Website Redesign Checklist: What to Fix Before Relaunching

A surprising number of redesigns launch with broken links, sluggish load times, or navigation that confuses visitors more than it helps. These aren’t just small glitches—they’re conversion killers. You’ve invested time and money into a fresh look, only to watch bounce rates climb and search rankings drop.

The good part is that most of these disasters are avoidable. A strategic website redesign checklist can spot problems before they go live — saving your traffic, your reputation, and your sanity. In this guide, we’ll walk through the must-fix items that separate successful redesigns from expensive misfires.

Why Redesign Your Website?

Let’s be honest—websites age faster than we’d like. What worked three years ago might now feel slow, outdated, or just plain frustrating for visitors. A redesign isn’t just about looks; it’s about fixing what’s broken and making sure your site works for you, not against you.

1. Your Bounce Rate is Too High

If visitors leave within seconds, your site isn’t holding their attention. Maybe the design feels cluttered, navigation is confusing, or pages load too slowly. A redesign can fix these issues and keep people engaged.

2. It Doesn’t Work Well on Mobile

Over half of all web traffic comes from phones. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re pushing away potential customers. A redesign ensures it looks and works great on any device.

3. Your Branding Has Evolved

Companies grow, and so should their websites. If your logo, colors, or messaging have changed, your site should reflect that. A cohesive look builds trust and professionalism.

4. Your Competitors Are Doing It Better

If rival sites feel smoother, faster, or more modern, you risk losing business. A redesign helps you stay competitive—or even ahead—in your industry.

5. SEO Performance is Dropping

Google’s algorithms change, and old sites can slip in rankings. A redesign with updated SEO best practices can help you rank higher and attract more traffic.

A website redesign isn’t just a facelift—it’s a strategic upgrade. Whether it’s fixing usability issues, improving speed, or aligning with your brand, a refresh can make a real difference in how your audience sees (and interacts with) your business. Need help getting it right? Explore the top web development companies you can partner with to build an optimal solution.

Signs Your Website Needs a Redesign

Your website is like your digital storefront – if it’s looking tired or confusing customers, it’s probably costing you business. Let’s look at the clear warning signs that scream “it’s time for an update”.

1. You’re getting complaints about usability

When multiple visitors say they can’t find what they need, that’s your cue. Frustrated users don’t come back. A redesign should make everything intuitive.

2. Your bounce rate keeps climbing

If people leave faster than they arrived, your site isn’t delivering. Maybe the content is outdated or the navigation is confusing. Time to fix what’s turning visitors away.

3. It looks different on every device

Mobile screens show broken layouts? Tablets cut off important content? In today’s world, your site needs to look perfect everywhere.

4. Your competitors’ sites put yours to shame

When rival websites feel smoother and more professional, you’re at a disadvantage. Don’t let outdated design cost you customers.

5. Adding simple updates feels impossible

If changing a headline requires developer help, your CMS is working against you. Modern systems make updates quick and painless.

6. Your conversion numbers are dropping

Fewer form submissions? Abandoned carts increasing? Your website’s job is to convert – if it’s not, something needs to change.

These signs aren’t just annoyances – they’re lost opportunities. The good news? A thoughtful redesign can turn things around quickly. Next, we’ll walk through exactly what to fix for maximum impact.

Website Redesign Checklist

Here is a checklist you can follow when redesigning your website so that it performs well and is user-friendly.

1. Mobile Responsiveness Check

Let’s face it – if your site struggles on phones, you’re losing customers. Pull it up on your own device right now. Do images load properly? Is the text easy to read without zooming? Buttons should be thumb-friendly, not microscopic.

Test on multiple devices if possible. An iPhone, an Android tablet, and a smaller Android phone will show you the pain points and ensure that to use responsive themes if building a WordPress site. Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test gives quick feedback, too. Mobile isn’t optional anymore – it’s where most visitors will see you first.

2. Speed Optimization

Nobody waits for slow sites anymore. If your pages take more than 3 seconds to load, you’re already losing people. Start by checking your speed on Google PageSpeed Insights – it’ll show exactly what’s dragging you down.

Compress those giant images (they’re usually the main culprit). Look at your hosting plan too – cheap shared hosting often means sluggish performance. A faster site keeps visitors happy and helps your Google rankings.

3. Navigation Overhaul

Try this: ask a friend to find something specific on your site. If they get lost, your navigation needs work. Menus should be simple with clear labels – no clever jargon that confuses people.

Every page should be reachable within 3 clicks from the homepage. Breadcrumbs help too (those “Home > Products > Shoes” links). Good navigation means visitors find what they need fast, without frustration.

4. Content Refresh

Outdated content makes your whole business look stale. Check for old pricing, discontinued products, or team bios with people who left years ago. Blog posts older than 2 years? Either update them or archive.

Read through your key pages like you’re a first-time visitor. Does it sound natural or like corporate robot-speak? Rewrite anything that doesn’t sound like how real people talk. Fresh content builds trust.

5. Broken Link Scan

Nothing screams “abandoned website” like clicking a link and hitting a 404 error. Use a tool like Broken Link Checker to find these digital dead-ends. Check especially on old blog posts and resource pages.

For important pages that moved, set up 301 redirects so visitors (and Google) find the new location. Broken links hurt your user experience and SEO – an easy fix with a big impact.

6. Security Updates

That “Not Secure” warning in browser bars scares visitors away. At minimum, you need SSL installed (that’s the HTTPS in your URL). Check your plugins and CMS too – outdated software is hacker bait.

Run a quick security scan with tools like Sucuri. Strong passwords, regular backups, and updated software keep you safe. Customers need to trust your site before they buy anything.

7. Call-to-Action Check

Look at every page – can visitors easily tell what to do next? CTAs should stand out with contrasting colors and clear language like “Get Started” or “Download Now”. No vague “Click Here” buttons.

Test different versions if possible. Sometimes changing a button from “Submit” to “Get My Free Quote” can double click. Your site should guide visitors smoothly toward conversion.

Common Website Redesign Mistakes to Avoid

Redesigning your website should make things better, not worse. But I’ve seen too many businesses shoot themselves in the foot by making these common blunders. Let’s walk through the pitfalls so your redesign actually delivers results.

1. Ignoring Mobile Users

You’d be shocked how many sites still look broken on phones. Test every page on multiple devices before launch. If your menu is unusable on mobile, you’re losing half your traffic instantly.

2. Forgetting About SEO

Launching without 301 redirects? Not preserving your best-performing pages? That’s like throwing away hard-earned Google rankings. Always map old URLs to new ones.

3. Overdesigning

That fancy parallax scroll might look cool, but if it confuses visitors, it’s hurting conversions. Focus on usability first, then add creative touches sparingly.

4. Skipping User Testing

What makes sense to you might baffle real users. Run simple tests before launch – ask people to find key info or complete tasks. You’ll spot issues fast.

5. Changing Everything at Once

Complete overhauls often backfire. Consider phased rollouts for major changes. This lets you fix problems before they affect your entire site.

6. Not Planning for Content Updates

Beautiful design means nothing if you can’t easily update it. Ensure your CMS lets you edit text, add pages, and upload images without coding skills.

7. Forgetting Analytics

Launch without tracking? Now you have no idea what’s working. Set up Google Analytics and heatmaps before going live to measure success.

Avoid these mistakes and your redesign will actually help your business. Remember – the goal isn’t just a prettier site, but one that works harder for you.

Final Thoughts

A website redesign isn’t just about looks—it’s about making sure your site actually works for your business. Miss a few key fixes, and you could end up with slower load times, frustrated visitors, or worse—dropping in search rankings. But get it right, and you’ll keep users happy, improve conversions, and make your site easier to maintain.

Before hitting that launch button, take a breath and run through your checklist one last time. Test on different devices, double-check redirects, and make sure your content still feels fresh. A little extra effort now saves headaches (and lost revenue) later. Either way, taking the time to do this right means your new site won’t just look good — it’ll perform better, too.