Learn the key metrics to track during your website redesign process. Discover how to measure performance, user experience, and conversions to ensure a successful site launch and improvement.
Last Updated: April 26, 2025
📘 Download Free Ebook: Grow Your Business with Digital MarketingDiscover essential metrics to track during your website redesign project. Learn how to measure performance, user experience, and conversion goals for a successful redesign.
A website redesign can be an exciting but complex process. Whether you’re looking to modernize your site’s look, improve functionality, or increase conversions, measuring the success of your redesign is crucial. The right metrics will not only guide your decisions during the redesign process but also help you assess its effectiveness post-launch. In this blog post, we will explore key website redesign metrics that every business should track to ensure the new site delivers a positive impact on user experience, performance, and overall goals.
One of the most critical indicators of a successful website redesign is how it impacts your traffic. Monitoring visitor behavior can give you valuable insights into the overall appeal and effectiveness of the new design. There are a few key metrics to keep an eye on:
After launching a redesigned website, the first thing you should track is how your overall traffic has changed. Are more people visiting your site compared to before? A jump in traffic can indicate that the new design is more visually appealing or easier to navigate, driving more visitors to your site.
How to Measure: Use tools like Google Analytics to compare traffic before and after the redesign. Look at metrics such as page views, sessions, and unique visitors.
Bounce rate refers to the percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate can suggest that the new design isn’t engaging or that users can’t find the content they’re looking for.
How to Measure: Again, Google Analytics is your best friend here. A significant decrease in bounce rate after the redesign suggests that the new design is more user-friendly and engaging.
Pages per session tells you how many pages a user visits on average during a single session. A higher number of pages per session typically indicates that visitors are exploring your site more thoroughly, which can be a sign of a well-organized and engaging redesign.
How to Measure: Track this metric in Google Analytics, and monitor changes over time to understand how users interact with your site’s content.
Ultimately, the success of a website redesign should be measured by its ability to convert visitors into customers, leads, or whatever your business goal is. Tracking conversions will help you determine whether the new design effectively supports your objectives.
The conversion rate measures the percentage of visitors who complete a desired action on your website, such as making a purchase, filling out a form, or subscribing to a newsletter. This is perhaps the most important metric to track after a redesign, as it directly reflects the effectiveness of your site in meeting your business goals.
How to Measure: Set up conversion goals in Google Analytics and track the number of conversions per visitor. Compare the conversion rate before and after the redesign to see if there’s an improvement.
If your website's primary goal is to generate leads (such as for a service-based business), measuring lead generation should be a top priority. Whether it’s through contact form submissions, email sign-ups, or product trials, track the number of leads your site generates post-redesign.
How to Measure: Create specific goals in Google Analytics for form submissions or email sign-ups and track how many leads are generated over time.
For e-commerce websites, measuring the impact of a redesign on sales is essential. This includes tracking metrics like average order value, cart abandonment rate, and revenue per visitor.
How to Measure: Use e-commerce tracking in Google Analytics to monitor changes in sales, revenue, and shopping behaviors. A well-executed redesign can lead to more seamless shopping experiences, reducing cart abandonment and boosting sales.
The ultimate goal of any website redesign is to enhance the user experience (UX). A well-designed website should be intuitive, responsive, and easy to navigate. Here are some key UX metrics to track:
How long are visitors staying on your site? If users are spending more time on your site after the redesign, it could mean they’re finding the content engaging or navigating the site more easily.
How to Measure: Check the average time spent on site in Google Analytics. Longer session durations can indicate a more engaging user experience.
Page load speed is an often-overlooked but incredibly important metric. A slow-loading website can frustrate users and lead to higher bounce rates and lower conversion rates. Tracking load times before and after a redesign is crucial to ensure your site remains fast and responsive.
How to Measure: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to test load speeds before and after the redesign. Aim for a load time of under 3 seconds to maintain user satisfaction.
With more users accessing websites from mobile devices, tracking mobile usability is essential. A responsive design should ensure that your website works smoothly across all devices.
How to Measure: Google Analytics provides data on mobile vs. desktop traffic, but it’s also important to test your site’s mobile experience using tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
A website redesign can have significant impacts on your site’s search engine rankings. Ensuring that your redesign doesn’t negatively affect your SEO performance is critical. Here are some key SEO metrics to track:
Organic traffic refers to visitors who find your site through search engines. If your redesign results in a dip in organic traffic, it could be due to factors like broken links, slow load times, or changes in URL structure.
How to Measure: Use Google Analytics to track organic traffic. Comparing this metric before and after the redesign will show if there were any SEO-related issues during the redesign process.
The redesign may affect your search engine rankings, so tracking keyword performance is essential. Monitor which keywords are driving traffic to your site, and ensure they remain consistent or improve post-redesign.
How to Measure: Use tools like Google Search Console or third-party SEO tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to track your keyword rankings over time.
A strong backlink profile is a key factor in SEO success. After a redesign, it’s important to monitor your backlinks to ensure that you don’t lose valuable inbound links due to URL changes or content reorganization.
How to Measure: Use tools like Ahrefs, Moz, or Google Search Console to monitor your backlinks and ensure they’re properly redirected after a redesign.
Finally, customer feedback can provide valuable qualitative data on how well your redesign is performing. Surveys, user testing, and direct feedback can help identify pain points or areas for improvement.
Ask your users directly about their experience with the new design. You can use tools like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms to gather feedback on the design, functionality, and overall experience.
How to Measure: Analyze survey results for common themes or complaints. Positive feedback can indicate a successful redesign, while negative feedback may point to areas that need further refinement.
Heatmaps track where users click, scroll, and hover on your site. By analyzing heatmaps, you can get a clear picture of how users interact with your redesigned site.
How to Measure: Use tools like Hotjar or Crazy Egg to track heatmaps and user recordings. These tools can show you which areas of your site are getting the most attention and which sections might need improvement.
Measuring the success of your website redesign requires a combination of quantitative and qualitative metrics. From traffic and conversions to user experience and SEO performance, tracking these key metrics will help you determine whether your new site is meeting its goals. By continuously analyzing and optimizing based on data, you can ensure your website remains effective in attracting, engaging, and converting visitors. So, before diving into your next redesign, make sure you’re ready to track these essential metrics for a truly successful launch.
