Website redesign checklist.

1. Define why the website must change.

Start with the problem rather than the solution. The site may no longer reflect the brand, generate enough enquiries, support current services or meet technical and accessibility expectations.

• What is not working for users or the organisation?
• What should become easier after launch?
• Which business measures should improve?
• What must remain valuable from the existing site?

2. Agree audiences and priority journeys.

List the audiences the website must serve, then prioritise them. A site designed equally for everyone rarely feels clear to anyone.

For each priority audience, define what they need to understand, what could prevent them moving forward and the action the site should support. This becomes the basis for structure, content and measurement.

3. Audit the existing content.

Do not migrate every page simply because it exists. Record the current URLs, performance, owner and purpose. Decide whether each item should be retained, rewritten, combined, redirected or removed.

4. Protect existing SEO value.

Record organic landing pages, rankings, backlinks and conversions before changing the structure. Every changed URL needs a deliberate redirect. Titles, headings, copy and internal links should be improved with search intent in mind.

Do not wait until launch to consider SEO. Structure, content and technical decisions made throughout the project affect what search engines can understand and preserve.

5. Confirm functionality and integrations.

• Forms, enquiries and email delivery
• CRM, marketing automation and analytics
• Search, filters, directories or gated resources
• Ecommerce, payments, bookings or subscriptions
• Languages, regions and content permissions
• Cookie consent, privacy and compliance
• Hosting, security, backups and maintenance

Define what each integration must achieve and who owns the external system. Access, documentation and technical contacts should be available before development.

6. Plan the content properly.

Agree who will write, review and approve each page. Content structure should develop alongside UX, not be poured into finished designs. Identify photography, video, illustration and downloads early enough to commission them properly.

The quality of a website is often limited by the decisions and content supplied to it, not the sophistication of the code.

7. Set governance and accessibility expectations.

Decide who can publish, which templates and components are needed, and how future consistency will be maintained. Agree the accessibility standard and make it part of content, design, development and testing.

8. Define measurement before launch.

Choose meaningful events such as qualified enquiries, purchases, applications, donations, downloads or service access. Document existing analytics and establish a baseline so the new website can be assessed fairly.

9. Prepare the launch plan.

• Complete browser, device, content and accessibility testing.
• Verify forms, integrations and email delivery.
• Map and test every required redirect.
• Configure analytics, consent and conversion events.
• Plan domain, DNS, hosting and rollback responsibilities.
• Train editors and agree post-launch support.