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Quote:How to Approach a Web Site Redesign

While no Web site redesign is painless, the following tips should help you to minimize the pain — and keep to your budget.

  1. Determine what it is you don't like about your existing Web site. "Do you not like it because it's not bringing you results with the search engines or because it's ugly or difficult to use?" asks Sharilyn Horne, the owner of Sharilyn Horne Business Concepts, which redesigned Paltrowitz & Kaufman's Web site. Before beginning a redesign, Horne asks clients to fill out a design questionnaire, find Web sites they like and explain what it is they like about these sites, though she is quick to discourage customers from using Flash and graphical buttons on their sites (elements those search engine spiders don't see and that often annoy prospective customers).

  2. Come up with a basic strategy, that you should continue to refine with your design/copywriting team. "When you take on a Web site redesign or begin a new design, it's critical to make sure you know what you want to accomplish with your site," says Schwartz. "Key things to consider are: who you're communicating with, what you want your visitors to do on your site… and how you will maintain the site once it's built." ...