Are you redesigning your WordPress website or planning to do so soon? In this blog post, I’ve shared some of the important steps that you must follow to revamp your website efficiently.
Revamping a WordPress website calls for a redesigning process involving enhanced user interface enhancement, SEO upgrading, and performance boost. Regardless of whether you are a business owner, web developer, or a WordPress developer, having a solid redesign strategy will lead to a smooth process.
Below are the 11 steps that are critical for achieving a WordPress site’s redesign.
#1 Save a Copy of Your Website (Backup)
For a successful redesigning process, the first step would be to back up the entire website along with its files, folders, and databases. Thus, you’ll have any and every tool at your disposal should things go south.
For backups, use reputed WordPress backup plugins like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy.
Cloud stores or external drives would be ideal aides in securing the backup.
You want to confirm your backup and make sure that it would be usable whenever it’s needed.
#2 Create a Fresh Installation Of WordPress
This should usually make sure that your live website is not affected and in case it is, there is an easy work around. All that is required is to create a new fresh server on WordPress or within a different directory on your existing server, no extra work is required.
Without skipping a beat, complete your fresh WordPress setup.
Make sure to secure the new setup with essential WordPress security protocols in place.
#3 Install and Customize The New Theme
The next step involved in a WordPress website redesign is to install the new theme and customize it.
Using the proper WordPress theme is important for ensuring the website is up to date, responsive, and attractive to look at.
Purchase a professional WordPress theme from reputable vendors like ThemeForest.
Activate your theme and set up the basic configurations.
If necessary, upload demo files to replicate the design and structure of the website.
#4 Installing and Customizing Plugins
For every WordPress to function properly, it’s crucial to have up-to-date plugins. Therefore, the next step in your website redesign process is to install the necessary plugins on your new website.
Find and add the same plugins as on your old site.
Wherever possible, export plugin data to configure functionality.
If you have no idea how to set up plugins as it can be too technical sometimes, hire a WordPress expert.
#5 Content Exporting from Old Website
During the website redesign process, exporting everything is key to maintaining the content of your website; this includes posts, pages, FAQs, products, essentially everything.
Go to your WordPress dashboard > Tools > Export.
Select “All Content” and request to download the provided XML file.
Keep the file in a safe place as it will be needed later.
#6 Your New Website Content Uploading
Import the exported XML file to your new WordPress installation now.
Access your WordPress dashboard > Tools > Import.
Under the WordPress selection, choose “Run Importer” and choose the file you want to upload.
Make sure to check if all content, including images and texts, has been imported correctly.
After Importing the Content, Review Web Pages and Edit Design As Required
You may wish to fine-tune the look of your new pages after content has been added.
Look for order of content issues and resolve them.
Make sure that the new look meets your company standards and what users expect.
Get in touch with a WordPress designer to help if you have specific issues with the design.
#7 Review Links and Correct any That Are Broken
During website redesign, some links may stop working, which is not rare. But you must make sure to check for those broken links and fix them.
Scan for dead links with Broken Link Checker or Screaming Frog and fix these links.
Modify or redirect dead links to ensure search rankings and hyperlinks remain useful.
Ensure that all links, both internal and external, are working as intended.
#8 Carry Out Your Final Testing of Performance
Another important step in website redesign is to test the performance of the new website. Never launch your website without testing it properly. Good performance ensures better website usability and ranking.
- Use Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to test loading speed.
- Test on different internet browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.
- Test responsiveness on mobile devices using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
#9 Move Tracking Codes Over
Some tracking codes are crucial for the website, such as Google Analytics code, conversion code, Facebook Pixel, etc.
Move over Google and Facebook Analytics, Pixels, and the like.
Test to see if they are capturing information to confirm correct mitigation.
Make sure online store eCommerce tracking is working as intended.
#10 Publish The New Website
The last step in website redesign involves swapping out the existing website with the newly crafted version, as well as ensuring that all of the necessary testing is done satisfactorily.
Transfer the website domain to the newly completed WordPress site.
Look over everything for any forgotten details or mistakes, such as broken links and absent components.
#11 Run a last round of tests for:
Once your website is made live, check again for some of the crucial things like:
- Broken links
- Browser compatibility
- Mobile friendly features
- Speed for loading the page
- Images or content not included