Website redesign vs new website: how to choose

A redesign rebuilds the site you already have (its design, structure, speed and technical base) while keeping what works. A new website starts from a blank page, with a new structure, new copy and sometimes a new address.

In practice the line is blurry. A good redesign can change almost everything a visitor sees and still keep your address, your content and the positions your site has already earned in Google. The difference is where you start, not how much changes.

So the real question isn't how new the site will be, but which parts of the current one are worth keeping.

A redesign is the better choice when the foundations are sound and the packaging is the problem.

Starting from scratch here would mean throwing away work that is already doing its job. It is far more sensible to keep the foundations and change what gets in the way: the look, the speed, the mobile version and how the information is organised.

• Your copy, photos and pages still describe your business accurately.
• People know your web address and type it from memory.
• Your site already gets visits from Google and you don't want to lose them.
• Your services haven't changed, but the site doesn't present them well.

A new website makes sense when the old one no longer fits your business or there is nothing in it worth keeping.

Even then, check which old pages still get visits. They can be redirected to the new ones, so people arriving from Google or an old link don't land on an error page.

• You have changed your name, direction or core services.
• Almost all of the content is out of date.
• The site runs on a system that can no longer be updated or maintained.
• You don't have a site yet, or only a temporary holding page.

The clearest sign is when you would rather send a customer photos from your phone than a link to your own site.

If two or three of the signs below sound familiar, your site is probably costing you enquiries you will never see.

• It loads slowly, especially on mobile.
• On a phone the text is tiny and the buttons are hard to tap.
• It isn't immediately clear what you do or how to get in touch.
• Services or opening hours are out of date because updating the site is a hassle.
• The contact form doesn't work, or enquiries go missing.
• There is no separate page for each service, so Google struggles to understand what you offer.
• You serve customers in more than one language, but the site only speaks one.

A well-run redesign keeps the three things that are hardest to rebuild: your content, your web address and your traffic from Google.

Content gets reviewed, not thrown away. Accurate copy stays, outdated copy is refreshed and missing pages are added. Your address stays the same, so business cards, social profiles and links from other sites keep pointing to you.

The most important technical step is redirects. When a page's address changes, the old URL is permanently redirected (a 301 redirect) to the new one. People and Google arrive at the right page, and the traffic your site already has isn't lost.

Before launch, every old URL is listed and given a destination. After launch, the redirects are checked and we make sure Google can see the new pages. Visitors never notice this part, but it is what protects your traffic.

Answer these questions before you ask for a quote. If most of your answers are yes, start with a redesign.

If most of your answers are no, a new website is the more honest choice. Either way, list the pages people visit most so nothing important disappears.

• Do I still offer the same services?
• Are the copy and photos on the site mostly accurate?
• Do I want to keep my web address?
• Does the site get Google traffic I don't want to lose?
• Is the problem mainly the look, the speed or the mobile version?

We start with what you already have. We look at your site, your content and the pages that bring in visits, and tell you honestly whether a redesign or a new website makes more sense. Even when you need a new site, the copy and photos worth keeping come across and the old URLs are redirected.

After a short call or a few emails you get an offer made just for you: scope, fixed price and date in writing, sometimes with mockups of the new look. The offer is free and commits you to nothing.

Every site we build is made so Google can find it: fast pages, clean structure, a page per service, structured data, and Bulgarian and English versions. We don't promise rankings, because nobody can honestly guarantee them.