Common signs include: outdated design that doesn’t match current branding, forms that don’t work, poor mobile experience, slow loading times, declining traffic/conversion rates, difficulty adding new content, negative user feedback, or the site simply looking “old” compared to competitors (typically every 3–5 years is a good refresh cycle).

A moderate refresh usually takes 6–12 weeks (from kickoff to launch), depending on scope, content readiness, number of pages, approvals, and whether custom development is needed. Very light cosmetic updates can be done in 3–6 weeks; more extensive ones can stretch to 4–6 months.

Access to the current site (CMS login, hosting details), brand guidelines (logo files, colors, fonts), high-resolution photos/logos if available, analytics data (Google Analytics, Search Console), any existing content strategy, target audience info, and a list of must-have features or pain points.

No. The vast majority of refreshes are done on a staging server. Your live site stays up and unchanged until the new version is ready. We then launch with minimal (or zero) downtime, often during low-traffic hours.

Usually no. if URLs stay the same, redirects are handled properly, page speed improves or stays similar, and content isn’t massively deleted. A good refresh actually boosts SEO. We always do a full 301 redirect plan and monitor performance post-launch.

That being said, sometimes a website update is triggered because the quality of traffic has gone down. Maybe the site has been attracting a lot of bot traffic from China, or the content no longer aligns with company goals. In that case, you can expect the overall number of overall visitors to go down, while the quality goes up.

Yes, it can and should.

We keep your existing logo, core brand colors, tone of voice, and everything that makes your brand recognizable exactly as they are right now.
A refresh is not about redesigning your brand or website. It is ensuring that your site meets modern technical standards and design (typography, spacing, imagery style, button treatments, and overall layout) so it feels fresher and more modern while still looking and feeling like your site.

We can make the changes subtle and evolutionary (very close to what you have today) or bolder and more revolutionary — without ever losing your current brand identity.

There are three common options:

1. Your team writes it — We provide a clear content structure, templates, and guidance so you can update the copy yourself.
2. We handle the copywriting — We include professional copywriting as part of the project so the messaging feels fresh and on-brand.
3. We work with your existing copy — We keep your current text and focus on improving how it’s presented (structure, tone, clarity, and flow).

Most clients see the best results when they refresh the copy along with the design. Text that was written 5–10 years ago often sounds dated and doesn’t convert as well as it used to.

Yes! Common additions include better forms, chat widgets, blog/news section improvements, portfolio filters, booking calendars, testimonials sliders, or basic e-commerce elements. Just know that each new feature increases scope, timeline, and cost.