Here are 6 major things I learned during my large-scale website redesign process.
1. It’s important for me to have the right person managing the tech side of website design.
Because I’m incorporating a TRIBE membership into my website this time around, I needed a person with experience managing all the pieces that go into that.
2. It helps me to look at other people’s websites to get inspiration.
My favorite inspiration came from MichaelHyatt.com and StartAWildfire.com.
What I noticed on each of these sites was simplicity, clarity, and carefully placed calls to action.
3. It helps me to think of a website as a series of boxes stacked on top of each other.
The top box is most important. It needs to immediately answer the question every website visitor will be asking: “What life change am I going to get—if I stay on this site for 9 seconds?”
This is funny when I think of it—but it’s true!
My top box will say, “Set your kids up to graduate college debt-free and move directly into careers they excel at and love. (Even if they don’t get a single scholarship.)”
I already know—this is an empowerment promise that parents love.
4. For me, the first step on website redesign starts with pencil and paper.
I start by sketching out what I want each website “box” to look like, using a separate 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper for designing each box. This gives me lots of room to write, draw, erase, reconsider, and write again.
(You can see how I sweated over just the revamp of the speaking box alone, here.)
As I do all this, I give careful thought to what I want my viewer’s experience to be as they visit my website.
I want each visitor to immediately know, “Here’s the exciting destination Jeannie takes me to. This is why she’s qualified to be my guide. Here’s my first easy step in getting to her exciting destination, and here’s my second easy step. Here’s what else Jeannie does for me when the need arises.”
5. I take photos of my 8 1/2 x 11 sketches, and I email the photos to my tech person.
She builds what I’m asking for, puts her own professional touches on it, and then invites me to preview it.
6. I comb through what she’s showing me, making clear notes about changes in one or two very long emails.
This time, creating the change notes took me two days!
I’m incredibly excited about this new version of my website!
You can be among the first to see my entire new website when it rolls out by subscribing to my free weekly email newsletter now.
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Who is Jeannie Burlowski?
Jeannie is a full-time academic strategist, podcast host, and sought-after speaker for students ages 12–26, their parents, and the professionals who serve them. Her writing, speaking, and podcasting help parents set their kids up to graduate college debt-free, ready to jump directly into careers they excel at and love. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Huffington Post, USA Today, Parents Magazine, and US News & World Report, and on CBS News.
Jeannie also helps students apply to law, medical, business, and grad school at her website GetIntoMedSchool.com. You can follow her on Bluesky @jburlowski.bsky.social.
No part of this article was written using AI.
This article was updated on January 10th, 2025.