Website redesign that keeps what works and fixes what doesn't
Your website should be helping your business, not holding it back. 53Marketing is a hands-on website and SEO studio based in Derry/Londonderry, working with businesses across Northern Ireland and Ireland to redesign websites that have become outdated, unclear or hard to manage, while keeping the content, pages and search visibility that still work.
Signs your website needs a redesign
• It's hard to update, or only one person knows how
• It's awkward to use on a phone
• It doesn't clearly explain what you offer now
• People visit, but few get in touch
• It no longer reflects the business
• It's slow to load
• It's built on a platform you can't easily manage
One or two of these may only need targeted fixes. Several together usually point to a redesign.
Redesign, refresh or targeted fixes?
Targeted fixes
The site mostly works, but specific pages, forms, speed or mobile layouts are letting it down. Fixing those can be quicker and less disruptive than starting again.
A refresh
The structure is sound, but the design, key pages and content need updating to reflect the business as it is now.
A full redesign or rebuild
The structure, platform or content no longer works, and patching it would take more effort than building it properly.
A review of your current site shows which of these fits, before any design work begins.
What a redesign should keep
Content that still works
Pages that bring in visitors or answer customer questions, reviewed and improved rather than thrown away.
Important URLs
Pages that already rank or are linked to from elsewhere, kept where possible or redirected properly.
Search visibility
The titles, headings and structure that help search engines understand your site.
Your brand
Logos, colours, photography and the details customers already recognise, unless they're changing too.
Protecting search visibility during a redesign
Listing your current pages
Before changes begin, we record the existing URLs relevant to the agreed redesign using available site access, crawls and sitemaps. Where analytics or Search Console data is available, we use it to help identify important pages.
Planning redirects
Where URLs change, affected pages are mapped to appropriate destinations. We implement and test the agreed redirects where access permits. If another developer or hosting provider needs to implement them, responsibilities are agreed before launch.
Carrying over content and metadata
For the pages included in the project, we carry over agreed content, page titles, meta descriptions and image alt text, or update them as agreed. Substantial rewriting and new content are separately scoped.
Checks after launch
After launch, we check the agreed pages and forms, test redirects where required, and review indexing settings, canonical URLs and sitemap entries. Any launch-related issues identified in our delivered work are investigated. Search Console issues are reviewed where access is available.
For ongoing work on search visibility after launch, see:
Reviewing and improving your content
Content review, restructuring and rewriting can be included where needed, depending on the project. Some businesses have strong content that only needs reorganising; others need key service pages rewritten so they explain the offer clearly. What's included is agreed in the scope before work starts.
Substantial content or data migration, new tracking or consent configuration, integrations and additional training are separately agreed and priced. Hosting, ongoing maintenance and SEO require a separate agreement.
Changing platform as part of a redesign
Sometimes the platform is part of the problem. A redesign can include moving to WordPress where it's the better fit, or to Shopify where a hosted online store suits the business better. Content, URLs and redirects are planned as part of the move.
Launch, hosting and domain switch-over are planned as part of the project where needed, with responsibilities agreed in advance.
How a redesign project runs
1
Review the current site
Look at what's working, what isn't, which pages bring in visitors and enquiries, and whether a redesign, refresh or targeted fixes makes most sense.
2
Plan the structure and redirects
Agree the new page structure, the content to keep, improve or rewrite, and how old URLs map to new ones.
3
Design and build
Build the new site and review it online with you before anything goes live.
4
Check before launch
Test layouts, forms, redirects, page titles and mobile display, and plan the launch, hosting and domain switch-over.
5
Launch and check
Go live, then check the agreed pages and forms, redirects where required, and indexing settings, canonical URLs and sitemap entries. The timing of follow-up checks is agreed before launch.
What to prepare before a redesign
• Access to the current website, hosting and domain
• Access to Google Analytics and Search Console, if you have them
• A list of the pages and services that matter most
• Logos, brand guidelines and photography you want to keep
• Examples of websites you like, and why
Preparing your brief? Use the Website Redesign Planning Checklist to organise what you need before discussing the project.
Don't worry if some of this is missing. Working out what's available is part of the review.
Realistic expectations
A redesign can make your website clearer, easier to use and easier to manage, but it doesn't guarantee more enquiries or better rankings on its own.
Search results can move for a short time after any significant change, even when redirects are planned carefully. Planning keeps that disruption to a minimum, and checks after launch help catch problems early.
Website redesign FAQs
How do I know whether I need a redesign or just fixes?
If the structure and platform still work, targeted fixes or a refresh may be enough. If the site is hard to manage, unclear or built on the wrong platform, a redesign is usually the better option. A review of the current site shows which applies.
Will a redesign affect my Google rankings?
It can, which is why existing URLs, content and page titles are reviewed first and redirects are planned before launch. Some short-term movement is normal after any significant change, but careful planning keeps the risk low. Rankings can't be guaranteed either way.
Can you keep my existing content?
Yes, where it's still useful. Content review, restructuring and rewriting can be included where needed, depending on the project, so strong content is kept and weaker pages are improved.
Can you redesign a site someone else built?
Yes. The first step is reviewing how the current site was built, what access is available and what's worth keeping.
Can you move my site to a different platform?
Yes, where another platform is a better fit, such as moving to WordPress. Content, URLs and redirects are planned as part of the move.
How long does a redesign take?
It depends on the size of the site, how much content changes, whether the platform is changing and how quickly feedback and content are available. A realistic plan is agreed before work starts.
Plan your website redesign
Send over your current website address, what isn't working and what you'd like the new site to do. 53Marketing works remotely with businesses across Northern Ireland and Ireland, and will suggest whether a redesign, a refresh or targeted fixes makes most sense.
Plan your website redesign