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How To Retain Your SEO Rankings When Redesigning Your Website
January 9, 2022
Much like building a website from scratch, redesigning it also influences user experience and SEO. And it doesn't matter if you're only redesigning the site in bits or its entirety. Neither does it matter if you are repeating the process every 3months or 3years. The effects remain just as crucial, especially for WordPress websites!
So, does that mean you should ditch all notions of redesigning your website?
No! Redesign your website to keep to your industry innovations and trends. Plus, this is a golden opportunity to audit your SEO strategies and see the improvements you could add. But while you are at it, we’ll advise you to go about the entire process systematically. Else, you will lose your SEO rankings.
So, what is the way forward?
10 out of 10 times, it is best to leave your website redesigning projects to professionals like Brett Melville, the owner of Digital Treasury. But if you’re a web designer and a digital marketing guru, the following tips can help. Check it out!
5 Systematic Steps To Retain Your SEO Rankings Despite Redesigning Your Website
Don’t Start Without A Staging Site!
The number one rule for website redesigns is to have a staging site. It is a development phase where you can test your maneuvers before pushing them to your live websites. While we have heard many professionals claiming not to use it (the staging site), we’ll advise you to do otherwise.
Regardless of your years of experience, it is unprofessional to work directly on a live site. Even as a pro, you can make mistakes. What if you committed an error on a high-traffic website? If such a website were commercial, your client could lose sales. Even for personal sites, absurd layout and content could cause loopholes in your reputation management.
Bottom line: you don't want to leave things to chance. So, before you even start redesigning your website, ensure your live site is up and functional. And while you are at it, keep the old website operational until the changes are perfect.
Pro tip: Your hosting provider might have a built-in staging site feature, ask. But if you’re creating yours on a separate URL, ensure you enforce a “no index” on it. If it does, Google bots will crawl the staging site.
What Were Your Initial SEO Metrics?
If you want to retain your SEO rankings, you must know them to start. So, what are your rankings on SERPs? Are you on page one for your industry and location on Google? More importantly, what was the score of your website on the Google Core Web Vitals test?
Once you have the answers, you will know your baseline. Still, have tools in place to monitor your maneuvers and their impact on your SEO ranking. In particular, watch out for these metrics:
- Alexa global rank
- Backlinks
- Domain authority DA
- Historic keywords
- Keyword rankings
- Organic traffic
- Spam Score
Thankfully, there are several monitoring tools you can use. But from the lot, we will recommend Page Insights and Google Analytics.
Furthermore, if you want the best monitoring of your SEO rankings, we'll recommend a page-by-analysis. That way, you can counter other underlying factors outside your redesigning altercations.
Also read: Top 7 WordPress SEO Plugins To Boost Your Rankings
Start Redesigning Your Website But Be Consistent
Once your staging site is up and you have the initial breakdown of your SEO rankings, begin your website redesigning project. Unfortunately, we can’t tell you what design to use or implement. We’ll leave that to your creative mind and team.
We also advise you to keep your changes as simple as possible. Don't overload your web pages with media content, otherwise, your website will become too slow, and the user experience will suffer while the bounce rate will skyrocket.
Most importantly, ensure that the basics of your website and designs are consistent. The core elements of your redesigned website should resonate with your brand identity. If not, you'll confuse your visitors.
That said, how can you ensure consistency?
Use visualization and crawling tools to check and compare the consistency between your old and redesigned website. Our recommendation is Apify, but you can equally use Screaming Frog.
Always Backup Your Changes
Earlier, we stated why a staging site is crucial to your redesigning projects. Well, backups are just as critical too. How so?
When you backup your changes, you can always return to the "last perfect stop''. Besides, errors can ensue when switching your WP website to a new domain. You could lose your top-ranking content or high-traffic page. For those reasons, backup your site!
But, how often should you backup your site?
The ideal schedule is a weekly backup. But here at Digital Treasury, we advise our clients to do site backups before every change, migration, and after a desirable tweak.
Check For & Fix Broken Links And Missing Pages
The chances are that you would lose some of your web pages while enforcing the changes from your redesigning projects. While that will affect your SEO rankings, we'll advise you not to fret. You only have to find what is missing. Fortunately, you can track that with your sitemap.
Another thing you should know is that you'll be doing a host of "redirects" now that you have redesigned your site. Don't worry; redirects are constants for WP websites. Plus, they are the way to offset broken links and missing pages.
For your website redesigning purpose, we'll advise using 301 redirects. They are the best option to maintain your SEO rankings.
Furthermore, ensure that you set up 404 pages. They are instrumental in solving cases of missing web pages. Plus, they give you enough time to find the root of the issue without losing your visitors and SEO rankings.
Pro tip: don’t make your 404 pages bland. Add search and suggestion boxes. You could even add a playful tone to calm the frustration of visitors!
Verdict
Don't hold out redesigning your website because you fear losing your SEO rankings. In contrast, seize this opportunity to improve it.
So, let go of your worries; start with your site redesigning project today. Just follow the tips that we have provided in this article. If you need further help along the way, feel free to contact us!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Your Provide Case Studies Or Examples Of Previous Work?
Yes, we can provide case studies and examples of our previous work. Potential clients frequently request these to see concrete evidence of our past successes. They want to understand how we’ve helped similar businesses achieve their goals through SEO and website development. Our case studies typically highlight our clients’ challenges, the strategies we implemented, and the measurable results we achieved, such as increased traffic and higher conversion rates. This builds trust and demonstrates our ability to deliver on our promises.
Do You Offer Ongoing Maintenance And Support After The Website Is Launched?
Post-launch support is crucial for maintaining website performance and security. Clients want to know if the company provides:
Regular Updates: Ensuring the website remains up-to-date with the latest software versions and security patches.
Technical Support: Assisting with any issues that arise, such as bugs or downtime.
Content Updates: Offering services to update or add new content as the business evolves.
Performance Monitoring: We regularly check the site’s speed, uptime, and other critical metrics to ensure optimal performance. This ongoing support provides peace of mind, ensuring that the client’s website remains effective and secure over time.
What is SEO, And Why Is It Important For My Business?
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is a digital marketing approach focused on boosting your website’s presence on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. By refining different elements of your site—such as content, meta descriptions, and backlinks—SEO works to improve your website’s position in search engine results. This increased visibility is vital as it attracts more organic traffic, potentially leading to a rise in leads, sales, and overall business success. Businesses frequently discuss the basics of SEO, its importance in attracting targeted visitors, and how it supports wider business goals.
How Long Does It Take To See Results From SEO?
SEO is a strategy that requires a long-term commitment, and it's essential to have realistic expectations from the outset. Typically, businesses may notice significant improvements within 3 to 6 months. However, this can differ depending on factors such as the level of competition, the industry, and the website's current condition. While addressing technical issues can result in some early successes, meaningful increases in rankings and traffic usually develop over time. Clients often ask for a clear timeline to gauge when they might start seeing a return on their investment (ROI).
What Does Your SEO Process Involve?
Website Audit and Analysis: Conduct a thorough evaluation of the site to pinpoint strengths, weaknesses, and areas that can be enhanced.
Keyword Research: Identify relevant keywords that your potential customers actively search.
On-Page Optimisation: Improving various on-page elements such as meta tags, headers, content, and internal linking to increase site effectiveness.
Content Development: Crafting high-quality, engaging content tailored to the needs of your target audience.
Link Building: Securing backlinks from credible websites to enhance the site's domain authority.
Technical SEO:Ensuring the website is technically robust, with fast loading speeds, mobile responsiveness, and secure connections.
Ongoing Monitoring and Adjustment: Regularly track performance and make necessary adjustments based on data and trends. Clients ask about these steps to ensure they are investing in a thorough and effective SEO strategy.
How Do You Measure The Success Of An SEO Campaign?
Success in SEO is measured through a variety of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), including:
Organic Traffic: The number of visitors coming to the website from search engines.
Keyword Rankings: The position of targeted keywords in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Conversion Rates: The percentage of visitors who take desired actions (e.g., filling out a form, making a purchase)
.Bounce Rate: The percentage of visitors who leave the site after viewing only one page.
Domain Authority: A score that predicts how well a website will rank in SERPs based on factors like link quality.
ROI (Return on Investment): Evaluating the financial return from SEO activities in comparison to the cost. Clients want to understand these metrics to gauge the effectiveness and profitability of their SEO investments.
How Do You Stay Updated With The Latest SEO Trends And Best Practives?
SEO is an ever-evolving field, with search engines like Google regularly updating their algorithms. We make it a priority to stay ahead of these changes.This might involve:
Continuous Learning: Attending industry conferences, webinars, and training sessions.
Membership in Professional Organisations: Being part of SEO communities or organisations that provide the latest insights.
Regular Testing and Experimentation: Consistently testing new strategies and adapting to changes in algorithms.Industry Research: Staying informed with the latest studies, white papers, and expert opinions in the digital marketing sector.We are confident that our SEO strategies are current and that we are proactive in adopting best practices.
Do You Offer Ongoing Maintenance And Support After The Website Is Launched?
Post-launch support is crucial for maintaining website performance and security. Clients want to know if the company provides:
Regular Updates: Ensuring the website remains up-to-date with the latest software versions and security patches.
Technical Support: Assisting with any issues that arise, such as bugs or downtime.
Content Updates: Offering services to update or add new content as the business evolves.
Performance Monitoring: We regularly check the site’s speed, uptime, and other critical metrics to ensure optimal performance. This ongoing support provides peace of mind, ensuring that the client’s website remains effective and secure over time.
How Do You Ensure That My Website Is User Friendly And Optimised For Conversions?
Yes, we ensure that your website is both user-friendly and optimised for conversions. We understand that clients want a website that attracts visitors and encourages them to take action. To achieve this, we focus on several key areas:
User Experience (UX) Design: We create an intuitive and engaging interface that makes navigation easy and enjoyable for users.Responsive Design: We ensure your website is mobile-friendly and looks great on all devices.
Call to Action (CTA): We strategically place buttons and forms to prompt users to take the desired actions.
Speed Optimisation: We ensure fast load times to reduce bounce rates and keep users engaged.
Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO): We analyse user behaviour and make data-driven adjustments to increase the percentage of visitors who convert.By incorporating these principles, we maximise the chances of turning your website visitors into customers.
