A website redesign request for proposal (RFP) directly impacts the quality of proposals and the agency screening process—one of the most important steps on your path to a new and improved digital experience.
In this post, you’ll find everything you need to know about creating a well-composed website redesign RFP and submitting it to top agencies to find your ideal partner.
(We’ve even included a free downloadable template. Scroll down to get your copy!)
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What Is A Website Redesign RFP?
A website redesign request for proposal (RFP) is a document that outlines key details about your project, including its scope, budget and requirements. It is a type of website RFP that businesses create to define their website redesign needs and invite vendors to bid for their project.
As the first step in your project, an RFP allows web design and development agencies to understand your project and determine whether they have the capabilities to deliver what you’re looking for.
In turn, your RFP allows you to compare agency options once you receive bids, and sift through to find the right agency for the job.
Why Do You Need A Website Redesign RFP?
The key benefits of a redesign RFP are that it allows you to:
1. Define Current Challenges & Goals For The Redesign
A website redesign RFP allows you to document the current challenges you’re having with your website, whether they’re related to features, functionalities, design aesthetics or something else.
This allows you to organize and assess your needs, so you can also add your goals or expectations for the project. In turn, this also gives potential agencies a clear picture of your needs and requirements.
2. Explain Vendor Criteria
An RFP gives you a space to clarify the criteria of the website redesign agency you are looking to hire.
Whether your requirements include branding experts, developers who work with a certain platform, or an agency that has a full portfolio of projects completed within your industry, vendors can make sure they’re a good fit before responding.
3. Find The Ideal Agency For Your Redesign
The above points contribute to the main reason why you need a website redesign RFP: to find the ideal agency for your project.
By first collecting bids from agencies that meet your criteria, then filtering potential vendors, your proposal will ultimately lead you to partner with the agency most qualified to work on your redesign.
Free RFP Template For Website Redesign Projects
Download Website RFP Template
Email the download link to:
What To Include In Your Website Redesign RFP
So, what exactly should you include in your website redesign RFP?
We’ll take you through each section, step-by-step:
1. Company Background
By including your company background as part of your RFP, you’re giving potential developers or designers a better understanding of who they’ll be working with.
Knowing why your company exists, how you came to be, and what you aim to achieve allows agencies to get to know you and your brand, before a formal meeting.
2. Website Audience
In the next section of your RFP, you’ll want to define your target audience. Why is this important? Because your potential agency should consider this information highly valuable when it comes to your website redesign.
At Digital Silk, audience research (along with industry and competitor research) plays a vital role in the website strategies we create. From website structure to features, functionalities and the conversion funnel, we create website strategies that focus on the user and your goals.
[Source: SimilarWeb]
3. Current Website Features
Here’s where you’ll dive into your current website, and explain the features that are currently working for your brand.
Imagine that you work for Tiffany & Co. for example, and you have been tasked with leading a website redesign. You’ve gotten positive feedback about the extensive filter options that allow users to find exactly what they’re looking for, like the ability to filter by collections, materials, gemstones, price and more.
In your RFP, you’ll want to explain this feature, and let the agency know that it’s something you’d like to keep, and even expand or upgrade.
[Source: Tiffany]
4. Current Website Challenges
This is where you’ll dive into the nitty gritty — the issues or challenges that you’re facing with your current website.
Perhaps you are struggling to effectively convert your leads, or you can see that users are bouncing far too quickly from your site, and you suspect that it’s due to slow loading speed or confusing navigation (see how Digital Dilk helps to reduce bounce rate of a website after redesign).
By mentioning the current pain points that your website faces, agencies can better understand what changes will need to be made to improve your current site, both technical and aesthetic. This is where adding your website metrics also provide value for potential agencies.
5. New Website Must-Haves
In this section, you’ll outline all of your website must-haves. These are the non-negotiables, so if an agency is unable to deliver, they’re likely not a contender you would consider.
For example, maybe your eCommerce brand has grown significantly, and as part of your redesign, you want to offer your shoppers something new.
On your list of must-haves, you might include a feature similar to the one that Nordstrom offers, where shoes, accessories and items are pulled together to create sample outfits when a visitor is shopping for a product (in this case, a black dress).
[Source: Nordstrom]
6. New Website Nice-To-Haves
In addition to your must-haves, your website redesign RFP should also include a list of nice-to-haves. What’s the difference?
Your nice-to-haves are features or functionalities that you suspect may be out of your budget, and they’re not vital to the user experience, but if they’re possible to include, great!
7. Project Timeline
In the next section, you’ll want to include the timeline you’re hoping or expecting your project to be completed. An agency will compare this timeline to your project’s requirements and include their own timeline in the bid they send over, so you can see how the two align.
8. Project Budget
Your project budget is another aspect that agencies will use to filter your RFP and decide whether they should bid for your redesign. Website redesign costs vary widely, based on the project’s scope.
The best advice we can offer here is to do your homework. Examine your website needs and expectations, and map out a budget that you believe to be realistic. Agencies might respond and say they can work within your budget, or they might counteroffer and explain why it will cost more to deliver your redesign.
If you are still drafting budgets for your project, check out our article on the factors that influence the cost of your website.
9. Project Goals
Including the overall goals for your redesign project will help agencies get to know the “why” behind it.
For example, you might be redesigning to:
- Develop brand authority
- Increase user engagement
- Build a seamless user experience
- Optimize for search engines
- Allow for easier maintenance
10. RFP Submission Instructions
Finally, your website redesign RFP must outline how vendors can submit their proposals to you.
By specifying details, such as document types, delivery methods and deadline, you can streamline the process for the bidder, as well as your own team.
Send us your RFP! Speak with our experts
How To Write Your Website Redesign RFP [Best Practices + Examples]
Now that we’ve gone over what to include, let’s look at some website redesign RFP best practices and examples to ensure that your proposal attracts the best bidders for your project.
1. Be Specific
Avoid beating around the bush! A design agency wants to understand your exact goals and requirements. Keep in mind that many agencies sift through tens or hundreds of RFPs a week.
Example: “We want some kind of feature that engages the user while they shop” vs. “We’re looking to implement a ‘you might also like’ section that pulls up similar items when a visitor is shopping a product.”
2. Include Facts + Figures
Including metrics in your RFP can help an agency get a better overview of where your website is at in terms of performance.
Example: “We have a monthly website traffic of 100,000 and our current bounce rate is 80%”
3. Add Inspirational Web Designs
By adding examples of website designs you love or admire, you can give vendors a visual idea of what you’re after in terms of your redesign.
Example: “We’re looking for a modern design with ample white space, that’s also optimized for mobile, like Samsung.”
[Source: Samsung]
4. Address Your Website Worries
Be honest about all your current website challenges — there’s no reason to hold back here. Only by creating awareness of every aspect that is causing problems, can your website redesign team fix these issues.
Examples: “Our current navigation is confusing to visitors, and we don’t have the current capabilities to offer multiple payment options.”
5. Ask Useful Questions
Questions within your website redesign RFP can act as further filters in your selection process. They are vital in finding an agency with the right level of experience and capabilities for your project.
Examples: “Are your developers experienced with WooCommerce stores?” “How will your team communicate with us during the design process?” “Do you have a website redesign portfolio with projects specifically from within our industry?”
How To Choose An Agency For Your Website Redesign
We recommend a three-step approach to choosing the right partner following website redesign RFP submission reviews.
- Shortlist to top 10 based on proposals: To select a vendor for your project, sort through the submissions and organize them into a smaller list of 5-10 contenders.
- Shortlist to top 3 based on research and reviews: Next, conduct additional research into these shortlisted bidders until you have narrowed it down to your top three or so agencies. This research can include portfolio reviews, client testimonials and more.
- Interview top candidates: Set up a meeting with your top contenders, where you’ll have the opportunity to discuss details like the agency’s processes, deliverables, capabilities and communication style during your potential partnership. Check out our top 5 questions to ask web design and development agencies to assess their qualifications.
Finally, choose the agency that offers you the most confidence in their ability to deliver your project within its full scope, from your needs and requirements to other key details you agree on. Explore this case study and see how Digital Silk helped one of its clients to increase website traffic by 22% in 2 months and lower the bounce rate by 21% after the website redesign.
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Send Us Your Website Redesign RFP
As a full-service web design agency dedicated to growing brands online, our in-house team consists of leading web designers, developers, strategists, branding experts, marketing professionals and beyond.
With a focus on results, we deliver website redesigns for brands of all sizes and across industries, from custom website strategies to end-to-end digital solutions.
Download our free template and send your proposal to our digital specialists for a free quote and consultation.
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