Website redesign: what to fix first
Start with the parts that help a visitor understand, trust and contact your business.
Start with the job your website needs to do
Before choosing a new colour or layout, decide what a useful visit looks like. A service business may want a qualified enquiry. A restaurant may want someone to read the menu and find the location. A retailer may need a customer to discover a product and place an order. These are different journeys, so a redesign should begin with a clear business objective.
Review the first screen
A visitor should be able to understand what you offer, who it is for and what to do next. Read your main heading out loud. If it could belong to almost any company, make it more specific. Keep the supporting paragraph short and give the main action a recognisable label such as Discuss your project or View the menu. Avoid putting several equally prominent buttons in the same space.
Follow the enquiry journey on a phone
Open the website on a small screen and use it as a new customer would. Check the menu, service pages, phone links and contact form. Look for clipped text, awkward buttons and fields that ask for more information than the first conversation needs. A smaller, well-labelled form is often easier to complete than a long questionnaire. Make sure a success message appears only after a real submission has been accepted.
Separate proof from decoration
Show the actual work you delivered and explain your contribution. Good project examples help visitors understand what you can do for them. Use real client feedback when you have permission to publish it. If you are showing a concept, say so clearly. An attractive mockup can explain a useful solution, but it should not be described as a finished client project.
Protect what is already useful
A redesign does not mean every existing page needs to disappear. Keep a record of important URLs, useful articles, working integrations and existing enquiries before changing the site. Plan redirects when URLs change. Review headings, page titles, internal links and image sizes. Confirm that the new design still communicates the important details your customers relied on.
Launch with a practical review list
Before launch, test the main journeys rather than judging the homepage alone. Submit a real test enquiry, check links, read the site on more than one screen size and verify that contact details are current. Agree who will update the website after launch. A redesign works best when the business can keep the site accurate and useful as its offer evolves.