How do I know if my website needs a redesign?

If it's hard to use on a phone, slow to load, hard for you to update, missing from Google searches for what you do, or doesn't make the next step obvious (call, book, buy, get a quote), it's costing you customers.

Should I redesign or start over?

If the problems are on the surface, a refresh can work. If the site is stuck on a platform you can't control, or it was never built for phones, rebuilding from the ground up is usually faster and cheaper in the long run.

How long does a website redesign take?

A basic site is usually ready in 72 hours to a week. A full business site takes about two weeks from first conversation to launch.

Guides · Websites

Seven signs it's time to redesign your business website

By Liam Cohen · October 7, 2026 · 2 min read

A hand wiping a shop window clean with a cloth, a softly lit dining room behind the glass

A website rarely breaks all at once. It just slowly stops pulling its weight. Here’s what to look for.

1. It’s hard to use on a phone

Pull up your own site on your phone right now. If you have to pinch and zoom, hunt for your phone number, or wait for it to load, your customers are doing the same thing, and many of them are giving up.

2. Nobody can find it on Google

Search for what you do and where you do it. If you don’t show up, or your listing is missing hours, photos, or the right phone number, people looking for exactly what you sell are finding someone else. When Smith Insurance Agency came to me, they had no website at all, just unclaimed review profiles on Yelp and Google.

3. The next step isn’t obvious

Every page should make it easy to do the one thing that makes you money: call, book, buy, join, or ask for a quote. If a visitor has to think about what to do next, many won’t.

4. You can’t keep it up to date

Old hours, last year’s menu, or a staff photo from two owners ago tell visitors the business isn’t paying attention, even when it is.

5. You’re paying every month for something you don’t own

If you stop paying your site builder, does your site disappear? Then you’re renting. That can make sense for a while, but it’s worth knowing.

6. It doesn’t look like your business anymore

Businesses grow. If your site still looks like the day you opened, it’s underselling the place you’ve built.

7. It’s slow

People notice a slow site, and so does Google. Big unoptimized photos and bloated templates are the usual causes.

What a redesign should fix

A good redesign isn’t just a new coat of paint. It should leave you with a site that’s built for phones first, loads fast, tells Google exactly what you do and where, and puts the next step in front of every visitor. And it should be yours.

For Marshall Stuart Fine Wines, that meant moving off an aging do-it-yourself site builder to a custom site with a full-screen video, a one-tap path to the online store, and a wine club page built to sign people up. See the Marshall Stuart story.

If a few of these sound familiar, let’s talk. Most of my redesigns take about two weeks.

Common questions

How do I know if my website needs a redesign?: If it's hard to use on a phone, slow to load, hard for you to update, missing from Google searches for what you do, or doesn't make the next step obvious (call, book, buy, get a quote), it's costing you customers.
Should I redesign or start over?: If the problems are on the surface, a refresh can work. If the site is stuck on a platform you can't control, or it was never built for phones, rebuilding from the ground up is usually faster and cheaper in the long run.
How long does a website redesign take?: A basic site is usually ready in 72 hours to a week. A full business site takes about two weeks from first conversation to launch.