How I Refreshed & Modernized a 5-Year-Old Website Design
If you read that post title and thought, "Only 5 years?! That's practically brand new!" you're not alone. But in the world of websites, trends change, and best practices change, too.
Now, don't get me wrong. If your website is done well, it should not need constant style updates. When I design a custom website for a client, I try to avoid trends because most therapists want something that will last them a long time. For brand recognition, it's great to keep your fonts and colors consistent over time (as long as they still feel aligned with you).
But over a period of five years, we progress as an industry, and we learn how to make websites more inclusive and accessible to every visitor. Also, SEO best practices are constantly evolving.
So today, I'll walk you through a client's website that I completed in 2021. Today's redesign features my awesome client, Lisa Pierce, LICSW, a couples and individual therapist in Cambridge, MA.
Key takeaways from redesigning Lisa’s site.
1. Let people know what you do and where you do it, right away, in the very first section.
Before: We told people what she offered right away, but when they landed on her homepage, they had to scroll all the way to the bottom to find out where her practice was.
After: We’ve placed all that info at the top of the page to give instant clarity!
Why it Matters: Unlike other businesses that aren’t location dependent, for therapy practices, it’s key for people to know your location. If you aren’t licensed where they live they shouldn’t have to dig to find that out.
2. SEO (yikes, my past mistakes!)
Before: Back when I first built Lisa's site, my SEO knowledge was… let's just say, limited.
After: This time around, we:
✔️ Added proper page descriptions and page titles
✔️ Updated her site title with relevant SEO keywords
✔️ Wrote alt text that actually describes the images (instead of just stuffing in keywords—oof, not cool, past me!)
Why it Matters: SEO or Search Engine Optimization, is what helps potential clients find you online! To learn more about why SEO matters check out my post Why Every Therapist in Private Practice Should Understand SEO (Even Just a Little).
3. Ditch this one design that everyone loves to use (but is bad for accessibility).
Before: Some of her text was placed over detailed images, making it hard to read.
After: We updated these sections by either adding a background overlay or moving text to a solid-colored section.
Why It Matters: People love the look of text over a background image, but it's not great for accessibility. It makes reading difficult for people with visual impairments. A better approach is to use solid backgrounds, add an overlay or background behind the text, or place text in a separate section with a solid background.
4. Simplify your navigation.
Before: The old site made visitors immediately choose between “Couples Therapy” or “Individual Therapy” in the hero section. We also had “home” in the main menu.
After: We changed this so people can take their time exploring instead of feeling like they have to decide immediately. Now, the homepage follows best practices by offering clear, welcoming messaging and easy navigation. We also removed “Home” from the main menu because modern websites don’t need it—most users instinctively click the logo to return to the homepage.
Why It Matters: A clear navigation means people can find what they need easily (making them less likely to bounce from your site).
5. Put a face to the name.
Before: Lisa’s homepage didn’t include photos of her 😱
After: We added professional photos of Lisa to help potential clients feel a stronger connection and trust. We also introduced a bio section on the homepage with a button leading to her full About page, making it easier for visitors to learn more about her approach and background.
Why It Matters: Therapy is deeply personal. Seeing the therapist they might work with makes clients feel more comfortable and helps build rapport before they even book a session.
(For more on homepage best practices check my post Why Your Homepage Matters)
6. Simplify your language. Make answers easy to find.
Before: The FAQ section was long and required scrolling. It also had complicated instructions about appointment scheduling.
After: We converted it into an accordion menu, making it visually cleaner and easier to navigate. We also streamlined the copy about new client processes and telehealth.
Why It Matters: People are usually in distress when they visit your website. When people are in distress, simplicity matters. Make it easy for people to find what they are searching for.
7. Invest in professional photography (if you can).
Before: Lisa’s previous website featured a selfie instead of professional photography.
After: She invested in high-quality professional headshots, instantly elevating her website’s visual appeal.
Why It Matters: In my opinion, nothing can transform a DIY website into a professional-looking site like professional brand photos. A well-lit, professional photo conveys credibility and warmth. While selfies may work for social media, a professional website benefits from polished, high-resolution images that will look crisp no matter the device size your visitor is using.
8. Go bolder with your branding!
Before: Lisa had a subtle background pattern and a lighter color palette with little contrast.
After: We introduced a bolder pattern, more vibrant colors, a stronger color palette, and added contrast with subtle, elegant borders to make the design more visually engaging and textured.
Why It Matters: So many therapy websites look the same these days!! A thoughtful color palette and well-defined design elements make a website feel more polished and cohesive and will make your website stand out from all the other sites your visitor has clicked through.
9. Using the right logo for the web.
Before: Lisa's original logo was detailed and small, making it hard to read on different screen sizes. It also had a more stacked or vertical design, which meant it took up more space in the header.
After: We updated her logo to be more readable and scalable across devices, it's also now vertical, so we could minimize dead space in the header.
Why It Matters: Small, intricate logos may look great on business cards but don’t always translate well to screens. The best website logos are simple and easy to read.
She can still use this original logo for things like her email signature or printed materials that always appear the same size.
10. Add a custom “favicon” (aka, browser icon).
Before: Lisa’s site didn’t have a custom favicon, so the “Squarespace cube” was displayed in browser tabs by default instead.
After: We created a custom favicon that aligns with her brand, using a simplified version of her logo.
Why It Matters: A favicon is a small but mighty branding tool! It helps your site look polished and professional while making it easier for visitors to recognize and return to your website if they have multiple tabs open. Plus, it's a subtle trust signal—sites with generic favicons can sometimes feel unfinished or less credible. And it's also a trust signal for SEO to search engines like Google.
(Learn how to add your own favicon to a Squarespace site here)
11. Keep your content current (ahem, looking at you, pandemic-era language).
Before: The website still had pandemic-era language (yep, “flatten the curve” was still there), and the footer copyright date still said 2021. 😬 Plus it reflected some of Lisa’s old specialties.
After: We updated the language and the year in the footer. Lisa's specialty descriptions were also refined to better reflect her current work.
Why It Matters: Your website should evolve as your practice does! Outdated content can make a site feel neglected and make people less likely to reach out to you.
Thinking About Refreshing Your Own Website?
If your website feels outdated (or if you're cringing at old SEO mistakes like I was), maybe it's time for an update!
For done-for-you custom design, check out my Website-in-a-Week service.
Need to DIY? Don’t start from scratch! Check out our Squarespace website templates for therapists and get extra support with our specialized website courses for therapists.
