Website redesign for businesses in South Africa
A redesign gives your existing website a better look, better features, or both, without throwing away the content, systems and web addresses (URLs) that already work.
We redesign existing websites remotely for small businesses, organisations and government departments. We usually rebuild on WordPress, keep what already works, and quote each task from your brief. Tell us about your current site and what you want from it, and we will say what we recommend.
This page is for owners of a site that is already live.
Situations we can help with
Does one of these sound like your site?
Your site looks dated
It still does its job, but it no longer looks like the business you run. A visual refresh gives it a new look, and the content and systems that already work stay in place.
You need it to do more
You want new functionality, not only a new look. We price the options by task, so you can see what each one involves.
Your platform is holding you back
A large product catalogue on a site builder is one example. If your platform cannot do the job, we recommend a rebuild and you choose. If it can, we say so.
Your site is out of date or not secure
We fix that first. A new design should not be built on top of a site that is not secure.
You rely on things that already work
Perhaps a payment or membership set-up your visitors already use, or addresses that other sites link to. We keep them in the rebuild.
You are not sure what you need
Tell us what bothers you about the site. We start with one question: do you want a visual refresh, or new functionality?
Refresh, rebuild or fix first: how we decide
We start with one question: do you want a visual refresh, or new functionality? We then price the options by task and tell you which one we recommend.
A redesign does not always mean starting again. Content and systems that already work are kept in the rebuild, and the quote lists each task, so you can see what is being changed and what is not.
If your current platform can do the job, we say so. If it cannot, for example a large product catalogue on a site builder, we recommend a rebuild and you choose.
If the real problem is security or an out-of-date site, we fix that first. A new design should not be built on top of a site that is not secure.
What the work covers
The work falls into three groups: a review of what you have, keeping what already works, and building and going live.
A review before anything changes
Before we change anything, we get hosting or admin access and take a backup. Then we review:
- the site files and the database
- the plugins and the PHP version
- Search Console, where you have it
WordPress is our default platform. If your site is on another platform, we will tell you honestly whether we can work on it, and other platforms are possible on request. Read more about WordPress development.
Keeping your content, your systems and your old addresses
Content and systems that already work are worth keeping, such as a payment or membership set-up your visitors already use. We keep them in the rebuild.
Old addresses matter too, because other sites link to them and visitors have them saved. For go-live we map each old address to the page that replaces it, so that visitors and search engines are sent to the right new page. Redirects are one of the tasks we list in a quote.
No one can promise a search ranking, and we do not.
Building on a private copy, approval and going live
We build and test the new site on a private, hidden copy, so your live site stays as it is while we work. You review and approve the copy before anything goes live.
For go-live we:
- map old addresses to new ones (redirects)
- back up the site
- sync the final content
- test forms and mail delivery
- switch to the new site
After launch we do updates and fixes when you ask, and some clients keep us on a monthly retainer. See website maintenance.
What we need from you
To redesign a site we ask for:
- Access to the current site: hosting or admin logins, ideally cPanel, and Search Console if you have it.
- Access to your domain, or to whoever manages it.
- Your content and images. We build with your content; if you do not have any, tell us.
- Brand or design files, if they exist.
- The deposit, once you have approved the quote.
How a redesign runs and how we quote
We work remotely and are based in Blouberg, Cape Town, serving clients across South Africa.
The steps from your first message to handover are described in how a project runs.
We have no fixed packages, and every quote is itemised by task, as set out in how we quote.
Useful answers
Will we lose our content and the things that already work?
Content and systems that already work are worth keeping, such as a payment or membership set-up your visitors already use. We keep them in the rebuild.
What happens to our old web addresses and search rankings?
For go-live we map each old address to the page that replaces it, so that visitors and search engines are sent to the right new page. Redirects are one of the tasks we list in a quote. No one can promise a search ranking, and we do not.
Does our current site stay as it is while the new one is built?
Yes. We build and test the new site on a private, hidden copy, so your live site stays as it is while we work. You review and approve the copy before anything goes live.
Do you only work on WordPress?
WordPress is our default platform, and we usually rebuild on it. If your site is on another platform, we will tell you honestly whether we can work on it, and other platforms are possible on request.
Do you help after the new site is live?
After launch we do updates and fixes when you ask, and some clients keep us on a monthly retainer.
Tell us about your site
Send us the address of your current site and what you want to change. We price the options by task and tell you which one we recommend.
Starting a new site instead? See website design. Selling online? See ecommerce website development. Once the new site is live, see website maintenance. If your logo or brand needs the same attention, see graphic design, logo design and brand identity design.
Have a project in mind?
A new website, a shop, a design refresh or a feature your site is missing: tell us a little about what you need and we will talk through the options.