Website Redesign: The 5-Step Process I Use on Every Project
Your website might look perfectly fine.
Totally acceptable. Professionally adequate.
And yet — if it's not doing anything for your business, it doesn't really matter how it looks, does it?
I recently did a full start-to-finish redesign of my own website, and I filmed the entire process so you could see exactly how it works — not just the glossy before-and-after, but every decision along the way.
The same five steps I use on real client projects. Whether you're tackling your own site or building sites for paying clients, this is the process.
Prefer to watch? Catch the full tutorial below, or keep reading for the overview.
The five steps I use for every website redesign
Step 1 — Gather visual inspiration
Before a single design decision gets made, I build out a brand vibe inspiration board.
Not just websites — images that capture the colours, textures, lifestyle, and feeling I want the site to embody. The goal is to step into the mindset of my ideal client and make sure the design speaks to them visually before I've touched the builder.
I pin freely at first, then edit ruthlessly. Anything that doesn't feel cohesive with the rest gets removed. What's left becomes the North Star for every decision that follows — fonts, colours, images, layout. I keep it open on a second screen the entire time I'm working.
Once the brand vibe board is locked in, I add a second tab of website section screenshots — specific navbars, hero layouts, typography treatments I love — pulled from designer portfolios and template shops. These are the details I'll reference when I'm actually building.
Step 2 — Map out the site map
A site map isn't glamorous, but skipping it creates a confusing website.
So: which pages actually need to exist, which earn a spot in the top navigation, and what goes in the footer?
The rule I follow is six or fewer items in the top nav — and your homepage doesn't need to be one of them. Everyone knows clicking the logo takes them home. That slot is valuable. Use it for pages that do actual work for your business.
Navigation naming matters more than most people think. Your nav labels need to be immediately clear to someone who's never met you.
"Complimentary gifts" is charming on a page — it's baffling as a navigation link. "Resources" does the job. Save the personality for the page itself, where you have room to explain it.
Step 3 — Write the copy
I'm going to say the thing designers hate hearing: your design does not sell. Your copy does.
It is the single most important factor in whether or not your website actually works for your business.
The biggest copy mistakes are overloading pages with text and blending in — sounding like every other business in your space. The fix is to write for one specific person (your actual dream client) and make it unapologetically for them.
The best copy sounds like you've been eavesdropping on your ideal client's therapy sessions. Get that specific.
For full page rewrites, I use Ashlyn Carter's copy templates — they're not mine to share, but I've linked them below. For quick section rewrites, I use ChatGPT as a writing assistant, then edit for voice.
One tip: always tell it what it is, give it context about the page, and ask it to remind itself of best practices before writing. Then expect to edit the result — it often gets close but not quite right on the first pass.
Once the copy is written, structure it for skimmability. Break up long paragraphs. Use headings and subheadings to guide the eye. Use bullet points liberally.
And always have a clear call to action — never leave someone wondering what they're supposed to do next.
Step 4 — Choose the right photos
Even perfect copy and layout can be undermined by the wrong images.
Photos set the mood before a visitor reads a single word. The rules I follow: match your brand aesthetic, keep images cohesive in tone and lighting, and avoid anything that looks obviously stock-staged (no suits and high-fives unless that is genuinely your vibe).
For my own redesign, I used a mix of brand photos from a shoot I did in Paris and stock images from Elevate Visuals and Editorial Stock Images — I've got affiliate links to both in the video description.
Free options I love: Unsplash, Kaboompics, and Pexels. The trick is always to have your inspiration board open alongside your photo options and ask: does this fit?
Step 5 — Build it live
This is the part you really need to watch.
I redesign my resources page in real time — duplicating it first so the live site stays untouched — and walk through every layout decision as I make it. You'll see how I find a layout that works, why I'm moving elements around, how I use Squarekicker to do things that aren't natively possible in Squarespace, and how I create visual interest without overwhelming the page.
The honest truth about the build step: finding the right layout for a new section takes time. I spent a while on the first freebie section getting it exactly right.
But once that first section is done, duplicating and adapting it for the rest of the page goes quickly. The hardest work is the first one.
The full walkthrough is in the video — watch over my shoulder as it all comes together.
And if you want to get clear on your site structure, your ideal client, and your goals before you start building, my Start Your Squarespace Site Workbook is the place to begin.
