Content decisions should happen before production
A website redesign is not just a new look for the same information. It is a chance to decide what still belongs on the site, what is outdated, what needs to be rewritten, and what visitors should be able to understand more quickly.
Most redesign delays are not caused by the visual design. They happen when content decisions are left too late. A page is approved visually, then someone realizes the text is old. A service has changed. A staff member has left. A photo no longer represents the business. A downloadable form is outdated.
None of these are unusual problems, but they slow the project down when they are discovered during production instead of before it.
Start with a simple content inventory
Before a redesign starts, make a list of every page on the current site. It does not need to be fancy. A spreadsheet, shared document, or simple page-by-page list is enough.
For each page, mark one of four decisions:
- keep
- rewrite
- combine
- remove
That first pass gives the redesign a clearer shape. It also prevents old pages from being carried forward just because they already exist.
Some pages may still be useful but need better structure. Others may be outdated enough that they should not move into the new site at all. A redesign is the right time to make those decisions, especially if the current site has grown over several years without a clear plan.
Decide what the new site needs to say
A redesign should not only ask, “What pages do we have?” It should also ask, “What does the new site need to explain?”
Businesses change. Services get added. Priorities shift. The way customers ask questions may be different now than it was when the old site was built.
For each main page, write down the job that page needs to do. For example:
- The home page should quickly explain who you are, what you do, and who you help.
- A service page should explain the service clearly enough that a visitor knows whether it applies to them.
- An about page should build trust without turning into a long company history.
- A contact page should make it easy to take the next step.
- A portfolio or project page should show real work without making claims that cannot be supported.
These decisions help guide the content before layout begins. They also make the redesign process more practical because the design can support the message instead of trying to hide gaps in it.
Review your services carefully
Service content is one of the most common places where old websites become inaccurate.
A company may still list services it no longer wants to promote. It may describe work in a way that no longer matches how the business operates. It may have one general services page when each major service now needs its own page.
Before a redesign starts, review each service and ask:
- Do we still offer this?
- Do we want more of this kind of work?
- Is the description accurate?
- Does the page answer the questions customers usually ask?
- Should this be its own page, or part of a broader service page?
For a proper website redesign, this step is worth doing early. It affects navigation, page structure, calls to action, internal links, and how the site explains the business. It also affects future SEO, AEO, and GEO work because search engines and answer engines need clear, specific pages to understand what the business offers.
Separate approved content from rough content
Not every piece of content needs to be perfect before a redesign starts, but it should be clear what is approved and what is still rough.
A rough draft can still be useful. It gives the web team something to structure, edit, and design around. The problem starts when rough notes are treated as final content, or when final design work is built around text that still needs internal approval.
A simple labelling system can prevent confusion:
- Approved: ready to use
- Needs review: mostly complete, but not final
- Rewrite required: useful topic, but not usable text
- Missing: needed, but not supplied yet
For organizations with boards, departments, councils, committees, or multiple decision makers, this step becomes even more important. A page that needs approval from several people should be identified before production, not after the layout is complete.
Gather the content that usually gets forgotten
Most businesses remember the obvious pages. They know they need a home page, about page, services, and contact information. Delays often come from the smaller items.
Before the redesign starts, gather or confirm:
- staff names, roles, and short bios
- team photos or headshots
- current logo files and brand colours
- service area information
- hours of operation
- social media links
- downloadable PDFs, forms, menus, brochures, or applications
- privacy, legal, or policy content
- testimonials or reviews you are allowed to use
- project photos or portfolio information
- access details for tools that need to connect to the site
For First Nations organizations, public-sector groups, and community-focused organizations, content approval may also involve cultural review, governance review, consent around imagery, or confirmation that program information is current. Those checks should happen before content is handed over as final.
Be honest about what should not come forward
A redesign is not only about adding new content. It is also a chance to remove weak or outdated material.
Old blog posts, abandoned announcements, outdated staff pages, thin service descriptions, and low-quality images can make a new site feel less credible. Keeping everything may seem safer, but it often makes the redesigned site harder to navigate and harder to maintain.
Some content can be archived. Some can be combined. Some can redirect to a better page. Some should simply be removed if it no longer serves the visitor or the business.
The key is to make those decisions intentionally. Do not let outdated content come forward just because nobody had time to review it.
Prepare images as part of the content
Images are content. They affect trust, clarity, and the tone of the site.
Before a redesign, collect images that accurately represent the business today. Avoid relying on old photos, low-resolution social media images, stretched screenshots, or stock images that do not match the organization.
Useful image sets may include:
- exterior or location photos
- staff or leadership photos
- project examples
- equipment or work-in-progress photos
- product images
- community or event photos with proper permission
- brand graphics or approved visual assets
If the current branding is dated or inconsistent, it may be worth reviewing that before the redesign starts. Updated branding and logo files can affect the whole site, from colour choices to typography to how professional the finished design feels.
Make calls to action clear before design starts
Calls to action are often treated as small details, but they shape the entire user path.
Before the redesign starts, decide what you want visitors to do on the main pages. That might be:
- request a quote
- call the office
- book a consultation
- complete an intake form
- download a document
- view a portfolio
- apply for a program
- contact a department
- sign up for updates
Different pages may need different actions. A service page may lead to a quote request. A support page may lead to a form. A community program page may lead to an application or contact person.
Clear calls to action help the design team build pages that move visitors in the right direction instead of treating every page the same.
Give the web team the real constraints
Good content preparation also includes practical constraints.
If certain wording must be used, say so. If a service cannot be promoted in a particular way, say so. If legal, regulatory, cultural, or internal approval is required, identify that early. If the business does not want to show staff photos, that changes the design direction. If the organization needs content to be easy for non-technical staff to update later, that should influence how pages are built.
A redesign works better when the web team understands the real-world limits around the content. Guessing creates rework.
A useful pre-redesign content checklist
Before production starts, try to have these items ready:
- a list of all current pages
- a keep, rewrite, combine, or remove decision for each page
- approved text for the main pages, or clearly labelled rough drafts
- updated service descriptions
- current contact details
- logo files and brand assets
- photos and image permissions
- downloadable documents
- calls to action for key pages
- notes about approvals or restrictions
- examples of content that should not be carried forward
The list does not need to be perfect. It just needs to be organized enough that the project can move without constant stops.
Better preparation leads to a better redesign
A redesign is easier to price, plan, design, and build when the content is not treated as an afterthought. The goal is not to have every sentence polished before the project starts. The goal is to know what content exists, what condition it is in, who needs to approve it, and what gaps still need to be filled.
That kind of preparation gives the design and development process a stronger foundation. It reduces delays, prevents unnecessary revisions, and helps the finished site reflect the business as it is now, not as it was several years ago.
If you are planning a website design or redesign and want help sorting out what content should come forward, you are welcome to contact ALPHA+V3 before the project starts.