Strategies for Maintaining SEO Rankings During A Website Redesign
Redesigning a website can be a complex process, and it's essential to consider search engine optimisation (SEO) to ensure your website's ranking is where it needs to be. Here are some strategies to help you maintain SEO rankings during a redesign:
Conduct a thorough SEO audit: Before starting the redesign, perform a comprehensive SEO audit of your current website. Identify your top-performing pages, keywords, and backlinks. This analysis will provide insights into what's working well and what needs improvement.
Preserve the URL structure: Try to maintain the existing URL structure as much as possible. If you must change URLs, implement proper redirects (301 redirects) to inform search engines about the new locations of your pages. It will help retain the link equity and minimise the impact on rankings.
Optimise on-page elements: As you redesign your website, optimise on-page elements such as page titles, meta descriptions, headings, and image alt tags. Ensure you include relevant keywords and maintain consistency with your existing SEO practices.
Maintain keyword targeting: Identify the primary keywords and phrases that drive traffic to your website. Ensure that keywords are introduced carefully into the content of the redesigned pages.
However, be careful not to overstuff keywords and prioritise delivering high-quality, user-friendly content.
Focus on user experience (UX): While redesigning, prioritise improving the overall user experience of your website. Search engines value websites that provide a positive user experience, so make sure your site is easy to navigate, loads quickly, and is mobile-friendly.
Retain valuable content: If your existing website has SEO content that performs well, preserve it during the redesign process. Ensure that helpful blog posts, articles, or landing pages are transferred to the new site and remain easily accessible.
Implement structured data markup: Utilise structured data markup (schema.org) to provide additional context to search engines about the content on your website. It can enhance your chances of obtaining rich snippets and improved visibility in search results.
Test and monitor: Prioritise testing and monitoring during a redesign. Continuously check for errors, broken links, or issues that may negatively impact your SEO. Use tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics to monitor your website's performance and make necessary adjustments.
Update XML sitemaps: Generate a new XML sitemap for your redesigned website and submit it to search engines to help them crawl and index your new pages effectively.
Plan for post-launch SEO activities: Once the redesign is complete, continue your SEO efforts by regularly updating and adding high-quality content, acquiring relevant backlinks, and monitoring your rankings. Consistency in SEO practices is crucial for maintaining and improving your rankings.
Maintaining SEO rankings during a redesign requires careful planning, implementation, and ongoing optimisation. It's advisable to consult with an experienced SEO professional who can provide tailored advice based on your specific website and goals.