Field Notes · Website planning
Does your website need a rebuild, or a few good fixes?
Before paying for a website redesign, separate the problems visitors face from the parts that still work. Here’s how I approach that decision.
By Laura Florey ·
Start with what a visitor cannot do.
“My website needs work” can mean several things. You might dislike the colors. A customer might be unable to find your services. You might be locked out of making a simple update. Those are different problems, and they do not all need a new website.
Before choosing a platform or collecting design ideas, write down three specific things that are getting in the way. “The contact form doesn’t reach me” is something we can investigate. “It feels dated” needs a little more unpacking.
Walk through one customer’s visit.
Pick the service you most want someone to inquire about. Open the website on your phone and follow the route that person would take.
- Can you tell what the business offers without relying on what you already know?
- Is there enough information to decide whether the service fits?
- Can you see a relevant example of the work?
- Is the next step easy to find and use?
Then ask someone less familiar with the business to do the same. Pay attention to where they hesitate. The website visibility checklist gives you a broader review, including search, security, and accessibility basics.
Some problems deserve a focused repair.
A confusing introduction, a slow image, a broken form, or a missing service page may be fixable within the site you have. Check whether the underlying platform is supported, whether you control the accounts, and whether ordinary updates are manageable.
If those foundations are sound, I would price the specific improvements before assuming a rebuild is necessary. Keep a copy of the existing site and verify each repair, including form delivery and mobile behavior.
A rebuild makes more sense when the foundation is the problem.
A full redesign may be appropriate if the business has changed substantially, the page structure no longer fits, the platform is no longer supportable, or basic changes repeatedly require awkward workarounds. It can also make sense when you cannot maintain the site in a way that fits your team.
Ask what the rebuild will actually solve. A new design should come with a content plan, a way to preserve useful existing URLs, working forms, and a clear handoff. Changing platforms by itself will not write a clearer service page.
Compare the whole cost.
Look at the initial project price, hosting, software renewals, maintenance, and the time you will spend. My small-business website cost guide explains the DIY side. Website packages start at $1,250, with a defined scope and a specific quote before work begins.
A focused repair and a full build are different pieces of work. Get a scope for the problem you have, then compare what each option leaves you able to do.
Bring the site you have.
You do not need to decide on a rebuild before talking to me. Send the URL and what is frustrating you. I can help work through whether a redesign or targeted website improvements fit, or whether search visibility is the real concern.