Website Redesign Checklist: What to Prepare Before Hiring a Web Designer
A website redesign becomes much easier when the main information is prepared before design work begins.
You do not need to have every sentence and image ready on the first day.
However, clear goals and organized materials can reduce delays, confusion, and unnecessary revisions.
Use this checklist before speaking with a web designer.
1. Define the main goal
Start with one question: what should the new website help the business achieve?
Possible goals include:
- Generate enquiries
- Present projects
- Sell products
- Explain services
- Attract investors
- Support brokers
- Build trust
- Recruit employees
- Share company updates
A website can support several goals, but one or two should be the priority.
2. Identify the audience
Decide who the website is mainly for.
For example:
- Potential clients
- Existing customers
- Investors
- Brokers
- Contractors
- Consultants
- Job applicants
- Business partners
Different audiences need different information.
A potential client may want services and examples. An investor may want company history and growth. A job applicant may want culture and open positions.
3. Review your current website
Create a simple list of what should stay, change, or be removed.
Ask:
- Which pages are still useful?
- Which pages are outdated?
- Which pages receive enquiries?
- Which information is incorrect?
- Which content is missing?
- Which pages are difficult to update?
- Which URLs should remain the same?
Keeping important URLs can help avoid broken links and unnecessary search visibility problems during a redesign.
4. Prepare the page list
Write down the pages you expect the website to include.
A common business website may have:
- Home
- About
- Services
- Projects
- Blog
- Contact
- Privacy policy
A larger company may also need:
- Team
- Careers
- Locations
- Partners
- Awards
- Downloads
- News
- Frequently asked questions
The final structure can change during planning, but a first draft is helpful.
5. Prepare your services
For each service, provide:
- Service name
- Short introduction
- Full description
- Main benefits
- Process
- Related images
- Related projects
- Call to action
Avoid copying the same description across several service pages.
6. Organize your projects
If your website includes a portfolio, prepare consistent information for every project.
This may include:
- Project name
- Category
- Location
- Client
- Date
- Scope
- Description
- Main image
- Gallery
- Results
- Testimonial
Not every field needs to appear publicly, but organized information helps create a consistent portfolio.
7. Collect brand files
Prepare the latest versions of:
- Logo
- Logo variations
- Color codes
- Font files or font names
- Brand guidelines
- Icons
- Patterns
- Presentation templates
- Social media designs
Use vector logo files when possible, such as SVG, AI, EPS, or PDF.
A small PNG logo may look blurry on large screens.
8. Collect images and videos
Create organized folders for:
- Company photos
- Team photos
- Projects
- Products
- Office
- Services
- Awards
- Partners
- Videos
Use clear file names. Instead of IMG_4837-final-new-2.jpg, use project-name-exterior-day.jpg.
The designer should still optimize and rename files where necessary, but organized source files save time.
9. Decide what you need to edit
Think about which parts of the website your team will update after launch.
You may need to manage:
- Projects
- Blog posts
- Team members
- Services
- Prices
- Contact details
- Homepage banners
- Downloads
- FAQs
This information helps the developer create the correct CMS fields.
You do not need full editing control over every visual detail. Too much control can make the CMS complicated and can damage the design.
10. List required features
Write down any special functionality.
Examples include:
- Contact forms
- CRM connection
- Newsletter signup
- Job application form
- Booking system
- Payment gateway
- User accounts
- Search
- Filters
- Maps
- Calculators
- Downloads
- Arabic language
- WhatsApp button
- Social media feeds
Separate essential features from optional ideas.
11. Prepare contact information
Confirm the details that should appear publicly:
- Phone number
- Email address
- Office address
- Working hours
- Google Maps location
- WhatsApp number
- Social media profiles
Also decide where website form submissions should be sent.
12. Prepare access details
The designer or developer may need access to:
- Domain account
- Hosting
- WordPress
- Existing website
- Analytics
- Google Search Console
- Email provider
- CRM
- Newsletter platform
- Form service
- GitHub repository
Share access securely.
Do not send your main password through normal chat when a safer invitation or user-access option is available.
13. Choose reference websites
Select three to five websites you like.
For each example, explain what you like. It may be:
- Typography
- Layout
- Navigation
- Animation
- Project presentation
- Colors
- Mobile experience
- Simplicity
Do not ask to copy another website exactly.
References should help explain your taste, not replace your own identity.
14. Decide who approves the work
Too many decision-makers can slow down the project.
Choose:
- Main contact person
- Content approver
- Design approver
- Final decision-maker
Collect feedback internally before sending it to the designer.
15. Set a realistic launch date
Consider time for:
- Planning
- Content
- Design
- Development
- Review
- Translation
- Testing
- Revisions
- Final approval
Launching quickly is possible when the scope is clear and the materials are ready.
Final thoughts
You do not need a perfect brief before contacting a web designer.
A good designer should help organize the structure and identify missing information.
However, preparing the main goals, content, features, and access details will make the process smoother.
Preparing a new website or redesign? Visit the Say Hi page and share a short overview of your project.