Website Refresh 101: How To Champion A Successful Website Redesign Project

Let’s face it; in this ever-evolving and fiercely competitive digital age, having a quality website design is fundamental for branding success. After all, website development has become the new bloodline for 21st-century business, and when done right can easily become the secret sauce to connect with your target audience and achieve faster growth. And with nearly 2B websites worldwide, it stands to reason why an ol’ fashion website refresh could be the very thing that pushes you and your business ahead.

In a nutshell, a website redesign is not just a luxury in the world of business, but a necessity. It is how you present yourself online and can strongly dictate your brand's future opportunities, expansions, and network.

we can take care of all the deets and technicalities for you so you can focus your attention on what you do the best!

How to prepare for a redesign project?

Review Your Current Website Design

First and foremost, how does your site look right now? Are there things you like, things you don't, or areas you'd like to expand on? In general, figuring out where you want to go starts with understanding where you've been. So, while we work on all the nitty gritty details behind how your site operates, this is a great time to build yourself a new base to come up with new, creative ideas to take your business/brand to the next level.
Create a folder with all your current assets and branding files: logo (PNG and SVG files are important to have), icons, visuals, previous banners or images you used, texts you already have, audience definitions and basically everything that you have and relevant.

Know Your Competition (aka, Scope Out Competitor Territory)

In the planning phase of a website redesign project, you will want to take some time to scope out what your core competitors are doing. How does their website design load and stand against yours? How are they conveying their message to their target audience? Overall, competitor research and cross-examination does not mean copying exactly what they are doing but understanding where they are and how you can attain a leg up.

Does this sound a bit too overwhelming? No worries, we can do this for you. Here at UL-UX, we offer review and auditing services alongside website development. With this, you can see a full report on competitor advantages, what you could be doing better, and suggestions to help with your rebranding efforts. All in all, when we say we want to make this entire process easy for you, we mean it.

Discover Redesign Inspiration 

Right, you’re not a designer, we will design the perfect front for your website, but we want to see how your imagination works, how you would imagine your dream website come to live.

For this, organize yourself with some folders or perhaps an image board laying out your logo, fonts styles, patterns, textures, lifestyle images, and all kind of visuals that you think can convey your brand message to your target audience (Try to keep it at 25 assets the most).

Platforms / apps like Pinterest are perfect for the inspiration part! Furthermore, consider taking some time to scope out other websites and list out certain things they did that you like and why. In short, get creative!
Allow yourself to explore different ideas and piece them together to form your own unique puzzle.

PS: While you do this, be sure to keep your target audience in mind! Applying their likes, wants, and needs can really help steer the inspiration phase in the right direction. Which brings us to….

Know Your Audience!

Knowing who you are trying to redesign for is the key to success in the digital world. This means deep diving into your target audience, understanding their demographics, what they want/desire and knowing the demand gaps they are hoping you’ll fill.
Overall, the more you know your target audience, the better you can create a design and message that draws in the right people – people who will actually be interested in what you have to offer. 

Nail Down Your Goals

Last but not least, home in on your goals. Better yet, ones that align with your values as a business owner. Remember, a website redesign is wonderful to remain competitive, but the ones that align with your brand voice, message, and overall vibe are what leave the lasting impacts. For this, brainstorm key components like your call to action (CTA), and be mindful not to offer too many options as this can lead to users getting confused and not taking any action at all. This is also a perfect time to think about your brand image, how you want to convey your content moving forward, and how you want people to feel when they visit your site. These are all things that require a bit of attention and are ones that all add up to one heck of a final design when all is said and done.

In summary, never underestimate the power of an engaging, responsive, and attractive website has on your entire brand’s image and reputation. Even more, don't opt out of all the coinciding benefits of having a sustainable website design that carries with you as your brand evolves. In the end, a website may be a multidimensional tool with many layers, but if you genuinely want a fighting chance to dominate your industry online, then we are ready when you are to make that happen