If you’re going to invest valuable time and budget towards redesigning your company’s website, it’s important to know what to expect as you go through the process. Website redesigns are a huge undertaking for brand and agency alike — and the last thing you want is to create a website that doesn’t move the needle for your business.

Whether you’re a marketing veteran, or you’re new to working with an agency, these tips will help you get the most out of your website redesign. Let’s dig in.

1. Start with Strategy

No. Exceptions. Working with your agency as they create an airtight strategy for your website is high on the totem pole in terms of priority. We’re able to provide the most value to our clients when we take a breath and pause before we dive into writing content and designing pages.

Here are a few questions to work through with your agency:

  • What business goals are we trying to accomplish?
  • What KPI’s should we measure against?
  • What types of content need to be on our website?
  • Are our key stakeholders aligned on goals and needs?

These questions are the first steps towards working with your agency to create a content strategy that makes the biggest difference for your brand. While going through this process, it’s ok to ask questions and have open discussions! Peeling back the layers will help your agency find new ways to engage with your customers through your website.

2. Consult Your SEO Team

SEO experts are the unsung heroes of website redesigns — they can make or break your success. Your agency’s SEO team can help you put your best foot forward for organic search through keyword research, optimized on-page content, navigation structure, metadata, and more. Lastly, they’ll help map your content through redirects to keep your site from getting penalized with 404 errors. We like to bring them in early and often as we create content strategies for our client’s websites.

3. Users first. Branding second.

A good agency will always tell your brand story well through messaging and adhere to your brand standards through design — but it’s always important to prioritize user experience. We like to put ourselves in your customer’s shoes. Our goal? Providing them with a seamless experience while still speaking to the core truths of your brand.

4. Not Just Desktop!

Back in the day, a few desktop layouts were all you needed to see for a redesign project. Now, consumers are interacting with your website on mobile. Since many customers are ditching their desktops, your agency should put their focus on mobile-first design. Your agency should look into your site analytics to see how many of your users are browsing on mobile. That insight helps create great experiences for users on mobile. (Plus, we just like to back our strategy with data.)

5. Invest in Custom Photography

Everyone can spot a stock image from a mile away — and they’ll definitely notice when you and a competitor use the same stock image. It’s better to avoid this with getting custom photography for your website. We like to work with our clients and provide art direction for your photoshoots. This helps us create product and lifestyle photography that speaks well to your brand and works with the content on your new site.

6. ADA Compliance or Bust

This, unfortunately, is a step that gets overlooked way too often. Your agency should work with you in making sure your site is ADA compliant. This will ensure that all audiences are able to access your site. The icing on top of the cake? Google also loves an ADA compliant site!

How We Can Help

Our team loves helping brands connect with people through websites. We’ll work with you to craft a website content strategy that aligns with your needs, your stakeholders, and your KPI’s. Then, we’ll combine copywriting, design, and development to build a beautiful website for your business. We’re always hungry for an opportunity to help you grow.