Work out what needs fixing
Are too few people finding the site? Are they visiting but not getting in touch? Or is keeping it up to date the main headache? These need different fixes. A new design on its own may not solve them.
List what is not working
Instead of “We need a new website”, write “Customers can’t tell which areas we cover” or “We have to ask a developer every time we want to change our services”. List the important problems separately.
Try using the site as a customer
On a phone, find a service, its area, a relevant example and the contact option. Submit a test enquiry and confirm delivery. Ask someone unfamiliar with the website to repeat the task without coaching. Notice where they get stuck or misunderstand something.
Decide what to keep
For each important page, record its URL, purpose, useful content and problem to fix. Where available, note search clicks and enquiries. List essential functions such as forms, booking tools and business email separately.
Do not discard useful information simply because a new layout has less room for it. This list tells the person doing the work what to keep and what needs changing.
Compare repairs with a rebuild
Ask what it would cost to fix the existing site and what a rebuild would cost. If the provider says a repair isn’t possible, ask them to explain why. For either option, get a list of what’s included, what costs extra and who looks after the site afterwards.
If the contact button is hard to find, moving it might be enough. If most pages describe work you no longer do, there may be more to sort out.
Plan the changeover
Agree which page addresses will change. Ask the website provider to send visitors from the old addresses to the right new pages using permanent redirects. They should also keep a backup and have a way to restore the site if the changeover goes wrong. See Google’s migration guidance for more about changing page addresses.
Confirm domain, hosting and email responsibilities before launch. Website work should not interrupt the business inbox. Check who owns each account and who has access. Share passwords securely, rather than putting them in the project notes.
Ask to see it working before signing off
- Approved service and project content is present.
- Phone links use the right number.
- Forms reach an inbox someone checks and show useful confirmation.
- If enquiry tracking is included, a test form submission is counted once.
- Changed URLs reach the intended new destinations.
- Pages meant to appear on Google are not accidentally blocked from search engines.
- The person handling updates knows how to make them.
Ask for a test message to arrive in your inbox. A picture of the form won’t tell you whether it works.
Go back to your original list
If you wanted easier editing, try making a change. If customers were getting confused, ask someone new to try the site. If you wanted better enquiries, keep track of the jobs people are asking about. Record the launch date and consider season, advertising and demand when comparing periods.
What to send when asking for a quote
Our website needs to help [customer] complete [task]. Current problems are [findings]. We want to keep [useful content and functions]. Please compare improving the existing site with a rebuild, including what’s covered, the price, how you’ll handle the changeover, testing and ongoing upkeep.
Talk through the current site
Send us your website address and the changes you want. We can talk through whether you need a new site and what we could take care of. Our website cost guide explains the published pricing and questions to compare.
Discuss your existing website