Most redesigns go sideways for boring reasons: nobody owns the copy, the old site still “kind of works,” and the vendor gets blamed for decisions that were never made.
Use this before you sign anything. Print it. Argue over it. Then book a call.
1. Decide what “done” means in one sentence
Not “modern.” Not “better UX.”
Examples that work:
- “Generate more qualified demo requests from US mid-market.”
- “Stop looking like a 2019 brochure so enterprise procurement takes us seriously.”
- “Make the package pages clear enough that sales stops rewriting PDFs.”
If you cannot write that sentence, you are shopping for decoration.
2. Inventory what you must keep
List URLs that cannot 404 without a redirect plan: top landing pages, pricing, legal, login, blog posts that still get traffic.
Export Search Console queries for 90 days. Highlight anything with impressions that you are about to delete for aesthetics.
3. Freeze brand decisions early
Logo files, colors, type, photography rules. If those are still “in discussion,” a redesign becomes an unpaid brand project.
We will push back on vague mood boards. One competitor you respect beats twelve Pinterest screenshots.
4. Name the approvers
Who signs off copy? Who signs design? Who can kill a launch date?
If that is three people with no calendar, quote the delay into the timeline now.
5. Content before pixels
Wireframes without words are theater. Gather:
- Current homepage draft (even ugly)
- Service list you actually sell
- Proof: 2–3 metrics or case notes you can stand behind
- Forms you need (contact, book, quote)
6. Pick the stack on purpose
For most marketing sites we ship Next.js on a normal CDN host. WordPress is fine when editors need to live in WP daily and the site is content-heavy.
Do not pick a stack because a conference talk was exciting. Pick it because updates, forms, and SEO tooling match how you operate.
7. Redirects are part of the build
Budget for a redirect map. Launch day without it is how you lose rankings you already paid for.
8. Local signals, if you care about maps
One real address. One Google Business Profile. Matching NAP on the site. See local SEO basics and our Providence hub.
9. Launch checklist (week of go-live)
- Titles and meta descriptions unique per key URL
- Forms tested on mobile
- Analytics events for primary CTA
- 404 page that points somewhere useful
- Sitemap submitted after the cutover
What we ask on a first call
Current URL, hard launch date if any, who owns copy, and whether brand files exist. That is enough to recommend a website package or a custom SOW.
If you want help running this checklist against your site, book a call.