How to Prepare for a Website Redesign (So It Doesn’t Eat Your Life)

If you’re wondering how to prepare for a website redesign, here’s the short version. Decide what the new site has to do, get clear on who it’s for, save what’s already working, gather your content, track down your logins and block time on your calendar for feedback. Do those six things before kickoff and your redesign gets faster, calmer and a whole lot better.

The best compliment a client can give me mid-project is “Wow, I thought this was going to be way more stressful.” I hear some version of it a lot, and it’s rarely luck. It’s usually because the prep happened before we ever opened Showit.

How do I prepare for a website redesign?

Start with decisions, not design. The clients whose projects feel easiest aren’t the ones with the best taste. They’re the ones who walked in knowing what they wanted the site to do. Here’s what I’d have ready.

1. Decide what the new site actually has to do

“I want it to look more professional” is a feeling, not a goal. (A valid feeling. Still not a goal.)

Pick the one action you most want a visitor to take: book a call, apply, buy, join your list. Then write down what’s not happening on your current site that should be. Maybe people visit but never inquire. Maybe the wrong people inquire. Maybe you’re embarrassed to send the link. Every layout decision we make later traces back to this answer.

2. Know exactly who it’s for

I get professionally nosy before I design anything, and this is where it starts. Who’s your dream client? What’s she worried about when she lands on your site? What does she need to believe before she hits “inquire”?

You probably know this already. The trick is writing it down in her words, not yours. Pull a few DMs, inquiry forms or discovery call notes and look for the phrases she uses to describe her problem. Those phrases are gold for your copy and for search.

3. Save what’s already working

A redesign isn’t a fresh start for everything. Before anything gets torn down, make a list of what your current site does well. Which pages get the most traffic? Which blog posts bring people in from Google? Which page do clients mention when they book?

This matters for search, too. If your page addresses change, the old ones need to point to the new ones. Google’s guide to site moves is direct about it: “We recommend server side permanent redirects from the old URLs to the new URLs.” Skip that step and you can lose search traffic you spent years earning. (If you’re not sure Google sees your site properly right now, start with why your website isn’t showing up on Google.)

4. Gather your content before you need it

This is the step that stalls the most projects, and I say that with love. The design can’t finish until the words and photos exist.

Start a folder now with:

• Your current copy (even the parts you hate, so we know what to fix)
• Brand photos, or a date for your next shoot
• Testimonials and client results you have permission to share
• Your services, prices and what’s included in each
• Any freebies, opt-ins or links the site needs to connect to

If photos are the gap, my free How to Prep for a Brand Photoshoot guide walks you through it. And if writing your own copy sounds about as fun as a root canal, decide now whether you’ll write it or hire it out. Figuring that out mid-project is how timelines slip.

5. Find your logins (yes, all of them)

Domain, current website platform, email marketing, scheduler, payment links, analytics. You’d be amazed how many launch days get held up by “I think my ex-assistant set up the domain in 2019.”

You don’t need to send anyone your passwords yet. Just know where each account lives, who owns it and that you can actually get in.

6. Block your calendar for feedback

A fast project needs fast feedback. If your designer sends a homepage on Tuesday and you can’t look at it until next Thursday, that’s a week gone.

Before kickoff, look at the project timeline and block time to review each round. Decide who else gets a say, and keep that list short. A website designed by committee usually ends up pleasing nobody, especially your dream client.

Most of my projects have a 48 hour turnaround for feedback and I like to keep things very collaborative with live comments, full page screenshots, and walkthrough videos so clients feel confident when they’re reviewing.

What will a website designer ask me before we start?

Expect a lot of questions about your business, not just your color preferences. A good designer is trying to understand how you make money before they decide where a button goes.

Here’s the kind of thing I ask every client before I design a thing:

• What do you want someone to do after landing on your homepage?
• Who’s your favorite client to work with, and why?
• What do people get wrong about what you do?
• Where do your best clients find you right now?
• What would make this project a win six months after launch?

The answers shape everything we build. If you can answer these before kickoff, you’re ahead of most people. (Still choosing a designer? Here are 10 questions to ask before you hire one.)

How long does a website redesign take?

It depends on the scope and how ready you are when it starts. A custom site can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, and the biggest variable usually isn’t the designer. It’s how quickly content and feedback come in.

My brand and website projects run on set timelines of two days to four weeks, depending on the package. That only works because the prep happens first. Clients who show up with goals, content and calendar time get a finished site in weeks. Clients who don’t get stuck waiting on themselves.

What I do so you don’t have to stress

Prepping well doesn’t mean you have to have everything figured out. That’s my job. I’ve worked with 150+ businesses since 2023, and every project gets clear communication, defined timelines and post-launch support so you’re not left alone with a shiny new site you don’t know how to update.

What I want is for you to walk away with a site that works as hard as you do. Something you’re proud to send to your dream client. One client doubled her lead inquiries the week after launch, and I promise that wasn’t because of a pretty font. It’s because the strategy and the build were pointed at the same goal from day one. (More on that in You’re Not Buying a Website.)

Ready to start your redesign?

If you’re an established founder whose website no longer matches the business you’ve built, let’s talk. You bring the goals and the content. I’ll bring the strategy, the design and a process that won’t eat your life.

Tell me about your business here and let’s see if we’re a fit.

Need new photos first? Grab my free How to Prep for a Brand Photoshoot guide.

FAQ

Should I redesign my website or just refresh it?

Refresh it if the site still brings in the right clients and only looks dated. Redesign it if your business has changed: new offers, higher prices, a different dream client, or a site that gets visits but no inquiries. A new coat of paint won’t fix a site that’s speaking to the wrong person.

Will a website redesign hurt my SEO?

It can if pages disappear or change addresses without redirects. Keep a list of your current URLs, send old addresses to their new versions with permanent redirects and resubmit your sitemap in Google Search Console after launch.

Do I need my copy written before the redesign starts?

Ideally, yes, or at least a plan for who’s writing it. Design built around placeholder text usually needs reworking once the real words arrive. If writing isn’t your thing, budget for a copywriter from the start.

What should I send my web designer before kickoff?

Your goals for the site, a description of your dream client, your current copy, brand photos, testimonials, your service list and a list of every account the site connects to. Most designers will also send you a questionnaire. Fill it out like you mean it.