Website Redesign Without Losing SEO

When redesigning, it’s easy to focus on layouts and forget about the pages that are already bringing in customers from search. The new site may look better, but lose important addresses, service descriptions and work forms. Therefore, SEO should be taken into account before a new structure is agreed upon, and not after a drop in traffic.

To reduce the risk of traffic loss, save useful pages and their addresses, match changed URLs, set up redirects and check the availability of content after launch. Below is a plan that can be used as a basis for the assignment to the contractor.

It is impossible to guarantee a redesign without any fluctuations in position. Google warns that if significant changes occur, search may take time to crawl and process pages again. The goal of preparation is to eliminate manageable technical risks. More details in Google site migration guide.

Determine what exactly is changing

The word “redesign” can hide different works. Before calculating the budget, set the boundaries of the project in writing:

• Design only: fonts, colors, and arrangement of blocks change, but the pages and their purpose are preserved.
• Structure and content: services are combined or divided, a catalog is added, old materials are deleted.
• Platform: the site is transferred to another CMS or its own development; At the same time, the addresses and method of displaying content may change.
• Domain: the company changes its name or merges several sites. Such a move requires a separate plan.

For each change, provide a reason. For example, “create a separate installation page so that the client can see the scope of work” is a verifiable task. “Simplify everything down to one screen” is a wish, the consequences of which still need to be assessed.

If the problem is only in a small number of calls, first sort it out, why the site does not bring applications. A redesign can be part of the solution, but it is not a substitute for testing the offer and quality of visitors.

Save original data and list of important pages

Before development begins, download search transitions on landing pages, queries and impressions from search accounts, as well as applications from analytics and CRM. Save the upload date and filters used. A practical guideline is a few full weeks; for a seasonal business you will need a comparable seasonal period.

Separately mark the pages that:

• lead to inquiries or sales;
• receive search clicks for the services they need;
• are used in advertising, mailings and commercial offers;
• contain important instructions, cases or documents;
• have external links that are difficult to change.

You will get a list of priorities for acceptance. If a page gets few hits, that's not a reason to delete it: one narrow B2B query may generate more qualified leads than a popular review article.

Back up your files, database and server settings. Appoint someone who can restore a working version. If the site accepts orders, make special provisions for saving new orders during rollback: restoring the old database should not erase requests received after the launch.

Prepare a map of old and new URLs

A URL map is a table of correspondences between previous pages and the new version. It is convenient to maintain it in a regular spreadsheet. Add columns: old address, new page, solution, responsible and review result.

For each address, select one of the scenarios:

1. The page remains in the same place. If the destination has not changed, save the URL. The new registration itself does not require a new address.
2. The page moves. Provide a specific new URL that solves the same visitor problem.
3. Multiple pages are merged. Check that the general page actually contains the necessary information for visitors to each old page.
4. Material is removed without replacement. Record this solution separately so you don't accidentally confuse the deletion with a transfer error.

Conditional example: page /uslugi/montazh-kondicionerov moves to /montazh-kondicionerov. Both addresses are indicated on the map and make sure that the new page still describes installation, conditions and ordering method. The “All Services” page with one line about air conditioners is not equivalent to a detailed installation description.

Google recommends setting up a 301 redirect when changing addresses and making sure that the new page is accessible to the robot and returns a 200 response. See. recommendations for changing structure and design.

Check redirects to real addresses

Redirect is the automatic redirection of a visitor from an old address to a new one. To permanently transfer pages, a 301 server response is usually used; Google also classifies 308 as permanent redirects. Google documentation about redirects.

Upon acceptance, open a few old links manually and ask the developer to check the entire map automatically. Working script for the changed address: old URL → permanent redirect → desired new page with response 200.

Check not only the main page, but also services, articles, products, images and documents if their addresses have changed. Avoid unnecessary intermediate transitions: redirecting directly to the final page is easier to test and maintain.

Do not send all deleted pages to the main page just for the sake of absence of errors in the report. When there is no equivalent replacement, a correct response of 404 or 410 is better than masking the missing material. Bulk redirects to an irrelevant page can be interpreted by Google as a soft 404. This case is described in moving guide.

Move content and internal links

For priority pages, compare the old and new versions side by side. Check that the service description, conditions, characteristics, answers to questions and evidence of experience are still available. Outdated text can be reworked, but useful information shouldn't be removed just because it doesn't fit in the new layout.

For example, instead of a long paragraph about the stages of production, you can make clear blocks. However, replacing the entire description with “We solve any problems - leave a request” deprives a person of specifics.

Check whether you can get to important pages from the menu, catalog and thematic materials. Links must lead to current addresses. Google recommends a clear structure and regular HTML links between documents. Recommendations for site structure.

If display technology changes, ask to check what content the search robot sees. The presence of text on the screen after several user actions does not confirm that it is available for indexing. For a general check use website SEO optimization plan.

Check indexing and metadata before opening the site

The test version should be separated from the public version. For a closed stand, use access restrictions, such as authorization. A single robots.txt file does not protect content from outsiders.

Before starting, check the settings of the working domain:

• searchable pages do not contain random noindex in HTML or HTTP headers;
• robots.txt rules do not block the necessary sections;
• canonical, that is, indicating the preferred address, does not lead to a test domain or home page instead of a specific page;
• title, the main H1 heading and description correspond to the content;
• service descriptions and other important blocks are available to the robot.

Google should be able to crawl the page to see the directive noindex. Therefore, blocking crawls at the same time in robots.txt is not a reliable way to inform search that a page has been removed from the index. How noindex works.

In the current Sitemap, include the canonical addresses of the pages that you want to see in the search. Check for the absence of a test domain, errors in the URL, and duplicates. lastmod should reflect an actual significant update to the page. Submitting a Sitemap helps pages be discovered, but does not guarantee that they will be indexed. Google Sitemap Guide.

Accept the new version based on the verified criteria

Before paying for the final stage, ask not only for a link to the site, but also for the result of the verification. For a small service website, the following list is suitable:

1. For each priority page it is indicated whether it is saved, moved or deleted as agreed.
2. Redirect map checked; There are no loops or jumps to the wrong sections.
3. Important pages have their searchability, metadata, and canonical URLs checked.
4. Menus, buttons and forms work on your computer and phone.
5. The test request reached the responsible employee with the required fields and the source of the request.
6. The successful submission goal is triggered after the form is accepted, not just when a button is clicked.
7. Advertising links and tags are verified after redirects.
8. The owner’s access to the domain, hosting, analytics and search accounts has been confirmed.
9. There is a backup copy, a restore order and a developer contact for the duration of the launch.

For each point, a short note is enough: what was checked, when, what result was obtained and what remains to be corrected. Such a document makes the acceptance substantive. For an online store, you need to add a cart, payment, product availability and integrations.

It is better to agree on the composition of the checks before calculating the cost of website developmentso that transferring old content and setting up redirects does not turn out to be unexpected additional work.

What to watch after launch and when traffic drops

Immediately after opening the new version, test key user scenarios on the production domain. In the first days, monitor page availability, request delivery, and server errors. Then monitor search impressions, conversions and indexing status in Google Search Console and Google Search Console.

Compare similar days of the week and take into account seasonality. Look separately at the service pages, catalog and articles: overall traffic may hide the loss of one commercial section. When changing URLs, match the old and new pages together.

If there are fewer transitions, start with the observed symptom:

• Visits have disappeared only in analytics. Check the counter and compare the situation with clicks from search offices.
• A specific section sank. Check its addresses, content, internal links and page template.
• Search leads to errors. Match the old addresses with the transfer map and check the redirects.
• Transitions are preserved, but there are fewer requests. Follow the path before submitting the form and check the offer, mobile version and application processing.

Record the found cause and time of correction. Do not try to compensate for a technical error by urgently publishing dozens of new texts. If a site is massively unavailable, prompt technical analysis is needed; Make the decision to rollback taking into account the safety of fresh data.

Frequently asked questions about redesign and SEO

Do I need to change addresses when switching to another CMS?

Not necessary. First, find out if the new platform allows you to save existing URLs. If addresses do change, agree on a correspondence map before launch.

Is it possible to delete pages without traffic?

After checking their purpose. The page may be needed by customers, used in advertising, or receive rare targeted clicks. The absence of visits for a short period does not in itself resolve the issue of deletion.

When can the transfer be considered complete?

Separate technical acceptance and search results. Forms, accessibility and redirects are checked at launch. Changes in index and search traffic are observed later; There is no universal period for restoring positions.

What should I give to the developer to evaluate the project?

A link to the current site, the purpose of the changes, a list of required functions, unloading important pages and launch restrictions. Additionally, indicate what materials are ready, who makes the decisions, and what systems should receive requests.

If you are planning to update the site, discuss development with SEOLIFT. You can start with the boundaries of the project and the list of pages that are important to save, and include the technical part of the transfer in SEO optimization plan.