A successful website rebuild can lead to a stronger brand presence and better marketing performance. But website projects can also go seriously wrong, even when you have an agency involved.
Chris Newnham (Breckenridge Agency) is an experienced agency leader who’s spent the last 20 years delivering hundreds of website projects. He says the difference between success and failure often comes down to three things: knowing exactly why you’re doing it, having a clear plan and managing stakeholders effectively.
We caught up with Chris to hear why website projects can go wrong, how to get them right and how to help your agency do a great job.
Why website rebuilds go wrong
Not knowing why you’re doing it
Many businesses rush into a rebuild without understanding what they really want to achieve.
“A client came to us saying they needed a new website,” Chris says, “but after some discovery, they realised the website was actually not the problem. What they really needed was needed was more, higher quality traffic traffic. A new website wouldn’t necessarily fix that, so we suggested a robust content strategy instead.”
A proper discovery process that helps you identify your real goals can save time and money by isolating the real problem you’re trying to solve. A total rebuild isn’t always the answer.
Stakeholder chaos
Projects often go off track because the key decision-makers are not aligned. People have different opinions, priorities, and no clear direction.
“I once sat in a meeting where the CEO revealed the real reason he wanted a new website was because he wanted to exit the business,” Chris says. “The rest of the leadership team had no idea. This is an extreme example, but it’s really important for stakeholders to be on the same page from day one.”
Content bottlenecks
One of the biggest blockers for any website project is content. Businesses often underestimate how much effort is required to create an entire site’s worth of content. And they often forget that there’s more to content than just copy - it also includes imagery and video.
“I’ve had projects stall for months because the client insisted on writing the content themselves but didn’t really know how,” Chris says. “When they finally delivered it, it didn’t fit the site structure at all. It was brochure copy, not web copy and it had to be completely reworked.”
Content should be planned from the start. Who’s creating it? How will it fit into the wireframes? What’s the key messaging? Leaving these decisions too late is a recipe for delays.
Poor change management
Stakeholders and employees can get surprisingly attached to websites. If you change everything overnight without first telling people why you’re doing it and what to expect, you can get a backlash.
“One company we worked with had spent years building a brand, and when they finally decided to refresh it, they announced the change without involving their team,” Chris recalls. “There was an immediate backlash—employees felt like they had no say and resisted the change.”
Change management isn’t about forcing new things on people. It’s about taking them on the journey—helping them understand why change is happening and making them feel part of the process.
The right approach to a website rebuild
Define the purpose before you start
Before you even think about hiring an agency, be clear on what your website needs to achieve. Is it about attracting new leads? Supporting a repositioning? Expanding into a new market?
“The worst projects are the ones that start with ‘We just need a new site’ without a deeper reason,” Chris says. “If you can’t articulate the business case, you’re setting yourself up for a difficult process.”
Appoint a project manager and project owner
A good agency will have a project manager, but businesses also need an internal project owner who can drive things forward from their side.
“The project manager is responsible for managing the agency, holding them accountable, and giving them what they need to do their job,” Chris explains. “The project owner manages internal stakeholders, makes key decisions and keeps the project focused on the agreed end goals. Without this person, it’s easy for the scope to balloon and the project get sidetracked.”
Follow a clear structure
Most web projects have a few key phases—scope, design, development, content, user acceptance testing (UAT), and content strategy. Each of these needs to be planned properly and you want to have a long-term plan for how you’re going to manage the website and drive traffic after it’s launched.
“Websites are never ‘finished,’” Chris says. “The launch is just the start. You need a strategy for keeping it relevant and improving it over time.”
Where should you start?
If you’re thinking about a website rebuild this year, the best place to start is by asking the right questions.
- Why are we doing this? Be clear on the business goals.
- Who needs to be involved? Align key stakeholders before speaking to an agency.
- Who will own the project? Appoint an internal lead to work with the agency.
- What’s our content plan? Know who’s writing it and when.
- What happens after launch? Plan beyond go-live.
Thinking through these points early will help you avoid unnecessary costs, wasted time, and frustrating delays.
A website rebuild isn’t just about getting a new design—it’s about creating a valuable tool that supports your business goals. By defining your purpose, managing stakeholders effectively, and following a structured process, you’ll give your project the best chance of success.
If you’re considering a website rebuild and want expert guidance, our part-time marketing directors can help ensure a smooth delivery.
