A redesign makes sense when the website’s foundations work. A rebuild is usually more sensible when the change requires the content model, functions and technology to be rebuilt at the same time.
Three activities that should not be confused
Update
Fixing a single barrier: a form, a mobile issue, an unclear CTA or contact details.
Redesign
Changes appearance and hierarchy while retaining most content, URLs and functions. Its purpose is to make the proposition easier to understand and the path to a conversation clearer.
Rebuild
Changes the foundation: content model, components, integrations or the management system. It requires URL inventory, a redirect plan and testing.
Decision matrix
| What you see | First step | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Good proposition, poor mobile clarity | Redesign | CTA, form, mobile testing and speed. |
| Old URLs have traffic, proposition is changing | Audit + phased rebuild | URLs, traffic, redirects, canonicals and sitemap. |
| New services, functions and an unmaintainable stack | Rebuild | MVP scope, migration data and acceptance criteria. |
| One broken module | Update | The cause and a post-fix test. |
What not to skip before a change
Collect important URLs, titles, forms, analytics tools, files and traffic sources. Separately note elements that must stay unchanged. Only then design a new layout.
A 15-minute checklist
- Does the new website solve a specific customer problem?
- Do you know three URLs that cannot be lost?
- Is one primary CTA chosen for the page?
- Is the proposition clear without a sales call?
- Does the scope include mobile, form, link and analytics testing?
Want to assess the scope of a redesign?
Describe your current site and the goal. First, establish what truly needs to change.
Talk about a redesign ↗