Web Design

Website Redesign ROI: Key Metrics for CMOs

Ken Metral

09 Feb 2025 — 5 min read

A website redesign is more than just a facelift—it’s a strategic move to enhance user experience, improve performance, and drive business growth. However, for CMOs, proving the return on investment (ROI) of a website overhaul is critical. Without clear, measurable outcomes, it’s impossible to justify the cost and effort.

To ensure a redesign delivers tangible business results, CMOs must track key performance indicators (KPIs) that reflect improved engagement, conversions, and revenue impact. Here’s a deep dive into the most important metrics that determine website redesign ROI.

1. Traffic & User Engagement: Are More People Visiting and Staying?

A successful redesign should enhance visibility and engagement. Here’s how to measure that:

Organic Traffic Growth

Your new website should be optimized for search engines, leading to increased organic traffic. Key indicators include:

Total Organic Sessions: Are more visitors arriving via search?
Keyword Rankings: Are you ranking higher for relevant terms?
Click-Through Rate (CTR): Are more users clicking your search results?

Pro Tip: Use Google Search Console to track keyword performance and identify any drops caused by URL structure changes or missing redirects.

Bounce Rate & Dwell Time

Bounce rate measures the percentage of visitors who leave after viewing just one page. A redesign should lower this metric if the new site is more engaging.

Lower bounce rates indicate improved content and better UX.
Higher dwell time means users find your site valuable and stay longer.

Session Duration & Pages per Session

These metrics reveal whether your redesign is effectively guiding users through a seamless journey.

If session duration increases, it signals better content and navigation.
More pages per session suggest that visitors are exploring more of your website.

Tracking Tools: Google Analytics, Hotjar (for heatmaps), Microsoft Clarity (for session recordings).

2. Conversion Rate: Are Visitors Taking Action?

Ultimately, traffic means nothing without conversions. Whether your goal is lead generation or sales, a website redesign should improve conversion rates.

Lead Generation & Form Submissions

Are more visitors signing up for newsletters, free trials, or gated content?
Track form submissions, live chat inquiries, and demo requests.

Pro Tip: Compare conversion rates on high-intent pages before and after the redesign.

E-commerce Performance (If Applicable)

For businesses selling online, key e-commerce metrics include:

Cart Abandonment Rate: A lower rate suggests a smoother checkout process.
Average Order Value (AOV): Are users spending more post-redesign?
Revenue per Visitor (RPV): A crucial metric showing site efficiency.

Call-to-Action (CTA) Click-Through Rate

Your new design should make CTAs more compelling and easier to find.

Compare CTA click-through rates (CTRs) pre- and post-redesign.
Test different placements and copy to optimize performance.

Tracking Tools: Google Analytics, HubSpot, Shopify Analytics (for e-commerce).

3. SEO Performance: Did Rankings Improve or Drop?

A website redesign can be a double-edged sword for SEO. If done correctly, it boosts rankings and traffic. If mishandled (e.g., missing redirects, slow page speeds), it can tank your visibility.

Keyword Performance & Domain Authority

Use SEMrush or Ahrefs to check if your domain authority increased.
Are you ranking for more high-intent keywords?
Have you lost rankings due to structural or content changes?

Backlink Retention

A redesign often involves URL changes. If redirects aren't set up properly, you could lose valuable backlinks.

Monitor lost backlinks with Ahrefs or Moz.
Ensure proper 301 redirects to preserve link equity.

Indexing & Technical SEO

Check for crawl errors in Google Search Console.
Ensure all new pages are indexed and canonicalized correctly.

Pro Tip: A slow-loading site post-redesign can hurt rankings. Optimize Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID, CLS) for better performance.

4. Page Speed & Performance: Is Your Website Faster?

Speed plays a critical role in both user experience and SEO. A slow website leads to higher bounce rates and lower conversions.

Key Performance Metrics

Page Load Time: Aim for under 3 seconds for optimal UX.
Core Web Vitals (CWV):
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures load speed of main content.
- First Input Delay (FID): Measures how quickly users can interact.
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Measures visual stability.

How to Improve Speed Post-Redesign

Compress images using WebP format.
Implement lazy loading for below-the-fold content.
Use a CDN (Content Delivery Network) for faster global loading times.
Minimize JavaScript and third-party scripts that slow performance.

Tracking Tools: Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, Lighthouse.

5. User Experience & Accessibility: Is the Site Easier to Use?

Beyond speed, a redesign should create a more intuitive and accessible experience.

User Behavior Analysis

Heatmaps & Click Tracking: Identify friction points where users struggle.
Session Recordings: Watch real user interactions to detect drop-off points.
Navigation Testing: Are users finding information faster?

Mobile Optimization

With 60%+ of web traffic coming from mobile, your redesign must be mobile-first.

Is the mobile bounce rate lower than before?
Are key elements (buttons, CTAs) easy to tap?

Accessibility Compliance

ADA compliance and WCAG standards ensure inclusivity.

Use tools like WAVE or axe to check for accessibility issues.
Fix contrast, alt text, and keyboard navigability.

6. Revenue Impact & ROI Calculation: Did the Redesign Pay Off?

At the end of the day, the real measure of success is revenue growth.

Revenue-Based KPIs

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): Has the cost per lead decreased?
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): Are customers returning more often?
Revenue per Visitor: Are you monetizing traffic more effectively?

How to Calculate Website Redesign ROI

A simple formula for ROI:

ROI = [(Revenue Growth - Redesign Cost) / Redesign Cost] × 100

Positive ROI: Higher conversion rates and revenue growth exceed redesign costs.
Negative ROI: Low performance means adjustments are needed.

Final Thoughts: Measuring Website Redesign Success

A website redesign isn’t just about aesthetics—it must deliver measurable business value. By focusing on traffic growth, user engagement, conversions, SEO performance, speed, UX, and revenue impact, CMOs can quantify ROI effectively.

The key is continuous tracking and optimization. Use data-driven insights to make improvements post-launch and ensure long-term success.

Next Steps:

Conduct a before-and-after audit of these metrics.
Use A/B testing to fine-tune UX and conversion rates.
Keep optimizing for search engines and user engagement.

A redesign isn’t a one-time fix—it’s an ongoing strategy for digital growth.

Our team specializes in high-performance website redesigns that drive growth, engagement, and revenue for top brands. Let’s talk about how we can help you maximize ROI.