From the initial idea to the newly designed website is a long road full of obstacles and stumbling blocks. The effort involved in a relaunch is often underestimated, and budgets and deadlines are often exceeded. We will help you every step of the way and provide you with useful tips. Because: With good planning, anything is possible.
The term relaunch means reintroduction and, in the context of a website, refers to the release of a new version of the previous site. Changes can be made to the content, structure, design and technology. If the changes are purely design related, it is called a redesign.
The goal of a relaunch is to optimize the site for both the user and Google and other search engines: After the change, it should be more attractive, easier to read, faster to use, and/or easier to find. This will set you apart from your competitors and give you a head start.
Relaunching a website is a large-scale project with a high potential for error. To ensure that your relaunch is not a flop, we will outline the seven necessary steps and provide you with clear recommendations to help you overcome each hurdle.
Like any other project, a website relaunch should never start without a clear objective. "It should look a little nicer and more modern" is not enough. In order to set specific requirements for the relaunch, you must first analyze the status quo: Where are the gaps?
Examine the following areas and derive clear objectives:
Don't forget: the more specific your goals, the better you can monitor their success.
To ensure that your website relaunch goes smoothly, create a project plan with everyone involved. In addition to the goals and timeframe defined at the outset, this plan should include all tasks that will need to be completed. Assign a person or team to be responsible for each task and set a deadline.
At this point, it becomes clear that a relaunch cannot simply be run alongside day-to-day business. You need resources such as expertise and manpower from multiple departments. This requires a lot of coordination.
Don't sacrifice function for aesthetics.
It is undoubtedly important to make your website modern and appealing - after all, this is the first impression of your company. However, the design should go hand in hand with the function of the site. If users cannot find what they are looking for, or if the page takes too long to load, they will quickly abandon the site and go to a competitor for their information.
A website relaunch is both an opportunity and a risk for search engine optimization: It provides the perfect opportunity to completely overhaul a site from an SEO perspective. You can optimize your site for Google and other search engines and improve your position in the search results.
At the same time, you should make sure that your page does not drop in the rankings after a relaunch: If you change a URL - which is likely to happen when you redesign a site - make sure you redirect it correctly and accurately. All existing backlinks must also be identified, checked and updated. This is the only way to avoid a rude awakening when the new site goes live.
Update your content.
Take advantage of this opportunity to update or replace your outdated content. This includes not only outdated contact information and expired job postings, but also outdated advice, magazine articles, and company copy. Consider whether there are new developments on a topic or if it is still relevant. Edit your text, videos, and images accordingly so that not only the look of your new site, but also its content is modern.
Before your new website goes live, you should thoroughly test everything for errors. It is best to use a test environment that is not indexed and therefore cannot be found by search engines, and that is also protected by a password.
Have different employees test the new site on all common browsers and devices. Test ordering and payment processes, fill out forms, submit them, and check for receipt. Only when you are satisfied that everything is working correctly should you launch your new website. Just to be on the safe side, make a backup so that you can roll back to your original site in the event of a disaster.
Once you have relaunched your website, your work is not done. You should keep a close eye on how your new site is being received by users and search engines.
To do this, keep an eye on your key metrics:
Check these metrics on a regular basis to quickly identify problems. At the same time, you can evaluate your site redesign: Did you meet all of your initial goals? If not, don't worry - the new site can and should continue to evolve. You can make small changes at any time. Use A/B testing to find out what your users really want.
Both your starting point and your goals are unique, so every relaunch is individual. Focus on your needs and capabilities, don't focus too much on the competition. That way you can achieve your personal goals and not become a bad copy.
Because every relaunch is different, it should be approached individually. We can help you find your way. Contact us at +49 711 184 206-0 or by email at hello@wus.de.
