A better next version
Keep what earns its place. Fix what gets in the way.
An older website is not automatically a bad website. A redesign is worth considering when the site no longer represents the business or makes simple tasks difficult. I help Austin owners identify those problems and plan a rebuild with the content, links, and working tools accounted for.
Strategy, design, and development with Lawson Bickerstaff.
Before the rebuild
Signs your business website needs a redesign.
Start with evidence, not a dislike of the color palette. Try the tasks customers come to complete. Ask the person answering inquiries which questions the website should have answered. Review search and analytics data if you have it; if you do not, a short baseline measurement period can prevent guesswork.
- 01
Customers cannot finish the task
Menus are hard to read, a form is awkward on a phone, or the main action is buried. Record the exact point where the task becomes confusing. Some problems need a targeted fix instead of a full rebuild.
- 02
The content describes the old business
Outdated services, old prices, or a previous visual identity can undermine trust. Inventory each page and decide what to keep, rewrite, combine, or remove before beginning the design.
- 03
Performance and structure hold it back
Oversized media, unnecessary scripts, or confusing navigation can make the site difficult to use. Review actual loading behavior and content structure before choosing a new framework or replacing working integrations.
- 04
Routine updates are too difficult
If changing hours or adding a service requires work nobody can maintain, the update workflow needs attention. Define who edits what and how often. Content management is a requirement to scope, not a feature to assume.
Relevant work
Real businesses, with different jobs to do.
Manuel's
A structured, mobile-first site that puts menus and reservations one tap away and lets the food carry the design.
Read the Manuel's case study
CleanZ ATX
A conversion-focused site with itemized pricing, real reviews, and a fast quote flow built for phones.
Read the CleanZ ATX case studyHow we work
A clear scope before the first page is built.
01
Audit and preserve
Inventory URLs, search landing pages, content, tracking, forms, and integrations. Record the current state and agree on what success will mean.
02
Rebuild the important journeys
Work through the sitemap, content, and responsive design in a preview. Match existing URLs where useful and map changed URLs to the closest relevant replacements.
03
Migrate and monitor
Test redirects, canonicals, sitemap, indexing rules, analytics, and form delivery. After launch, review Search Console and inquiries for problems. Search performance can fluctuate during a migration.
Questions before you start
The practical details.
Can a redesign hurt existing search traffic?
It can, especially if useful content disappears or established URLs break. A migration plan preserves valuable pages, maps necessary redirects, and checks indexing and tracking. No migration can promise unchanged rankings.
Do I have to change platforms?
Not necessarily. We first identify the problem and your editing needs. A focused improvement may be more appropriate than a rebuild. If a platform change is proposed, its benefits and maintenance implications should be explicit.
How long does a redesign take?
Forerunner publishes 2–3 weeks for its five-page Growth scope and 4–6 or more weeks for Custom work. A redesign’s actual schedule depends on content readiness, integration complexity, feedback, and migration requirements.
Useful reading
Website Redesign Checklist for Small Businesses
A practical redesign checklist for content, branding, mobile UX, SEO, redirects, forms, analytics, accessibility, and launch quality assurance.
Read the guideHow Much Does a Website Cost in Austin?
Understand website pricing by scope, from a simple launch to custom development. Compare Forerunner’s published packages and the costs to include in a quote.
Read the guideYour next step
Tell me what your website needs to do.
Send your current site, the customers you want to reach, and the problem you want to solve. I’ll help define a useful scope and a clear next step.