Website redesign checklist.

Step 1 of the website redesign checklist: benchmark the current site

You cannot tell whether a redesign helped or hurt unless you know where you started. Before anyone opens a design file, save a snapshot of how the existing site performs in search and how many enquiries it produces.

Step 2: a content inventory of every page that earns traffic

List every URL the old site has, not just the pages in the menu. Old blog posts, PDFs and forgotten service pages often bring in more search traffic than the home page.

• Pull URLs from the XML sitemap, a full crawl of the site, the Search Console pages report and your analytics landing pages
• Flag pages that other websites link to, because those links carry weight you want to keep
• Mark each page keep, merge, rewrite or remove, with a reason
• Include images and documents customers download, such as price lists and brochures

Step 3: URL mapping and 301 redirects in a website redesign

Broken or missing redirects are one of the main ways a redesign loses rankings. Every old URL needs a new home.

Step 4: keep the page titles and content that already rank in NZ

A new look is rarely the risk. Rewriting or deleting the words Google already trusts is. Use your Search Console export to see which pages win which searches, then protect them.

• Keep the title tags, headings and main body copy of pages that rank, or improve them deliberately rather than replacing them
• Do not merge several ranking service pages into one short page without a plan
• Keep your business name, address and phone number consistent with your Google Business Profile
• Carry over structured data, image alt text and meta descriptions
• Show the new copy to someone outside the business: it should still say plainly what you do and where

Step 5: website speed and mobile checks

In New Zealand, mobile phones accounted for about 42% of web traffic in September 2026 and tablets about 3%, according to Statcounter. Test the new site on a real phone over mobile data, not only on an office screen.

• Largest Contentful Paint: 2.5 seconds or less
• Interaction to Next Paint: 200 milliseconds or less
• Cumulative Layout Shift: 0.1 or less
• Images compressed and sized for the screen, with no heavy video on the first view of a phone
• Phone numbers tap to call and forms are easy to fill with a thumb

These are Google's Core Web Vitals "good" thresholds, measured at the 75th percentile of real visits. Where the site is hosted affects speed too: see our website hosting page.

Step 6: website accessibility checks

Public Service departments and some other New Zealand government agencies must meet the NZ Government Web Accessibility Standard, which since March 2025 (version 1.2) requires WCAG 2.2 Level AA. Private businesses are not bound by that standard, but it is a sensible target: accessible sites are easier for every customer to use and easier for search engines to read.

• Text contrast strong enough to read in sunlight
• Alt text on meaningful images
• Every link, menu and form works with a keyboard
• Form fields have visible labels and clear error messages
• One H1 per page and headings in a logical order
• Captions on video

Step 7: website analytics and conversion tracking

Tracking is easy to lose in a rebuild and hard to notice until the monthly report shows zero. Rebuild it on the staging site and test it before launch.

• Google Analytics 4 tag on every page, with the same key events as before
• Google Ads conversion tags and the Meta pixel moved across if you advertise
• Search Console verification kept, so you do not lose access on launch day
• Every form tested end to end, including who receives the email
• Call tracking numbers and booking widgets still connected

Step 8: website launch-day checks

The first 30 days after a website redesign

Some movement in rankings is normal after any redesign. Google says a small to medium-sized site can take a few weeks for most pages to move in search results, and larger sites take longer. The goal in the first month is to catch real problems early, not to react to every daily wobble.

• Week one: check the Search Console page indexing report and server logs for 404 errors, and add any missing redirects
• Weeks two and three: compare clicks and impressions for your top queries and pages against the benchmark
• Week four: compare enquiries, calls and sales with your baseline month
• Throughout: ask a few customers to use the site and watch where they get stuck

How Airea Digital handles a website redesign in Auckland and NZ

When we rebuild an existing site, we map the content, set up redirects and run technical checks before launch, then monitor the launch and correct issues quickly. Rankings can still move during any migration, so we do not promise they will not.

Not sure your current site needs a full redesign? Start with a website audit. Comparing quotes? Read what a website costs in NZ, or see our web design services.

Website redesign questions from NZ businesses

Will a website redesign hurt my Google rankings?

It can, but it does not have to. Most losses come from missing redirects, deleted content, or a staging "noindex" tag left in place. Following a checklist like this one reduces the risk, though no one can guarantee rankings through a migration.

Do I need 301 redirects if my domain stays the same?

Yes, whenever a page's address changes. If /services/roofing becomes /roofing, the old address needs a permanent redirect to the new one, even on the same domain.

How long should I keep redirects after a redesign?

Google advises keeping them as long as possible, generally at least a year. Keeping them indefinitely also helps visitors who use old bookmarks or links from other sites.

How long does it take Google to settle after a new website launches?

Google says a small to medium-sized site can take a few weeks for most pages to move, and larger sites take longer. Watch Search Console weekly rather than daily.

Should I change my domain at the same time as a redesign?

Only if there is a strong reason. Changing the domain and the site at once adds risk and makes problems harder to trace. If you do, use the Change of Address tool in Search Console.

What does a website redesign cost in New Zealand?

It depends on size and approach. Our NZ website cost guide covers typical 2026 prices, and our own builds start at $1,999 + GST for a Business Site.

Sources: Google Search Central, Site moves with URL changes; web.dev, Web Vitals; Statcounter, desktop vs mobile vs tablet market share in New Zealand (September 2026); digital.govt.nz, About the Web Accessibility Standard 1.2; Google Analytics Help, data retention; Search Console Help, exporting report data; Google Search Central, Debug Google Search traffic drops (16 months of data). Checked 22 October 2026.