Website Redesign Checklist Is Your Site Holding You Back?
If your site is slow, confusing, or hard to update, it’s costing you leads. This 2025 redesign checklist walks you through strategy, content, UX, SEO migration, performance, and post-launch steps—so you relaunch fast without losing Google rankings or conversions.
1. Strategy & goals (start here)
- Define 2–3 measurable outcomes: more qualified leads, lower CAC, higher conversion rate.
- Identify primary personas and jobs-to-be-done.
- Baseline current performance: traffic, top pages, conversions, Core Web Vitals, bounce.
- Short competitive teardown (3–5 sites): IA, messaging, CTAs, speed.
Output: a one-page brief everyone uses.
2. Content & information architecture
- Export a full URL inventory (status codes, traffic, backlinks).
- Flag thin/duplicate pages to merge, redirect, or expand.
- Map a clean sitemap & navigation (top nav + footer + utility).
- Draft content briefs for key pages (Home, Services, About, Blog hubs).
Tip: keep URLs lowercase, hyphenated, descriptive.
3. UX & conversion foundations
- Above-the-fold: clear value proposition, one benefit, one primary CTA.
- Build a CTA map (primary/secondary per template; add WhatsApp/call).
- Short, validated forms with clear success states + thank-you flow.
- Place proof near CTAs: testimonials, client logos, case studies.
4. Design system (consistency = speed)
- Define color and type scales, spacing, elevation (tokens).
- Build a small component library: hero, cards, features grid, FAQs, pricing, forms, footer.
- Ensure WCAG AA contrast, focus states, skip links, keyboard navigation.
- Prep brand assets: favicon, app icons, Open Graph/Twitter images.
5. Performance budget (mobile-first)
- Set a performance budget: Lighthouse mobile ≥ 90; LCP < 2s, INP < 200ms, CLS < 0.1.
- Images: WebP/AVIF, responsive sizes, lazy-load below the fold.
- Fonts: limit families/weights; preload critical; use font-display: swap.
- Audit third-party scripts; remove or defer non-critical tags.
6. SEO & safe migration
- Build a keyword & page map (one primary topic per URL).
- Create a 301 redirect map (old → new). Test in staging.
- Set canonical rules; avoid parameter mess.
- Add structured data: LocalBusiness, Service/Product, FAQ, Article.
- Prepare robots.txt and XML sitemaps; wire Search Console.
Rule: never launch without tested redirects and sitemaps.
7. Technical & security
- Enforce HTTPS; add HSTS; fix mixed content.
- POPIA-ready: consent banner, privacy policy, data retention.
- CMS/theme/plugin audit: remove bloat; verify update cadence.
- Automated backups; protected staging; error logging and uptime monitoring.
8. Analytics & tagging
- Configure GA4 (properties, streams, filters).
- Track key events: form_submit, click_whatsapp, click_call, quote_request, purchase.
- Consent mode (if applicable).
- Optional: heatmaps/session replay on core templates.
9. QA & launch plan
- Test across browsers (Chrome/Safari/Firefox) and common iOS/Android sizes.
- Content QA: spelling, links, alt text, legal pages, 404 page.
- Form deliverability: inbox/spam tests, autoresponders, CRM hooks.
- Speed checks on staging; fix regressions.
- DNS/TTL go-live plan with rollback path.
10. Post-launch (first 30/60/90 days)
- Submit sitemaps; request indexing for priority pages.
- Crawl to verify redirects; fix stray 404s.
- 24–72h smoke tests: errors, broken forms, 4xx/5xx spikes.
- Monitor rankings and KPIs vs. baseline.
- Publish 2–4 posts/month; add internal links.
- Move onto a maintenance plan (updates, backups, speed reviews).
Quick 15-point pre-launch checklist
- Mobile LCP < 2s
- Hero explains who/what + single CTA
- Navigation is short and clear
- WhatsApp/call and forms on key pages
- Proof near CTAs
- GA4 + key events working
- robots.txt and sitemaps ready
- Canonicals set
- 301 redirect map tested
- LocalBusiness/Service schema present
- Accessibility checks passed
- HTTPS/HSTS enforced
- Third-party scripts trimmed/deferred
- Forms deliver to inbox + autoresponder
- Fallback & rollback plan documented
How Zilamo can help
We specialise in high-performance redesigns that protect rankings and lift conversions. From audit and IA to SEO migration, performance tuning, and care plans, we ship clean, fast websites that scale.
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