Website Relaunch: 10 Mistakes Swiss SMBs Must Avoid

Your website relaunch shouldn't be a gamble

A relaunch is one of the biggest investments an SMB can make in its digital presence. Done right, it brings more leads, better rankings, and a strong brand image. Done wrong, you lose your Google positions overnight – and with them, your most important source of new customers.

We see these mistakes in nearly every relaunch project done without strategy. Here are the 10 most common – and how to avoid them.

1. No SEO audit before the relaunch

Before changing anything, you need to know what's working. Which pages bring traffic? Which keywords rank? Which content generates inquiries? Without this analysis, you're rebuilding blind – and potentially destroying your most valuable pages.

Solution: Evaluate Google Search Console and Analytics. Identify the top 20 pages by traffic and conversions. These pages get top priority during the relaunch.

2. Missing URL redirects (301 redirects)

The classic mistake: new URL structure, old URLs lead nowhere. Google has indexed your old pages, backlinks point to old URLs. Without 301 redirects, you lose all SEO power overnight.

Solution: Every old URL must redirect to its corresponding new URL. Create a redirect map BEFORE launch and test thoroughly.

3. Content is copied instead of rewritten

The most common misconception: "The texts are fine, we just need a new design." If your current texts aren't generating inquiries, a new design won't change that.

Solution: Every page needs a strategic copy review. What's the message? Who are we addressing? What's the call-to-action? Write copy BEFORE design.

4. Mobile optimization is an afterthought

Over 60% of web traffic comes from smartphones. Google primarily indexes the mobile version of your website. Yet many agencies design desktop first and "adapt later."

Solution: Mobile-first design. The smartphone version is conceived first, desktop after. Not the other way around.

5. No conversion tracking set up

The new website is live – looks amazing. But how many inquiries are coming in? Nobody knows because tracking is missing. Without data, there's no optimization.

Solution: Before launch: set up Google Analytics 4, define conversion events (form submission, phone click, email click), connect Google Search Console.

6. Load time is ignored

The new design features large images, embedded videos, animations, and three different fonts. Looks stunning – but takes 8 seconds to load. 53% of mobile users leave a site that takes more than 3 seconds to load.

Solution: Set a performance budget from the start. WebP/AVIF images, lazy loading, minimal JavaScript. PageSpeed Insights as a mandatory pre-launch check.

7. No content plan for after launch

The relaunch is the starting point, not the finish line. Many SMBs invest once and then leave the website unchanged for two years. But Google rewards fresh, relevant content.

Solution: Editorial plan with at least one blog post per month. Strategically cover topics your customers search for on Google.

8. No staging environment for testing

Making changes directly on the live website? A guaranteed recipe for problems. Broken links, faulty forms, incorrect redirects – we've seen it all.

Solution: Use a staging environment that mirrors the live site exactly. Test everything there, run QA, then deploy.

9. The "About Us" page is neglected

For most SMB websites, the About page is the second or third most visited page. Yet it often contains just a photo and three sentences. A missed opportunity to build trust.

Solution: Use the About page as a conversion element. Show real people, demonstrate expertise, add trust signals, and include a clear CTA.

10. No clear goal for the relaunch

"We want a more modern website" isn't a goal. How many inquiries per month are you aiming for? What conversion rate is targeted? Without measurable goals, a relaunch is just an expensive redesign.

Solution: Define concrete KPIs: inquiries/month, conversion rate, organic traffic. Document these numbers BEFORE the relaunch and compare monthly.

Bottom line: A relaunch is not a design project

A successful relaunch starts with strategy, not colors and fonts. Avoiding the 10 mistakes above gives you the best chance of turning your website relaunch into an investment – not an expense.