A website redesign is exciting, but it is also where small businesses most often trip up. Done well, you come out with a faster, better-looking site that brings in more customers. Done carelessly, you can lose your Google rankings, break links, and watch your traffic drop overnight.
The difference is preparation. This checklist walks you through a redesign in three phases, before you start, during the build, and at launch, so nothing important gets missed. Work through it in order, and your redesign will be an upgrade, not a gamble.
Phase 1: Before You Start
This is the phase most people skip, and the one that saves you. Plan and protect before you change anything.
Plan and Protect
- Set clear goals. Decide what the redesign must achieve: more enquiries, an online store, faster loading, a modern look, or being found on search.
- Audit your current site. Note what works and what does not. A free website health check gives you an honest starting score.
- Record your top pages. List the pages that bring you the most traffic. These must be protected and improved, not lost.
- Record your keywords and rankings. Note what you currently rank for in Google Search Console, so you can check nothing slips after launch.
- Take a full backup. Back up the entire current website, content, images, and database, so you can always recover anything.
- Make a content inventory. List every page and its content, so nothing is forgotten in the move.
- Set a budget and timeline. Agree what you are spending and when it needs to be live.
- Confirm you own everything. Make sure your domain, hosting, and content are in your name and under your control.
Phase 2: During the Build
Now you design and develop. The theme here is improve, do not lose.
Design and Develop
- Define your site structure. Plan your pages and menu so visitors find what they need in a click or two.
- Design mobile-first. Start with the phone, since most Kenyan visitors are on mobile, then scale up to desktop.
- Keep your URLs where possible. If a page address does not need to change, keep it. This protects your rankings.
- Plan redirects for any URLs that change. Every changed address needs a 301 redirect to its new page, so no traffic or link is lost.
- Migrate and improve content. Carry over your existing content and make it clearer, keeping the pages that already perform.
- Keep your titles and meta descriptions. Preserve or improve your page titles and descriptions so search results stay strong.
- Build in speed. Optimise images, use clean code and good hosting. See fast, high-performance websites.
- Add SSL and security. Make sure the new site runs on HTTPS with the secure padlock.
- Add clear calls to action. Give every page one obvious next step, and include WhatsApp and M-Pesa where relevant.
- Keep an SEO foundation. Proper headings, alt text on images, and clean structure, so Google and AI search can read you.
- Set up analytics. Prepare Google Analytics and Search Console so you can measure from day one. See the Analytics guide.
Phase 3: At Launch
The most nerve-wracking phase, and the one where a checklist really earns its keep. Test everything before and after you flip the switch.
Test and Go Live
- Test on real devices. Check the whole site on phones and computers, on more than one browser.
- Check every link and form. Click through everything, and submit your contact and enquiry forms to confirm they work.
- Test payments. If you sell online, place a test order and confirm M-Pesa checkout works end to end.
- Activate your redirects. Put the 301 redirects live so old addresses land on the right new pages.
- Confirm HTTPS everywhere. Make sure every page loads securely with no mixed-content warnings.
- Submit your new sitemap. Add the updated sitemap in Search Console so Google re-crawls the new site.
- Check indexing. Use the URL inspection tool to confirm your key pages are indexed.
- Proofread. Read through for typos, wrong prices, and outdated details.
- Confirm contact details. Check your phone number, email, and location are correct and consistent everywhere.
Phase 4: After Launch
A redesign is not finished at launch. Watch closely for the first few weeks.
Monitor and Improve
- Watch your rankings and traffic. Compare against the numbers you recorded before, and investigate any drop quickly.
- Check Search Console for errors. Look for crawl or indexing issues and fix them promptly.
- Watch analytics for behaviour. See how visitors use the new site and whether enquiries are coming through.
- Fix what surfaces. Small issues always appear after launch. Address them while the site is fresh.
- Set up ongoing maintenance. Keep the new site fast and secure with regular maintenance, so it stays healthy.
- Signs you need a website redesign, the case for redesigning.
- Web design Kenya, redesigns done properly.
- Website maintenance checklist, keeping the new site healthy.
- High-converting web design, making the redesign pay off.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should be on a website redesign checklist?
A good redesign checklist covers three phases. Before you start: set goals, audit your current site, record your top pages and keywords, and back everything up. During the build: define your structure and content, design mobile-first, keep the same URLs where possible or set up redirects, and add SEO, speed, security and M-Pesa. At launch: test everything, submit redirects and a sitemap, and monitor traffic and rankings closely.
Will a website redesign hurt my Google rankings?
It can if done carelessly, but a well-planned redesign usually protects and improves rankings. The keys are keeping your existing URLs where possible, setting up 301 redirects for any that change, preserving and improving your content, keeping your page titles and meta descriptions, and submitting an updated sitemap to Google. Skipping these steps is what causes traffic to drop.
How do I redesign my website without losing content?
Start by fully backing up your current website and listing every page and its content. During the redesign, carry that content over and improve it rather than starting from scratch, and keep the pages that already bring you traffic. A full backup means you can always recover anything, and a content inventory ensures nothing is forgotten.
How long does a website redesign take for an SME?
For a small or medium business, a redesign typically takes from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, depending on the size of the site and whether it is a refresh or a full rebuild. Clear goals, ready content, and prompt feedback keep it moving. A larger site with new features like an online store takes longer.
What are 301 redirects and why do they matter in a redesign?
A 301 redirect permanently points an old page address to a new one. They matter in a redesign because if any URLs change, redirects send both visitors and Google from the old address to the new page, preserving your rankings and preventing broken links and lost traffic. Setting them up is one of the most important redesign steps.
Should I redesign my website myself or hire a professional?
A simple refresh can be done in-house if you have the skills, but a full redesign involves SEO, redirects, speed, security and mobile design that are easy to get wrong. For a business site that brings in customers, a professional protects your rankings and traffic during the move and delivers a better result. Many SMEs use a checklist like this to brief a professional clearly.
Can WPfoss handle my website redesign?
Yes. WPfoss redesigns and rebuilds websites for Kenyan SMEs, handling the strategy, design, content migration, redirects, SEO, speed and security, so your traffic and rankings are protected through the move. You keep full ownership throughout. Reach out through the contact page and we will assess your current site.
Planning a redesign? Let us protect your traffic
WPfoss handles redesigns for Kenyan SMEs the right way: goals, content migration, redirects, SEO, speed and security, so you launch a better site without losing rankings. Let us assess your current one.
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