Insights · Convert · Website redesign
Website redesign: how to keep your Google rankings
By Larry O, Website Designer and Developer
Published · 3 minute read
The short answer
A redesign keeps, and often improves, your Google rankings if every old page that has traffic or links is redirected with a 301 to its closest new page, the content that ranks is kept or improved, titles and headings are carried across, and the launch is checked in Google Search Console. Most rankings lost in a redesign are lost because redirects were missed.
I love redesigning websites. What I do not love is the phone call a month later: "We have dropped off Google." It is almost always avoidable. Here is the checklist I follow on every redesign.
Before you change anything
- Export every page on the current site, using a crawler or your sitemap.
- In Search Console, note which pages get clicks and impressions.
- Note which pages other sites link to.
- Save the current titles, descriptions and headings of your best pages.
Build the redirect map
For every old address, decide its new home. Use a permanent 301 redirect to the closest matching new page, not to the homepage. A list of old and new addresses, side by side, is the single most important document in any redesign.
| Old address | New address |
|---|---|
| /our-services/conveyancing.html | /services/conveyancing/ |
| /blog/2019/moving-home-tips | /insights/moving-home-checklist/ |
| /contact-us | /contact/ |
Keep what ranks
Design can change completely, but the words that rank should be kept or improved. If a page ranks well for "probate solicitor Leeds", the new page should still cover that clearly, with a similar title and heading.
Launch day checks
- Test the redirectsCheck a sample of old addresses lands on the right new page.
- Remove any "noindex"Staging sites are often hidden from Google. Make sure the live site is not.
- Submit the new sitemapIn Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
- Check trackingForms, calls and analytics all still record.
The first 30 days
Watch Search Console daily for crawl errors and pages not found, fix any missed redirects straight away, and compare clicks with the same period before launch. Small dips for a week or two are normal; a steep, lasting drop means something was missed.
About the author
Larry O, Website Designer and Developer. Larry designs and builds our client websites and landing pages: fast, mobile first and built to rank, with every form, call and booking tracked from launch.
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