Website redesign FAQ: plain answers for owners
Owners thinking about a website redesign tend to ask the same twenty or so questions, and most of the answers are shorter than the sales calls that come with them. Here they are, in plain words, grouped by what people usually worry about: money and time, what happens to the old site, email and Google, and what you will have to do yourself. Each answer links to a longer guide where there is more to say.
Money and time
1. How much does a redesign cost?
Anything from your own time on a website builder to several thousand dollars from an agency, and more for large or custom sites. Pages, writing, features and who does the work move the price most. The full breakdown is in how much a small business website redesign costs.
2. How long does it take?
From a few hours for a done-for-you rebuild of an existing site, to a few weeks with a freelancer, to a few months with an agency. Your own speed in answering questions and sending photos is often the slowest part.
3. Will I have monthly fees afterward?
Usually something yearly: a domain, often hosting or a builder plan, sometimes business email. Some providers add a monthly care plan. Ask for the total yearly cost in writing before you agree.
4. Do I need a redesign, or just a few fixes?
If your site works on phones, you can edit it, and the main complaint is a few wrong details, fix those first. If it does not adjust to phones, cannot be edited, or has been hacked, a rebuild is usually the better spend.
5. Can I see it before I pay?
Some providers show a working preview first; many take a deposit up front. It is reasonable to ask. Seeing the real thing before paying in full is the simplest protection against a disappointing result.
Your old site and your content
6. Do I have to rewrite everything?
No. If your current words are accurate, they can be reused and tightened. Rewrite only what is wrong, confusing or missing.
7. What should I save before the switch?
Your text, photos, testimonials, any forms or documents customers download, and a list of every page address. See what to save before you replace your old website.
8. What happens to my old website?
It is replaced at the same address once the new one goes live. Until then both can exist side by side. Ask your old provider when your plan ends and whether it renews automatically.
9. I do not have the logins. Is that a problem?
It slows things down but rarely stops them. You need access to your domain, at least. Start recovering logins before the redesign begins.
10. Can I keep my photos and logo?
Yes, if they are yours. Sharp originals work better than copies saved from the old site. A logo can be kept as is; it does not need redrawing for a new site.
Email, address and Google
11. Will my email stop working?
It should not, if the switch is done carefully. Email depends on settings in your domain that a careless website move can overwrite. Ask whoever does the switch how they will keep your email running, and test it the same day.
12. Can I keep my website address?
Yes. Your domain is separate from your website; it can point at the new site without changing.
13. What happens with Google?
Nobody can honestly promise a position in search results, before or after a redesign. What you can protect is what the site has already earned: keep the same page addresses, or forward each old one to its new page, keep your business name, address and phone consistent, and keep the content that answers customer questions. Changing many addresses without forwarding is the usual way redesigns lose visitors.
14. Do I need to tell Google about the new site?
Not in most cases; Google finds changes on sites it already knows. If you changed your domain, or want to watch for problems, Google Search Console is the free tool for that.
Doing it, and after
15. How involved do I need to be?
You will need to check facts, answer questions and approve the result. With a builder you do everything. With a done-for-you service you mostly review and correct.
16. Will I be able to change things myself?
You should be able to change text, photos, hours and prices without calling anyone. Ask to try it on the new site before you approve. If small changes need a paid request, they will not get made.
17. Who owns the new site?
It depends on the contract. Ask directly: who owns the domain, the design and the files, and can you take a copy if you leave? Make sure the domain is registered in your name.
18. How many pages do I need?
Enough for a home page, one page per main service, an about page and a contact page. Many local businesses do well with six to twelve. See how many pages you need.
19. Should I add online booking, a store or a blog?
Only if you will use them. Booking helps when customers book by time slot. A full store is a separate project. A blog is only worth it if you will write for it.
20. How do I know the redesign worked?
Count what matters: calls, form messages, bookings, people walking in saying they saw the site. Compare a few months before and after, allowing for your season. A prettier site that brings fewer enquiries did not work.
Questions you should ask, not just answer
A good provider expects these. If they dodge any of them, take note:
- What exactly will I get, page by page?
- What does it cost each year after launch?
- How will my email and old page addresses be handled on switch day?
- How many rounds of changes are included, and what happens after?
- Can I see it working before I pay in full?
For a longer list, see questions to ask before you hire anyone.
What to do this week
- Pick the three questions above that worry you most, and read the longer guide for each.
- Find your domain login and your current host or builder account.
- Count last month's calls and form messages.
- Write the five questions for any provider you talk to.
If most of your questions come down to "will it look right for my business", you can see your site rebuilt first and judge with the result in front of you.