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UPDATED: How to prepare for a website redesign

Planning a website redesign project is a large undertaking, and without the proper resources and website design Denver partners in place, it can be even more difficult. 

From server reconfigurations to A/B testing and bugs, the process involves a number of large and even stressful steps that can make a negative or positive impact when it is all said and done. At Denver Media Group, our experts have handled a website redesign and development process and project management a time or two, and we are versed in the integral moving parts of the entire process. 

With this in mind, this is how to prepare for a website redesign project. 

Determine your budget

Setting budgets and sticking to them is an entire process all within itself. A budget can be unpredictable, but this is how you can start to determine a budget. 

First, figure out the size of the website. Is this website going to be a couple of pages or a massive franchise or ecommerce site? This will affect your budget drastically because the amount of work on the Denver web design agency’s side will change depending on the size of the needed site. 

Other pricing factors include domain purchases if need-be, hosting fees, maintenance and updating fees, client support, search engine optimization, etc.

For companies who don’t know where to start when it comes to the new website, ask! Be transparent about the needs, what the site needs to accomplish, and what the dollar signs are looking like for you.

The thing to also keep in mind is when a company is speaking with a number of agencies, each agency will be different, which means that their prices and offerings are different as well. 

Hire a professional

As the saying goes, “If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur.”

When you hire a leading website design professional, like Denver Media Group, a company will get a customized website that is built around your company and its needs. 

DIY website builders limit users in a way that might not be feasible for the work your business offers.

Additionally, professional web designers and developers understand security and SEO compliance. Having these features built into your new website is essential to the health and ranking of your business online.

Find its strengths and weaknesses

Each site has its own strengths and weaknesses, it is just how it works at the end of the day, but using those to your advantage is the biggest way to get the most out of the website redesign process. 

Start by asking these five questions. 

1. What aspects of your site do you enjoy? 

2. What aspects need to go?

3. What is the biggest goal of this redesign?

4. What positive or negative feedback are you currently receiving?

5. What are your competitors doing?

Run an SEO audit

Whether your company is currently utilizing or understands SEO or not, now is the time to run an SEO audit of your website. Do you even know where you are ranking in search engines? Are you ranking? A website redesign is the perfect moment to start the SEO process and get SEO in place right when the site launches. 

Determine your audience

Every good Denver web design agency will ask your company who your target audience is. This is important for several reasons.

First and foremost, this will give insight as to the kind of website that needs to be designed. 

Your audience will determine the visuals used, font size and color, overall style, content, keywords, interactiveness, and social integration. Your audience determines each decision moving forward. 

Plan a new site launch 

Are you missing something? A company needs to make sure they plan for a new site launch. Is there a deadline that needs to be met, and if so, what is that date? If new marketing materials are being produced and distributed with the new site launch in place, make sure it is ready. It all needs to be cohesive and work with one another to make sure every piece of branding is perfect!