Website Redesign Proposal
Website Redesign
A conversion-focused website built to enroll families — turning every visiting parent into a touring parent.
20
Campus Pages to Rebuild
60+
Total Pages in Scope
2-3x
Projected Conversion Lift
Your website is the front door to Stepping Stone School for thousands of parents every month. Right now, that front door is doing a lot of things — but it isn't optimized for the one thing that matters most: converting a browsing parent into a touring parent.
The current site runs on a custom WordPress theme that has served the business well, but it carries the weight of years of incremental additions — 20 campus pages, dozens of program pages, blog content, enrollment forms, career pages — layered onto an architecture that wasn't designed to scale this way. The result is a site that's content-rich but conversion-poor.
This proposal outlines a complete website redesign built around three principles: speed, structure, and conversion. We'll rebuild the site on a modern WordPress framework, restructure the information architecture around parent decision journeys, and design every page to drive the action that fills classrooms — scheduling a tour.
1
Current Site Assessment
What's Working
Strong content foundation — substantial content about programs, curriculum, campus details, safety, and nutrition. Most daycare websites are thin.
Individual campus pages — dedicated pages for each of your 20 campuses is the right architecture for multi-location SEO.
Established brand voice — the "much more than a daycare" positioning is compelling and communicated clearly.
Blog presence — active blog with parenting and education content supports topical authority.
What Needs to Change
| Issue | Current State | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Page Speed | Heavy custom theme with unoptimized assets, render-blocking scripts, large image files | Slow load times increase bounce rates and hurt Google rankings |
| Mobile Experience | Responsive but not mobile-first. Navigation is complex on small screens. CTAs are buried. | 60-70% of parent searches happen on mobile |
| Conversion Paths | Tour scheduling CTA exists but competes with 6+ navigation items. No persistent CTA on campus pages. | Parents can browse for minutes without encountering a clear next step |
| Campus Pages | Identical template copy across all 20 pages. No unique local content, reviews, or neighborhood context. | Pages don't rank for non-branded local terms |
| Info Architecture | Deep navigation with nested menus. Programs, curriculum, and campus info spread across many layers. | Decision fatigue leads to exit |
| Schema Data | Minimal or no structured data markup on campus pages. | Missing rich SERP visibility |
| Form Experience | Tour scheduling and enrollment forms are separate pages, not integrated into browsing flow. | Every extra click is a lost conversion |
| Visual Design | Functional but dated. Doesn't reflect the premium quality of your facilities. | Parents judge quality by website before they visit |
2
Redesign Strategy
This isn't a cosmetic refresh. It's a strategic rebuild designed to turn your website into an enrollment machine. Every design decision is evaluated against one question: does this help a parent decide to schedule a tour?
Principle 1
Speed First
A 1-second delay in page load time reduces conversions by 7%. For a site that serves parents on-the-go, speed is the foundation everything else is built on.
Our approach: Rebuild on Hello Elementor with Elementor Pro — a lightweight, performance-optimized WordPress framework. Implement lazy loading, critical CSS inlining, and modern server-level caching. Serve images in WebP format. Target sub-3-second load times on mobile.
Principle 2
Structure Around Decision Journeys
Parents don't browse daycare websites for fun. They move through predictable stages: "Is this a good school?" → "Do they have what I need?" → "Is there a location near me?" → "How do I see it in person?"
Our approach: Flatten the navigation to 4-5 primary items. Surface programs, locations, and tours within one click. Build each page around a single decision stage with a clear next step. Remove dead-end pages.
Principle 3
Every Page Is a Landing Page
With SEO and paid search driving traffic to campus pages, service pages, and blog posts, any page could be a parent's first impression. Every page needs to stand on its own as a complete conversion experience.
Our approach: Persistent tour scheduling CTA on every page. Inline tour request forms on campus and program pages. Social proof visible above the fold. Clear campus finder integration so parents always know where the nearest location is.
3
Proposed Site Architecture
The current site has a deep, nested structure that buries important content. The redesign flattens this into a clear, intuitive hierarchy that serves both parents and search engines.
Primary Navigation (5 Items)
What's Different
"Schedule a Tour" becomes a permanent, visually distinct navigation item (button-styled, contrasting color) rather than one of many links. "Careers" and "Enrollment" move to the footer — they serve important audiences but shouldn't compete with the primary parent journey.
Key Page Template Redesigns
🏠 Homepage
❌ Current
Image slider with 6+ rotating panels, dense text, and multiple competing CTAs. Spring Break camp, awards, philanthropy, and enrollment all fighting for attention.
✓ Redesign
Single hero with a clear value prop ("Austin's Favorite Preschool Since 1979") and one dominant CTA ("Find a School Near You"). Below-the-fold flows in decision order: Programs → Campus finder → Trust signals → Blog. No sliders.
🏫 Campus Pages (×20)
❌ Current
Identical boilerplate copy across all 20 pages. Same program descriptions, same curriculum text. Differ only in address and a brief intro. No reviews, no photo galleries, no unique local content.
✓ Redesign
Each campus becomes a unique, locally-optimized landing page: campus photo gallery, Google Reviews integration, neighborhood context, programs offered, staff highlights, embedded tour form, Google Map, and hours. Title tags target "daycare [city]" keywords.
📚 Program Pages
❌ Current
Nested under "Platinum Learning for Life" with heavy curriculum language. Informative but dense. No clear conversion path from reading about a program to scheduling a tour.
✓ Redesign
Parent-first language: what your child will experience, milestones they'll hit, what a typical day looks like. Visual development timeline. Inline "Find This Program Near You" campus selector. Each page targets service-level keywords.
📍 Campus Finder (Interactive)
❌ Current
Static "Find a School" page with a list of campus links and a basic map.
✓ Redesign
Interactive map with auto-detect location, address/zip search, and filter by program type. Each pin shows campus photo, programs, distance, and a direct "Schedule Tour" button. Becomes a primary SEO landing page for "daycare near me."
4
Technical Specifications
Platform & Framework
| Component | Current | Proposed |
|---|---|---|
| CMS | WordPress (custom theme) | WordPress (modern theme framework) |
| Theme Framework | Custom-built, legacy code | Hello Elementor |
| Page Builder | Unknown / custom | Elementor Pro |
| Hosting | Current provider (TBD) | WP Engine or Cloudways |
| CDN | Unknown | Cloudflare |
| Image Format | JPG / PNG | WebP with fallbacks, lazy-loaded |
| Caching | Unknown | Server-level + WP Rocket |
| Forms | Separate pages | Elementor Forms (inline + modal) |
| Maps | Basic embed | Custom Google Maps with campus clustering |
| Analytics | Facebook Pixel observed | GA4 + GTM + full conversion tracking |
| Schema | Minimal | Full LocalBusiness + ChildCare schema |
Performance Targets
Page Load (Mobile)
< 3s
Google's mobile-first threshold
LCP
< 2.5s
Largest Contentful Paint
CLS
< 0.1
Visual stability
INP
< 200ms
Responsiveness
PageSpeed Score
85+
Google's benchmark
Accessibility
95+
WCAG 2.1 AA compliance
Conversion Features
Sticky Header CTA: "Schedule a Tour" button stays visible as parents scroll on every page.
Inline Tour Forms: Tour scheduling forms embedded directly on campus and program pages — no extra clicks required.
Exit-Intent Popup: When a parent moves to leave the site, a gentle tour invitation appears (mobile: scroll-triggered).
Click-to-Call: Tap-to-call button on mobile with campus-specific phone numbers.
Live Chat / Chatbot: Integration-ready for a chat widget that routes to tour scheduling.
Google Reviews Integration: Aggregate review scores displayed on campus pages, pulled dynamically from Google Business Profiles.
Social Proof Bar: Persistent trust strip showing "Voted Best in Childcare 27 Years | 200,000+ Children Served | 20 Locations."
Campus Comparison Tool: Allow parents to compare 2-3 campuses side-by-side (programs, hours, distance).
5
SEO-Integrated Design
A beautiful website that nobody finds is a billboard in the desert. This redesign is built from the ground up to support SEO and paid search campaigns.
| SEO Objective | Website Design Decision |
|---|---|
| Rank for "daycare [city]" | Each campus page title, H1, and content uniquely target city/neighborhood + service keywords |
| Rank for "infant daycare austin" | Dedicated program landing pages for each service line, optimized for service + location keywords |
| Capture "near me" searches | Interactive campus finder with geo-detection becomes primary landing page for local intent |
| Build topical authority | Hub-and-spoke architecture links blog → program pages → campus pages in clear hierarchy |
| Improve local pack visibility | Full LocalBusiness + ChildCare schema on every campus page, connected to GBP listings |
| Reduce bounce rate | Sub-3-second load times, mobile-first design, and clear conversion paths |
| Support paid search | Dedicated landing page templates for Google Ads with distraction-free layouts and prominent CTAs |
| Internal link equity | Automated related campus/program suggestions, breadcrumbs, and contextual cross-links |
Why This Matters for ROI
SEO and paid search campaigns drive traffic to your website. But traffic alone doesn't enroll children — your website converts that traffic into tour bookings. A redesign that doubles your conversion rate effectively doubles the ROI of every dollar spent on SEO and Google Ads. That's why we recommend the website redesign as the foundation for your entire digital marketing strategy.
6
Project Timeline
The redesign follows a phased approach that allows for feedback loops at each stage. No surprises — you'll see and approve every major decision before we build.
Weeks 1-2
Discovery & Strategy
Stakeholder interviews, content audit, competitor UX analysis, user journey mapping, wireframe strategy doc
Weeks 3-4
Information Architecture
Sitemap, page hierarchy, navigation design, URL mapping with 301 redirects, content migration plan
Weeks 5-8
Design
Homepage mockup, campus page template, program page template, mobile designs. Two rounds of revisions included.
Weeks 9-14
Development
WordPress build on staging environment. All 20 campus pages, program pages, campus finder, forms, schema, speed optimization.
Weeks 13-15
Content Migration
Migrate and optimize existing content. Rewrite campus page copy for local SEO. Update imagery.
Weeks 15-16
QA & Testing
Cross-browser testing, mobile testing, speed audits, form testing, accessibility audit, SEO pre-launch checklist.
Week 17
Launch
DNS migration, 301 redirect implementation, post-launch monitoring, Google Search Console verification.
Weeks 18-20
Post-Launch Support
Bug fixes, performance monitoring, conversion tracking validation, 30-day hypercare period.
Total Project Timeline
20 Weeks (~5 Months)
Accounts for 20 campus pages, multiple templates, interactive map, and careful content migration
7
Pages in Scope
| Page Type | Quantity | Design | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homepage | 1 | Custom design | Full custom layout |
| Campus Pages | 20 | Template + unique content | Each with local SEO copy |
| Program Pages | 7 | Template design | Infant through Summer Camp |
| Campus Finder | 1 | Custom interactive | Map + filtering |
| About / Why Us | 1 | Custom design | Trust & differentiation |
| Curriculum Overview | 1 | Template design | Platinum LFL hub |
| Safety & Security | 1 | Template design | |
| Testimonials | 1 | Template design | Aggregated reviews |
| FAQs | 1 | Template design | Schema-enhanced |
| Blog Index + Template | 1 | Template design | Archive + single post |
| Schedule a Tour | 1 | Custom conversion | Multi-step form |
| Enrollment | 1 | Template design | |
| Careers | 1 | Template design | |
| Contact | 1 | Template design | |
| Privacy / Legal | 2 | Minimal | |
| Google Ads Landing Pages | 3-5 | Conversion template | Streamlined PPC pages |
| Total | 60-65 Pages |
8
Investment
This project is priced to reflect the scope: 60+ pages, 20 unique campus pages with local content, interactive map functionality, conversion optimization features, full SEO integration, and careful content migration to protect existing rankings.
| Phase | Investment | Payment Milestone |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery, Strategy & IA | $8,000 | Due at project kickoff |
| Design (Desktop + Mobile) | $12,000 | Due at design kickoff |
| Development & Build | $22,000 | 50% at dev start, 50% at staging |
| Content Migration & Optimization | $8,000 | Due at content phase start |
| QA, Launch & Hypercare | $5,000 | Due at launch |
Total Website Redesign Investment
$55,000
Paid in 5 milestone payments over the project timeline
60-65 pages built
20 unique campus pages
Interactive campus finder
Full SEO + conversion optimization
Ongoing Website Support
After launch, we recommend an ongoing support retainer to handle updates, security, performance monitoring, and content changes:
Essentials — $750/mo
WordPress updates, security monitoring, daily backups, uptime monitoring, 2 hours of content changes
Growth — $1,500/mo
Everything in Essentials + 5 hours of content/design changes, monthly speed audits, CRO recommendations
Your Website Should Work As Hard As Your Team Does
For 45 years, Stepping Stone School has earned its reputation through exceptional care, dedicated educators, and a genuine love for the children of Central Texas. Your website should reflect that same standard of excellence — and convert every visiting parent into a touring parent.
Schedule a Strategy Call
This proposal is valid for 30 days from the date of issue.
Proposal prepared February 12, 2026