Most websites get a redesign every few years. If your site looks dated, loads slowly, or doesn’t work well on mobile, it’s time. But a redesign isn’t just about how it looks. The choices you make during a redesign directly affect your search rankings, page speed, and conversion rate.
Go responsive
A responsive design adapts to any screen size: desktop, tablet, phone. Google uses mobile-first indexing, which means the mobile version of your site is what gets ranked. If you’re still maintaining a separate mobile site (m.yoursite.com), merge it into a single responsive design. One URL, one design, better SEO.
Simplify navigation
Complex mega-menus and deep page hierarchies confuse both users and search engines. Aim for fewer top-level items, clear labels, and a logical structure. Test with real users to make sure they can find what they need.
Optimize for speed
A redesign is the perfect time to clean up bloated CSS, remove unused JavaScript, and compress images. Page speed is a ranking factor, and slow pages drive visitors away. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify problems.
Your hosting infrastructure matters here too. A site hosted on slow shared hosting will always be slower than the same site on VPS hosting with SSD storage and dedicated resources. If you’re redesigning, consider upgrading your hosting at the same time.
Don’t forget SEO during the redesign
If you’re changing URLs (new slug structure, removing old pages), set up 301 redirects for every changed URL. Otherwise you’ll lose the search ranking those pages built up. Keep your title tags and meta descriptions optimized, and make sure your sitemap is updated after the redesign launches.
When your redesign is ready, host it on fast infrastructure. Our web hosting and VPS hosting provide SSD storage and six data center locations. Contact us if you need help with hosting during your redesign.