A new website should help your business, not set it back. Yet many redesigns cause a sudden drop in traffic because old pages disappear, links break, and Google has to figure out the site from scratch. The good news is that most of that damage is avoidable. Whether you are moving from a website builder to WordPress or just refreshing your design, follow this checklist.
Before launch
1. List every page on your current site
Export your current sitemap and check Google Search Console for pages that get traffic or have links pointing to them. These are the pages you cannot afford to lose.
2. Map old addresses to new ones
Every important old URL should either keep the same address on the new site or redirect to its closest match. Use 301 (permanent) redirects, and send each old page to the most relevant new page, not just the homepage.
3. Keep or improve the content that ranks
If a page ranks well today, do not cut it down to two sentences in the redesign. Keep the useful content, and improve it where you can.
4. Write page titles and descriptions
Every page should have a unique, descriptive title and meta description that includes what you do and where.
5. Build and test on a staging site
Build the new site on a temporary address first, and block search engines from indexing it. Test every page, form, button and link on desktop and mobile before you launch.
6. Set up analytics and tracking on the new site
Copy over Google Analytics, Tag Manager, ad pixels and conversion tracking so your data does not have a gap.
Launch day
- Point your domain to the new site and confirm HTTPS works
- Make sure both www and non-www versions resolve to one address
- Turn off the “discourage search engines” setting
- Test your redirects from the old addresses
- Submit your new sitemap in Google Search Console
- Purge caches and check pages again as a logged-out visitor
After launch
- Watch Search Console for 404 errors and crawl problems for the next several weeks
- Fix any broken links or missed redirects quickly
- Update your Google Business Profile, social profiles and directory listings if any addresses changed
- Expect some movement in rankings for a few weeks. Steady traffic after a month is a sign the move went well
Frequently asked questions
Will a new website hurt my SEO?
It can if old pages disappear without redirects. With a careful redirect plan and preserved content, most sites hold their rankings and often improve.
What is a 301 redirect?
A permanent redirect that sends visitors and search engines from an old web address to a new one, passing along most of the old page’s search value.
How long does it take Google to update after a redesign?
Usually a few days to a few weeks, depending on the size of the site and how often Google crawls it.
Need a website that brings in leads?
Observant Media designs and builds fast, search-ready WordPress sites for Kansas businesses, churches and nonprofits. See our website design services or request a free audit of your current site.