Redesigning a website can be an EXCITING but challenging venture, especially when it comes to maintaining your SEO rankings. A well-executed redesign can improve a site’s aesthetics, enhance user experience, & even boost conversion rates. However, if you’re not careful, it can also lead to a DISASTER where your hard-earned search engine rankings plummet.
In this guide, we’ll explore the crucial steps you need to take in order to Manage SEO during a website redesign. Let's dive deep into this topic, shall we?
1. Understand the Importance of SEO in Website Redesign
SEO is NOT just another aspect of your website—it should be at the core of your redesign strategy. Research from Search Engine Land indicates that a carefully planned redesign can help retain or even improve your SEO performance.
Why does this matter?
Search engines strive to provide users with the most RELEVANT results possible. If you lose rankings, you may also lose traffic—& that can be devastating for your business.
Implementing SEO strategies from the get-go can ensure a smoother transition during your redesign.
2. Conduct a Comprehensive SEO Audit
Before touching your redesign, you need to conduct a comprehensive SEO audit of your existing website. This should include:
Traffic Analysis: Use tools like Google Analytics to understand which pages are performing well & which ones need improvement.
Keyword Rankings: Identify the keywords your site currently ranks for & their positions. Tools such as SEMrush can be beneficial here.
Backlink Profile: Analyze your site’s backlink profile to determine which pages are generating the most link equity.
Understanding these factors will help you keep what’s working & improve what’s not during the redesign.
3. Create a Redesign Roadmap
Creating a clear REDESIGN roadmap will eliminate confusion in your team, ensuring everyone is on the same page. Your roadmap should include:
A timeline for the redesign process
Key milestones & deliverables
Specific SEO goals (like increasing organic traffic by X%)
This will act as your action guide, so everybody knows what to expect during the project.
4. Involve SEO from Day One
Don’t wait until the website is nearly complete to think about SEO—that's a surefire way to cause problems. Instead, involve your SEO team at the beginning stage.
Actions to take:
Schedule regular check-ins specifically focused on SEO throughout the redesign process.
Encourage collaboration between the web design team & SEO professionals to ensure both perspectives are considered.
5. Preserve Existing URLs
One of the most crucial roles of SEO during a redesign is to maintain your existing URL structure as much as possible. If a URL changes, it can affect SEO rankings. Here’s what to consider:
Don’t fix what isn’t broken: If current URLs are doing well, consider retaining them instead of making unnecessary changes.
If you must change URLs, create a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one to ensure visitors & search engines can find the new page.
Creating detailed URL mapping can help you stay organized as you make changes.
6. Set Up 301 Redirects
Once your new site goes live, it’s essential to set up 301 redirects from your old URLs to your new URLs. This helps maintain SEO by passing link equity & keeping users from hitting those annoying 404 errors.
Steps to set up 301 redirects:
Compile a list of your old URLs & their corresponding new counterparts.
Implement the redirects in your server configuration.
Monitor the redirects for a period after launch to ensure they’re functioning correctly.
7. Optimize On-Page Elements
While you’re redesigning, take this as an opportunity to make sure on-page elements like titles, meta descriptions, header tags, & alt text are optimized. As you create the new structure, follow these tips:
Incorporate relevant keywords naturally into these elements.
Ensure each page targets one or two primary keywords, as recommended by experts at Search Engine Land.
Optimize your images with descriptive filenames & alt tags.
8. Create an XML Sitemap & Robots.txt File
After your site goes live, it’s essential to update your XML sitemap & robots.txt file. This helps search engines navigate & index your new site easily.
Ensure all the relevant pages from the new URL structure are included in the XML sitemap.
Submit the sitemap to Google Search Console to let search engines know about your new layout.
Track which pages are performing well & which are not.
Look for any fluctuations in keyword rankings.
Be on the lookout for 404 errors & rectify them ASAP.
10. Update Backlinks
Remember the backlink profile you analyzed during your audit? It’s essential to update those backlinks pointing to old URLs.
Reach out to webmasters linking back to your old site & ask them to update the links to the new ones.
Utilize tools like Ahrefs to identify and prioritize backlinks that drive significant traffic to your site.
11. Utilize AI Chatbots to Enhance User Engagement
Consider integrating conversational AI to improve user engagement during & after your redesign. Customizable chatbots can answer FAQs, provide recommendations, & guide users to relevant content on your site. This not only enhances the user experience but also gives you valuable insights about your audience.
With Arsturn, you can instantly create custom ChatGPT chatbots tailored to your brand. It's a great way to engage users, increase conversions, & provide quick responses without the need for coding skills.
Join thousands of others already using Arsturn to build meaningful connections with their audience!
Conclusion
Redesigning a website is a great opportunity to enhance its overall user experience & boost your SEO. By following the steps outlined here, you'll retain your SEO rankings & perhaps even improve them, ensuring you maintain your visibility in search engines.
Remember: SEO is an ongoing effort, especially during significant changes to your website. Keep monitoring your strategies & make adjustments as needed.
Good luck with your redesign, & don’t forget to harness the power of tools like Arsturn for engaging your audience effectively!