Website redesign for Canadian businesses

Redesign, refresh or rebuild?

Not every tired site needs a full rebuild. A refresh updates look, copy and key pages on the same platform. A redesign changes structure, navigation and templates. A rebuild moves to a new platform. Each costs more and carries more SEO risk than the one before it, so we choose the lightest option that solves your problem.

Our website brief template holds the questions we ask. The usual triggers are slow pages, poor mobile layout, an outdated brand, a hard-to-edit platform or enquiries that have dried up.

If the old site is still bringing in leads, we lean toward a redesign on the same structure. If the platform blocks every change you want, a rebuild is justified, and we plan the migration with extra care.

Protecting what already works

Before changing anything, we list the pages that bring traffic and enquiries, the keywords they rank for and the links pointing to them. Those pages keep their content, headings and URLs where possible. Where URLs must change, each old address gets a one-to-one 301 redirect to the closest new page, never to the home page.

The website redesign checklist and the migration checklist show every step.

Adding French and going bilingual

A redesign is the cheapest moment to add French. Navigation, templates and forms can be built for two languages from the start, rather than patched on later. Each page gets its own URL per language, hreflang tags for en-CA and fr-CA, and a language switcher that links to the matching page.

Quebec's Charter of the French Language sets expectations for commercial communication in Quebec, so if you sell there, confirm what is required with your lawyer. We build the structure and a native reviewer checks the French copy.

Accessibility and privacy built in

We design to WCAG 2.2 AA: sensible heading order, visible focus, form labels, contrast, captions and keyboard access. Ontario's AODA expects accessible websites from many larger organizations, and the same practices help every visitor. We test with a keyboard and a screen reader before launch. See the WCAG 2.2 checklist.

Privacy gets the same attention. Forms say what you collect and why, tags wait for consent where required, and the policy page matches reality. PIPEDA applies across Canada, and Quebec Law 25 adds stricter duties for Quebec visitors.

Design and content approach

We start with the visitor's question, not a mood board: who lands on each page, what they want and what you want them to do next. Pages are drafted as outlines, then designed, so the layout fits the words. Photography should show your real team, premises and work. We advise on shoots, and we do not use stock images that pretend to be your staff.

Copy is written in plain, specific language, with Canadian spelling where your audience expects it. Trust signals such as licences, associations, insurance and years in business appear near calls to action, and only with facts you can show.

Every page gets one primary action, such as call, request a quote or book, and a clearly weaker secondary one. Pages with five competing buttons convert worse and are harder for visitors to understand.

Project timeline

1. Audit and planTraffic, content, tracking and technical review, then a fixed quote within one working day.
2. DesignKey page designs on desktop and mobile, reviewed in two rounds.
3. Build and migrateTemplates, content and redirects built on staging.
4. Launch and watchGo live at a quiet hour, then check errors, rankings and forms daily for two weeks.

We schedule review calls in your morning: 9:00 in Toronto is 19:30 in India in winter. For Vancouver teams we send recorded walk-throughs, since 9:00 there is 22:30 for us.

Pricing

Projects start at $1,500 and our rate is $30 an hour, in US dollars. Page count, languages, integrations and custom features move the quote. Hosting and licences are billed at cost. See the website redesign service page and the redesign cost guide for ranges, and the Canada web overview for related work.