how the tool will integrate with your current processes.

Your choice here will directly influence how smoothly testing goes in Step 7.

Step 7: Test and Improve

After choosing your design tool in Step 6, it's time to make sure your redesign works as planned. Testing helps you confirm that your updates meet your goals and highlights any major issues. Did you know that testing with just five users can reveal 85% of major usability problems? [1]. This step not only validates your design tool but also guides final tweaks before launch.

Test Usability

For example, HubSpot's 2022 redesign resulted in a 25% increase in conversions simply by streamlining navigation [1].

Here’s how to make your usability testing effective:

  • Use platforms like UserTesting or TryMyUI to record remote sessions.

  • Focus on key user journeys and areas that drive conversions.

  • Track patterns in user behavior and identify pain points.

  • Prioritize fixes based on their impact and the effort needed to implement them.

Check Browser Compatibility

Browser compatibility testing ensures your redesign performs well on various platforms and devices. This step validates the responsiveness goals you set back in Step 2.

Key elements to test:

  • Responsive layouts: Make sure your design adjusts seamlessly to different screen sizes.

  • Interactive elements: Confirm that buttons, forms, and navigation work as intended.

  • Media display: Ensure images and videos appear correctly across all browsers.

To cover all bases, tools like BrowserStack or CrossBrowserTesting can help you verify performance across:

  • Operating systems (e.g., Windows, macOS, iOS, Android)

  • Popular browsers

  • Different devices (desktop, tablet, mobile)

Wrap up this process by applying responsive design principles and systematically documenting your findings. This will set you up for a smoother launch in Step 8.

Step 8: Launch and Track

The final step focuses on launching your redesigned website while minimizing user disruptions and ensuring the changes align with the goals set in Step 1.

Plan the Launch

Choose off-peak hours for your website launch to reduce any impact on users. A well-thought-out launch plan includes the following components:

This approach builds on the testing done in Step 7 and helps safeguard the SEO progress made in Step 2.

To keep downtime to a minimum during the transition:

  • Use a staging environment to test the final version of the site.

  • Prepare detailed redirect maps to ensure all old URLs point to the correct new ones.

  • Optimize the robots.txt file to maintain SEO integrity.

  • Set up a temporary maintenance page to inform users during the transition.

Set Up Tracking

Tracking is essential to measure how well the redesign meets the goals defined in Step 1. Start by setting up key monitoring tools and processes.

Core Tracking Elements:

1. Analytics Setup

Implement custom events to track specific user actions, such as clicks, form submissions, or downloads.

2. User Interaction Monitoring

Use tools like Hotjar to generate heatmaps and record user sessions. This helps you understand how users interact with the new design.

3. Performance Metrics

Monitor metrics tied to your goals, such as:

  • Page load times

  • User engagement levels

  • Conversion rates

  • Mobile responsiveness

  • Browser compatibility

Technical Tips for Tracking:

  • Double-check that tracking codes are correctly installed on all pages.

  • Build custom dashboards to visualize key metrics.

  • Set up automated alerts for any major changes in performance.

Conclusion

Redesigning a website involves more than ticking off a checklist - it's an ongoing process that requires dedication to improvement after the launch. While the steps outlined provide a strong starting point, the real effort lies in what comes next.

Here are three key areas to focus on using the tracking systems mentioned in Step 8:

  • Consistent Monitoring and Updates: For example, Airbnb saw a 30% boost in booking conversions by using continuous feedback loops after launch.

  • User-Driven Improvements: Regularly test and gather feedback from users to guide future changes. This ties back to the user testing methods discussed in Step 5 and complements the browser compatibility testing from Step 7.

  • Technical Maintenance: Keep your site running smoothly with regular audits and updates to ensure top performance.

Related Blog Posts

Marketing

Jan 26, 2025

Website Redesign Checklist: 12 Steps to Success

Redesigning a website can feel overwhelming, but following a clear checklist makes it manageable. Here's a quick overview of the 12 essential steps to ensure your redesign improves performance, user experience, and business results:

  1. Set Redesign Goals: Define measurable objectives like faster load times or increased conversions.

  2. Review Current Website: Audit performance metrics (e.g., bounce rate, mobile responsiveness) and fix technical issues.

  3. Study Your Audience: Use surveys, analytics, and user testing to understand what your users need.

  4. Plan Content: Audit existing content, focus on SEO, and organize it for easy navigation.

  5. Create Wireframes and Mockups: Design layouts that prioritize usability and mobile responsiveness.

  6. Choose Design Tools: Select tools like Webflow or Framer based on your project needs and team skills.

  7. Test and Improve: Conduct usability tests, A/B testing, and browser compatibility checks.

  8. Launch and Track: Plan a smooth launch, preserve SEO, and set up analytics to monitor performance.

Quick Overview of Key Tools

This checklist ensures your redesign meets user expectations while achieving business goals.

My actual web design process for clients

Step 1: Set Redesign Goals

Clear and measurable goals are key to a successful website redesign. By defining specific objectives, you can ensure your redesign delivers real results for your business.

Define Objectives

Your goals should tackle your website's current issues while aligning with your broader business needs. Prioritize areas like user experience (navigation and flow), technical performance (faster loading times, mobile compatibility), business metrics (higher conversion rates), and brand consistency.

Establish Targets

Turn your objectives into measurable targets using the SMART framework. Here's how:

These benchmarks will guide you as you assess your current website in the next step.

Step 2: Review Current Website

With your goals from Step 1 in mind, it's time to dive into your website's performance. This step involves evaluating both numbers and user experience to pinpoint areas that need attention.

Check Site Performance

Start by assessing your site's key metrics with tools like Google Analytics. Here's a quick look at what to measure and how to improve:

Find Issues

A thorough audit will help you uncover the technical and usability problems holding your site back.

Technical Checks:

  • Use tools like Screaming Frog to find broken links and analyze your site's structure.

  • Review your XML sitemap to ensure it's well-organized and easily crawlable.

  • Check for outdated plugins or browser compatibility problems that might cause errors.

User Experience Insights:

  • Use heatmaps from tools like Hotjar to see where users get stuck or drop off.

  • Evaluate click-through rates to find navigation issues.

  • Look at form completion rates to identify what might be blocking conversions.

Focus on the issues that have the biggest impact on your goals from Step 1. These insights will set the stage for understanding your audience in Step 3.

Step 3: Study Your Audience

Once you've reviewed your website's performance, the next step is to dive into understanding your audience. Use data to create profiles that align with the goals you set in Step 1. These profiles will guide your content decisions in Step 4.

Build User Profiles

Start by documenting these key details about your audience:

Make sure your profiles are based on actual research - not guesses.

Gather User Data

Use these three methods to collect meaningful audience insights:

1. Direct Feedback

Conduct interviews and surveys to hear directly from users. Keep surveys short and focused to encourage participation.

2. Analytics Review

Expand on your website performance analysis by digging into user behavior with tools like Google Analytics. Look closely at:

  • Navigation patterns

  • Engagement metrics for content

  • Device preferences

  • Areas where users drop off or get stuck

3. User Testing

Run task-oriented tests to validate your design assumptions. Platforms like UserTesting can help you observe how real users interact with your site.

Step 4: Plan Content

Now that you've developed audience profiles, it's time to align your content with both what users need and your business goals.

Audit Content

Use the audience profiles from Step 3 to evaluate your existing content. Focus on these key areas:

Start by updating content that directly addresses the user challenges identified earlier.

Organize Content

To make your content easier to navigate and more impactful, try these strategies:

  • Topic Clusters: Group similar content together to strengthen your authority on core subjects.

  • Clear Navigation: Make sure users can find key information within three clicks.

  • Priority Placement: Place your most important content where users are likely to see it first, based on analytics.

When setting up your content:

  • Break it up with clear headings, visuals, and layouts that work well on mobile.

  • Write descriptive meta descriptions to improve click-through rates.

  • Design layouts that are mobile-friendly and easy to read.

A well-organized content structure will set you up for success in Step 5, where you'll create wireframes.

Step 5: Create Wireframes and Mockups

Now that you've organized your content in Step 4, it's time to bring your ideas to life with visual layouts. This phase bridges your content structure with the upcoming tool selection in Step 6.

Start with Basic Wireframes

Begin by sketching low-fidelity wireframes to outline the core structure of your pages. Focus on these key components:

Move to Detailed Mockups

Once your wireframes are finalized, create high-fidelity mockups that reflect your brand's visuals and enhance user experience. Keep these points in mind:

1. Incorporate Visual Identity

Ensure your mockups align with your brand while prioritizing usability. Include detailed specifications for:

  • Fonts and text sizes

  • Color schemes

  • Image placement and dimensions

  • Button styles and interactive states

2. Plan for Responsive Design

With most users expecting websites to work smoothly on all devices [2], design layouts for:

  • Desktop (1920px/1440px)

  • Tablet (1024px/768px)

  • Mobile (375px/320px)

3. Use a Design System

Develop reusable elements to streamline the process:

  • Component libraries

  • Spacing and margin guidelines

  • Icon sets and UI patterns

This framework will make the transition to development tools in the next step much smoother.

Step 6: Choose Design Tools

Now that you've set up your design system in Step 5, it's time to pick tools that will help you bring it to life.

Comparing Webflow and Framer

Webflow

Why Consider Webflow?

  • Built-in CMS for managing content

  • Advanced animation tools

  • A large library of templates

  • Reliable hosting options

What Makes Framer Stand Out?

  • Easy-to-use interface tailored for designers

  • Quick prototyping and iteration

  • Strong focus on interactive design

  • Smooth design-to-development handoff

  • Ideal for mobile-first projects

How to Choose the Right Tool

When deciding between Webflow and Framer, keep these factors in mind:

  • Project Needs: If you're building a complex, data-driven site or an e-commerce platform, Webflow is a great choice. For interactive designs and prototypes, Framer is better.

  • Team Skills: Webflow works best for those familiar with CSS/HTML, while Framer suits teams with Figma experience.

  • Workflow Compatibility: Think about how the tool will integrate with your current processes.

Your choice here will directly influence how smoothly testing goes in Step 7.

Step 7: Test and Improve

After choosing your design tool in Step 6, it's time to make sure your redesign works as planned. Testing helps you confirm that your updates meet your goals and highlights any major issues. Did you know that testing with just five users can reveal 85% of major usability problems? [1]. This step not only validates your design tool but also guides final tweaks before launch.

Test Usability

For example, HubSpot's 2022 redesign resulted in a 25% increase in conversions simply by streamlining navigation [1].

Here’s how to make your usability testing effective:

  • Use platforms like UserTesting or TryMyUI to record remote sessions.

  • Focus on key user journeys and areas that drive conversions.

  • Track patterns in user behavior and identify pain points.

  • Prioritize fixes based on their impact and the effort needed to implement them.

Check Browser Compatibility

Browser compatibility testing ensures your redesign performs well on various platforms and devices. This step validates the responsiveness goals you set back in Step 2.

Key elements to test:

  • Responsive layouts: Make sure your design adjusts seamlessly to different screen sizes.

  • Interactive elements: Confirm that buttons, forms, and navigation work as intended.

  • Media display: Ensure images and videos appear correctly across all browsers.

To cover all bases, tools like BrowserStack or CrossBrowserTesting can help you verify performance across:

  • Operating systems (e.g., Windows, macOS, iOS, Android)

  • Popular browsers

  • Different devices (desktop, tablet, mobile)

Wrap up this process by applying responsive design principles and systematically documenting your findings. This will set you up for a smoother launch in Step 8.

Step 8: Launch and Track

The final step focuses on launching your redesigned website while minimizing user disruptions and ensuring the changes align with the goals set in Step 1.

Plan the Launch

Choose off-peak hours for your website launch to reduce any impact on users. A well-thought-out launch plan includes the following components:

This approach builds on the testing done in Step 7 and helps safeguard the SEO progress made in Step 2.

To keep downtime to a minimum during the transition:

  • Use a staging environment to test the final version of the site.

  • Prepare detailed redirect maps to ensure all old URLs point to the correct new ones.

  • Optimize the robots.txt file to maintain SEO integrity.

  • Set up a temporary maintenance page to inform users during the transition.

Set Up Tracking

Tracking is essential to measure how well the redesign meets the goals defined in Step 1. Start by setting up key monitoring tools and processes.

Core Tracking Elements:

1. Analytics Setup

Implement custom events to track specific user actions, such as clicks, form submissions, or downloads.

2. User Interaction Monitoring

Use tools like Hotjar to generate heatmaps and record user sessions. This helps you understand how users interact with the new design.

3. Performance Metrics

Monitor metrics tied to your goals, such as:

  • Page load times

  • User engagement levels

  • Conversion rates

  • Mobile responsiveness

  • Browser compatibility

Technical Tips for Tracking:

  • Double-check that tracking codes are correctly installed on all pages.

  • Build custom dashboards to visualize key metrics.

  • Set up automated alerts for any major changes in performance.

Conclusion

Redesigning a website involves more than ticking off a checklist - it's an ongoing process that requires dedication to improvement after the launch. While the steps outlined provide a strong starting point, the real effort lies in what comes next.

Here are three key areas to focus on using the tracking systems mentioned in Step 8:

  • Consistent Monitoring and Updates: For example, Airbnb saw a 30% boost in booking conversions by using continuous feedback loops after launch.

  • User-Driven Improvements: Regularly test and gather feedback from users to guide future changes. This ties back to the user testing methods discussed in Step 5 and complements the browser compatibility testing from Step 7.

  • Technical Maintenance: Keep your site running smoothly with regular audits and updates to ensure top performance.

Related Blog Posts

Marketing

Jan 24, 2025

Website Redesign Checklist: 12 Steps to Success

Redesigning a website can feel overwhelming, but following a clear checklist makes it manageable. Here's a quick overview of the 12 essential steps to ensure your redesign improves performance, user experience, and business results:

  1. Set Redesign Goals: Define measurable objectives like faster load times or increased conversions.

  2. Review Current Website: Audit performance metrics (e.g., bounce rate, mobile responsiveness) and fix technical issues.

  3. Study Your Audience: Use surveys, analytics, and user testing to understand what your users need.

  4. Plan Content: Audit existing content, focus on SEO, and organize it for easy navigation.

  5. Create Wireframes and Mockups: Design layouts that prioritize usability and mobile responsiveness.

  6. Choose Design Tools: Select tools like Webflow or Framer based on your project needs and team skills.

  7. Test and Improve: Conduct usability tests, A/B testing, and browser compatibility checks.

  8. Launch and Track: Plan a smooth launch, preserve SEO, and set up analytics to monitor performance.

Quick Overview of Key Tools

This checklist ensures your redesign meets user expectations while achieving business goals.

My actual web design process for clients

Step 1: Set Redesign Goals

Clear and measurable goals are key to a successful website redesign. By defining specific objectives, you can ensure your redesign delivers real results for your business.

Define Objectives

Your goals should tackle your website's current issues while aligning with your broader business needs. Prioritize areas like user experience (navigation and flow), technical performance (faster loading times, mobile compatibility), business metrics (higher conversion rates), and brand consistency.

Establish Targets

Turn your objectives into measurable targets using the SMART framework. Here's how:

These benchmarks will guide you as you assess your current website in the next step.

Step 2: Review Current Website

With your goals from Step 1 in mind, it's time to dive into your website's performance. This step involves evaluating both numbers and user experience to pinpoint areas that need attention.

Check Site Performance

Start by assessing your site's key metrics with tools like Google Analytics. Here's a quick look at what to measure and how to improve:

Find Issues

A thorough audit will help you uncover the technical and usability problems holding your site back.

Technical Checks:

  • Use tools like Screaming Frog to find broken links and analyze your site's structure.

  • Review your XML sitemap to ensure it's well-organized and easily crawlable.

  • Check for outdated plugins or browser compatibility problems that might cause errors.

User Experience Insights:

  • Use heatmaps from tools like Hotjar to see where users get stuck or drop off.

  • Evaluate click-through rates to find navigation issues.

  • Look at form completion rates to identify what might be blocking conversions.

Focus on the issues that have the biggest impact on your goals from Step 1. These insights will set the stage for understanding your audience in Step 3.

Step 3: Study Your Audience

Once you've reviewed your website's performance, the next step is to dive into understanding your audience. Use data to create profiles that align with the goals you set in Step 1. These profiles will guide your content decisions in Step 4.

Build User Profiles

Start by documenting these key details about your audience:

Make sure your profiles are based on actual research - not guesses.

Gather User Data

Use these three methods to collect meaningful audience insights:

1. Direct Feedback

Conduct interviews and surveys to hear directly from users. Keep surveys short and focused to encourage participation.

2. Analytics Review

Expand on your website performance analysis by digging into user behavior with tools like Google Analytics. Look closely at:

  • Navigation patterns

  • Engagement metrics for content

  • Device preferences

  • Areas where users drop off or get stuck

3. User Testing

Run task-oriented tests to validate your design assumptions. Platforms like UserTesting can help you observe how real users interact with your site.

Step 4: Plan Content

Now that you've developed audience profiles, it's time to align your content with both what users need and your business goals.

Audit Content

Use the audience profiles from Step 3 to evaluate your existing content. Focus on these key areas:

Start by updating content that directly addresses the user challenges identified earlier.

Organize Content

To make your content easier to navigate and more impactful, try these strategies:

  • Topic Clusters: Group similar content together to strengthen your authority on core subjects.

  • Clear Navigation: Make sure users can find key information within three clicks.

  • Priority Placement: Place your most important content where users are likely to see it first, based on analytics.

When setting up your content:

  • Break it up with clear headings, visuals, and layouts that work well on mobile.

  • Write descriptive meta descriptions to improve click-through rates.

  • Design layouts that are mobile-friendly and easy to read.

A well-organized content structure will set you up for success in Step 5, where you'll create wireframes.

Step 5: Create Wireframes and Mockups

Now that you've organized your content in Step 4, it's time to bring your ideas to life with visual layouts. This phase bridges your content structure with the upcoming tool selection in Step 6.

Start with Basic Wireframes

Begin by sketching low-fidelity wireframes to outline the core structure of your pages. Focus on these key components:

Move to Detailed Mockups

Once your wireframes are finalized, create high-fidelity mockups that reflect your brand's visuals and enhance user experience. Keep these points in mind:

1. Incorporate Visual Identity

Ensure your mockups align with your brand while prioritizing usability. Include detailed specifications for:

  • Fonts and text sizes

  • Color schemes

  • Image placement and dimensions

  • Button styles and interactive states

2. Plan for Responsive Design

With most users expecting websites to work smoothly on all devices [2], design layouts for:

  • Desktop (1920px/1440px)

  • Tablet (1024px/768px)

  • Mobile (375px/320px)

3. Use a Design System

Develop reusable elements to streamline the process:

  • Component libraries

  • Spacing and margin guidelines

  • Icon sets and UI patterns

This framework will make the transition to development tools in the next step much smoother.

Step 6: Choose Design Tools

Now that you've set up your design system in Step 5, it's time to pick tools that will help you bring it to life.

Comparing Webflow and Framer

Webflow

Why Consider Webflow?

  • Built-in CMS for managing content

  • Advanced animation tools

  • A large library of templates

  • Reliable hosting options

What Makes Framer Stand Out?

  • Easy-to-use interface tailored for designers

  • Quick prototyping and iteration

  • Strong focus on interactive design

  • Smooth design-to-development handoff

  • Ideal for mobile-first projects

How to Choose the Right Tool

When deciding between Webflow and Framer, keep these factors in mind:

  • Project Needs: If you're building a complex, data-driven site or an e-commerce platform, Webflow is a great choice. For interactive designs and prototypes, Framer is better.

  • Team Skills: Webflow works best for those familiar with CSS/HTML, while Framer suits teams with Figma experience.

  • Workflow Compatibility: Think about how the tool will integrate with your current processes.

Your choice here will directly influence how smoothly testing goes in Step 7.

Step 7: Test and Improve

After choosing your design tool in Step 6, it's time to make sure your redesign works as planned. Testing helps you confirm that your updates meet your goals and highlights any major issues. Did you know that testing with just five users can reveal 85% of major usability problems? [1]. This step not only validates your design tool but also guides final tweaks before launch.

Test Usability

For example, HubSpot's 2022 redesign resulted in a 25% increase in conversions simply by streamlining navigation [1].

Here’s how to make your usability testing effective:

  • Use platforms like UserTesting or TryMyUI to record remote sessions.

  • Focus on key user journeys and areas that drive conversions.

  • Track patterns in user behavior and identify pain points.

  • Prioritize fixes based on their impact and the effort needed to implement them.

Check Browser Compatibility

Browser compatibility testing ensures your redesign performs well on various platforms and devices. This step validates the responsiveness goals you set back in Step 2.

Key elements to test:

  • Responsive layouts: Make sure your design adjusts seamlessly to different screen sizes.

  • Interactive elements: Confirm that buttons, forms, and navigation work as intended.

  • Media display: Ensure images and videos appear correctly across all browsers.

To cover all bases, tools like BrowserStack or CrossBrowserTesting can help you verify performance across:

  • Operating systems (e.g., Windows, macOS, iOS, Android)

  • Popular browsers

  • Different devices (desktop, tablet, mobile)

Wrap up this process by applying responsive design principles and systematically documenting your findings. This will set you up for a smoother launch in Step 8.

Step 8: Launch and Track

The final step focuses on launching your redesigned website while minimizing user disruptions and ensuring the changes align with the goals set in Step 1.

Plan the Launch

Choose off-peak hours for your website launch to reduce any impact on users. A well-thought-out launch plan includes the following components:

This approach builds on the testing done in Step 7 and helps safeguard the SEO progress made in Step 2.

To keep downtime to a minimum during the transition:

  • Use a staging environment to test the final version of the site.

  • Prepare detailed redirect maps to ensure all old URLs point to the correct new ones.

  • Optimize the robots.txt file to maintain SEO integrity.

  • Set up a temporary maintenance page to inform users during the transition.

Set Up Tracking

Tracking is essential to measure how well the redesign meets the goals defined in Step 1. Start by setting up key monitoring tools and processes.

Core Tracking Elements:

1. Analytics Setup

Implement custom events to track specific user actions, such as clicks, form submissions, or downloads.

2. User Interaction Monitoring

Use tools like Hotjar to generate heatmaps and record user sessions. This helps you understand how users interact with the new design.

3. Performance Metrics

Monitor metrics tied to your goals, such as:

  • Page load times

  • User engagement levels

  • Conversion rates

  • Mobile responsiveness

  • Browser compatibility

Technical Tips for Tracking:

  • Double-check that tracking codes are correctly installed on all pages.

  • Build custom dashboards to visualize key metrics.

  • Set up automated alerts for any major changes in performance.

Conclusion

Redesigning a website involves more than ticking off a checklist - it's an ongoing process that requires dedication to improvement after the launch. While the steps outlined provide a strong starting point, the real effort lies in what comes next.

Here are three key areas to focus on using the tracking systems mentioned in Step 8:

  • Consistent Monitoring and Updates: For example, Airbnb saw a 30% boost in booking conversions by using continuous feedback loops after launch.

  • User-Driven Improvements: Regularly test and gather feedback from users to guide future changes. This ties back to the user testing methods discussed in Step 5 and complements the browser compatibility testing from Step 7.

  • Technical Maintenance: Keep your site running smoothly with regular audits and updates to ensure top performance.

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