MidDevon Digital provides website redesign services for businesses in Devon and across the UK. We rebuild websites that look tired, don't work on phones or don't bring in enquiries, and we map every old page to its new address before launch so the Google rankings you've already earned carry over.
Website redesign that keeps your rankings and loses the dated look
What a website redesign includes, and what it doesn't
A website redesign is a rebuild of an existing site: new design, new structure and usually new content, on the same domain, done so that the rankings, links and traffic the old site had are carried across rather than lost.
Redesign is the wrong word for most of what we do, because the look is the easy part. What makes a redesign succeed or fail is everything underneath it: whether the new pages match what people search for, whether the old addresses still work, and whether the site is faster and easier to use than the one it replaced. A redesign that only changes the look usually changes nothing else.
A new structure, not just a new skin
We start with what your current site ranks for and what people arrive looking for, then plan the new pages around that. Often that means more pages, not fewer: one for each service and each area, rather than everything on one long homepage.
Content rewritten where it needs to be
Pages that are working stay as they are, with the wording kept. Pages that aren't get rewritten around what customers actually search for and ask.
The technical move done properly
Every old address is mapped to a new one. Redirects go in before launch. Analytics and Search Console carry across. The site goes live on a quiet day, never a Friday, and we watch the rankings for the weeks after.
What a redesign doesn't include
It isn't ongoing SEO, though it sets the site up for it. It isn't a new domain, and it doesn't touch your email. And it isn't a quick reskin: if your site only needs a tidy-up, we'll tell you that instead.
We redesign websites for businesses in Cullompton, Tiverton, Exeter, Honiton, Taunton and across Devon and Somerset, and for clients further afield over Zoom. Web design in Exeter →
Signs it's time for a website redesign
You don't need all of these. One is usually enough.
It looks like it was built years ago
Because it was. Visitors judge a business by its site in a couple of seconds, and a dated design says the business might be too.
It's awkward on a phone
Most local searches happen on mobile. If people have to pinch and zoom, they go back to Google and try the next result.
It's slow or keeps breaking
Old platforms, expired plugins and heavy pages all cost you visitors and rankings. Sometimes it's quicker to rebuild than to keep patching.
It gets visitors but no enquiries
Traffic without calls usually means the pages aren't answering the questions people arrive with, or the way to get in touch isn't obvious.
We redesign sites built on
How we protect what you've already got
A redesign done badly can wipe out years of rankings overnight. These steps stop that happening.
- Every existing page and its rankings mapped before we start
- Redirects from every old address to its new home
- Page titles, headings and content kept where they're working
- Google Search Console checked before and after launch
- Analytics carried across so your history isn't lost
- Backlinks preserved by keeping URLs where we can
- Launch timed for a quiet period, never a Friday
- Rankings monitored for the weeks after launch
How a website redesign works
Three stages, and you see the new site before anything changes on the old one.
Step 1
Audit the current site
We look at what's ranking, what's bringing in enquiries and what's getting in the way. You get a straight answer on whether it needs a rebuild or a tidy-up.
Step 2
Design and build alongside
The new site is built on a private address while the old one stays live. You review it page by page.
Step 3
Switch over and watch
Redirects go in, the new site goes live, and we keep an eye on rankings and traffic for the first few weeks.
What clients say
Peter at MidDevon Digital has been absolutely amazing. His patience with my lack of technology is sound and I love the work he has done on our website. I would have no hesitation recommending him.
Pam Rawlings, P2HR, Bristol
Peter created a website for my business and I could not be happier with the outcome. Nothing was ever a problem when I wanted to change things and it was done in a timely manner.
Dan Currall, DC Plumbing and Heating, Chard
Website redesign questions
Can't see yours?
Give us a ring on
01392 346700.
Will a website redesign affect my Google rankings?
Only if it's done badly. Rankings drop after a redesign when old pages disappear without redirects, or when content that was ranking gets rewritten or removed. We map every old page to its new address, set up redirects before launch and keep the content that's working, so the rankings you've earned carry over.
How much does a website redesign cost?
It depends on the number of pages, how much content needs rewriting and whether the platform is changing. A redesign usually costs a little less than a brand new site of the same size, because the structure and some of the content already exist. You get a fixed quote in writing after a short call.
How long does a website redesign take?
A straightforward redesign takes two to four weeks from kick-off to launch, in line with a new site. Larger sites, or ones where most of the content is being rewritten, take longer. The biggest factor is usually how quickly feedback comes back.
How do I know if my website needs a redesign?
If it looks dated, doesn't work well on a phone, is slow, or gets visitors without enquiries, it probably does. If you're not sure, a free digital snapshot will tell you honestly whether it needs rebuilding or just fixing.
Can you redesign a site someone else built?
Yes, and most of the sites we redesign were built by someone else. We don't need the original designer involved. If we can't get access to the old site, we can still rebuild from what's publicly visible.
Do I have to move to a different platform?
Not always. We work with sites built on WordPress, WooCommerce, Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, Duda, Webflow and most others. If your current platform is sound we can rebuild on it. If it's the platform that's causing the problems, we'll say so and explain the options. Warnes Garden Centre in Cornwall moved off an old WordPress and WooCommerce site to a new build that was easier to run and included their cafe, car wash and firewood shop.
Can I keep my domain name and email?
Yes. The domain stays in your name and email carries on as it is. A redesign only changes the website.
Other ways we can help with your website
Not sure if your site needs a redesign?
Get a free digital snapshot and we'll tell you honestly whether it needs rebuilding or just fixing.
