5 Signs Your Site Will Survive a Redesign

The web changes fast, but good sites stay useful for years. Here are five “longevity” signals. If you have them, future redesigns will be easier and cheaper.

1) Standards first

Plain HTML text, H1–H3 headings, lists, links. These are building blocks browsers support for decades. The simpler the skeleton, the easier it is to swap colors, fonts, and blocks without breaking meaning. If you strip the “makeup” and the page is still readable — you’re doing it right.

How to check: disable CSS/JS (or open the page in a “clean” browser). Do you still see headings, text, and links? The foundation is solid.

2) Fewer dependencies

Every plugin/widget is another failure point during updates. The fewer add-ons, the more stable the house. Keep only what’s essential: a form, a map, one analytics tool — that’s it.

How to check: list all plugins and write down “why it exists”. If the answer is fuzzy (“just in case”), remove it.

3) Portable content

You should own your text and images: easy to export, move, and re-import on a different host or CMS. No content locked in third-party silos. Photos are plain files; text is in common formats, not trapped in exotic builders.

How to check: could you grab your content to a laptop within an hour? If yes, it’s portable.

4) Human-readable URLs

Short, meaningful paths like /about, /services, /pricing. They help users and make migrations simpler. Long strings of random characters hurt longevity.

How to check: read the URL out loud. Does it make sense where it leads? Then it’s right.

5) Backups and versioning

Redesigns are experiments. Sometimes the new take doesn’t land. With backups and version history, rollbacks take minutes. Without them, every change is risky.

How to check: can you restore yesterday’s site without a developer? If yes, you’re safe.

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15-minute mini-checklist

• Turn off styles/scripts — the page remains readable.
• Each plugin has a clear purpose.
• You can export content as a single archive.
• URLs are short and meaningful.
• Automatic backups at least weekly, and you know the restore path.