Ways to Avoid an SEO Disaster During a Website Redesign with The Web Guys

Companies often redesign their websites to enhance user experience, refresh their brand, and stay competitive. However, a website redesign poses a significant risk to SEO if not handled carefully. Without proper planning and execution, a business may experience decreased traffic, lost rankings, and diminished online visibility. Trust The Web Guys to avoid an SEO disaster during a website redesign. Our team follows an extensive list of specific guidelines to ensure SEO remains intact during redesign projects. Here are six of those important guidelines.

Text caption of Website Redesign against blue background with mobile device with icons on the front of the device being held by a woman's hand.

1. Pre-Redesign SEO Audit

Before the redesign process, our team performs a thorough SEO audit of the existing site, documents all findings, and prioritizes maintaining or improving the SEO value of key pages.

  • Crawl the site: Understand the current structure and identify potential issues.

  • Analyze traffic and rankings: Review current performance in Google Analytics and Google Search Console.

  • Identify high-performing pages: Determine which pages drive the most traffic and have high rankings.

  • Review backlinks: Identify which pages have the most valuable backlinks.

2. Detailed URL Mapping Strategy

Changing URLs without proper redirection can lead to a loss of page equity and rankings. 

  • Create a URL mapping document: List all current URLs and their corresponding new URLs.

  • Set up 301 redirects: Implement 301 redirects from old URLs to new ones to preserve link equity and guide users to the correct pages.

  • Update internal links: Ensure all internal links on the new website point to the new URLs.

3. Preserve On-Page SEO Elements

We ensure that essential on-page SEO elements are transferred correctly to the new site.

  • Title tags and meta descriptions: Maintain or optimize for each page.

  • Header tags (H1, H2, etc.): Ensure headers are logically structured and include relevant keywords.

  • Content: Transfer high-quality content, making improvements where necessary but avoiding unnecessary changes.

  • Image Alt Text: Retain or optimize alt text for images to improve accessibility and SEO.

4. Site Structure and Navigation

A well-organized site structure is crucial for user experience and search engine crawling. 

  • Keep the structure intuitive: Ensure the hierarchy of pages is logical and user-friendly.

  • Use breadcrumbs: Implement breadcrumb navigation to improve user experience and help search engines understand your site structure.

  • Avoid orphan pages: Ensure every page is accessible through the navigation menu or internal links.

5. Pre-Launch Test

Before launching the redesigned site, our team performs extensive testing.

  • Crawl the new site: Use crawling tools to check for errors, broken links, and missing elements.

  • Check redirects: Verify all 301 redirects are working correctly.

  • Test functionality: Ensure all forms, buttons, and interactive elements function correctly.

6. Monitor and Adjust Post-Launch

After the redesigned site goes live, we closely monitor its performance.

  • Track rankings and traffic: Use Google Analytics and Google Search Console to monitor changes in traffic and rankings.

  • Identify issues: Watch for any unexpected drops in performance and investigate potential causes.

  • Fix problems: Address any issues as soon as they arise.

A website redesign offers a valuable opportunity to improve your online presence but also comes with SEO risks. To ensure your SEO remains intact during a website redesign, contact The Web Guys in Carmel, Indiana. Our skilled team can steer your business through the transition of a website redesign and other digital marketing techniques. Contact us at (317) 805-4933 to avoid the SEO pitfalls of a website redesign. Our team proudly serves businesses throughout the United States.

 

Helmer, Harley. “How to Avoid an SEO Disaster During a Website Redesign,” Search Engine Land (blog), Third Door Media, Inc., May 6, 2024, https://searchengineland.com/website-redesign-avoid-seo-disaster-440169