How to Redesign A Website Without Damaging SEO Results
Are you looking to redesign your website? Be mindful of steps to take to not damage your SEO results. Check out our tips.
Keeping a website up and running requires close attention. There are no ifs in this, and you will have to redesign your website often. But, in revamping your website, you have to keep your SEO rankings in mind.
You do not want to lose your ranking, thus the need to exercise vigilance. Here is how to redesign your website and maintain your SEO results.
Do A Thorough Audit On Your Old Website
Before proceeding with your redesign, you need to understand how your website looks. You will know which pages bring in the most traffic, so you can preserve them. Also, in the audit will be keywords you rank for and the backlinks present.
You have to note that your URLs will change during the redesign. This will cause a change in redirects and bring in 404 errors. There are plugins you can use to crawl your website for such information to ensure none gets missed.
Stage New Site Offline
According to Digital8, an SEO company in Brisbane, when running your redesign, Google crawlers are not to find the new site yet. So, your old website needs to keep running while you work behind the scenes. You can do this by requesting your host provider to give you a temporary server.
Check for internal links to ensure they properly link to the intended pages. They tell Google what your site is about, and a slight misunderstanding can hurt your ranking. You can also check on whether your new site is well optimized to cater for all devices and see where to improve.
Do an Audit on The New Website
If you had little changes to your website, you will not have an intensive audit to do. But, if you have completed a major overhaul, you have to maintain your rankings. This SEO audit will help identify duplicate content and broken links on your new site, which negatively affects you.
If a certain page was rich in backlinks and gets affected, you risk losing your page’s Google indexing. Google may then take longer to find your new page and users will get a page not found error. Your SEO and brand experience will get hurt since you will have to start from scratch.
Launch Your New Site
You have now checked on everything your new website needs, and it is time to do a release. Ensure that you revoke the non-indexing instructions that you put into place during the redesign.
You do not want to find your website missing after all the efforts and Drupal web development tutorials you have taken. Ensure you verify your new sitemap’s robot.txt and meta robots for easy indexing. Keep in mind redesigning won’t instantly improve SEO, so enhance your marketing.
Conclusion
Redesigning your website is crucial to ensure it remains evergreen and engaging. But, if not done properly, you risk losing your SEO rank. You hence need a carefully thought plan and close working partnership to ensure no damage gets done. The above steps guide you on how to proceed with your project and get the best results.
About the author
Monica is a passionate writer and content creator. Her interests include outdoor activities, fitness, technology, entrepreneurship and everything in between. Say hi to Monica on Twitter @monical_lee.
FAQ
Why is Planning Important in a Website Redesign for SEO?
Planning ensures that SEO considerations are integrated from the start.
How Can I Preserve SEO Rankings During Redesign?
Maintain URL structures or implement proper redirects.
Should I Update My Content During a Redesign?
Update content for relevance and quality, but keep keyword optimization.
What’s the Role of 301 Redirects in Website Redesign?
301 redirects help maintain link equity and user experience.
How Does Mobile Responsiveness Affect SEO in Redesign?
Mobile responsiveness is crucial for SEO, especially after Google’s mobile-first indexing.
Can a Redesign Affect Site Loading Speed?
Yes, ensure the new design does not negatively impact loading times.
Should I Audit My Website Before Redesigning?
An audit can identify existing SEO strengths and weaknesses.
How Do I Maintain Existing Backlinks?
Keep page URLs the same or update backlinks to new URLs.
Is Testing Necessary After Redesigning?
Testing helps identify and fix any SEO issues caused by the redesign.
How Should I Monitor SEO Performance Post-Redesign?
Regularly track key SEO metrics to gauge the impact of the redesign.
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