A new website should bring in more enquiries, not fewer. But redesigns are one of the most common causes of a sudden drop in Google traffic. The good news is that it’s avoidable with a little planning.
Why rankings drop after a redesign
- Pages are removed that were ranking well.
- URLs change without redirects, so Google and visitors hit “page not found”.
- Content is cut or rewritten without its key information.
- Technical settings are lost: page titles, descriptions, structured data, or a “noindex” left on from development.
Before the redesign
- List every page and its traffic. Google Search Console and Analytics show which pages bring visitors.
- Keep or improve your best pages. Don’t delete content that ranks.
- Map old URLs to new ones. Every old page that changes needs a destination.
- Note your current rankings for your main keywords, so you can compare later.
During the build
- Set up 301 redirects from every old URL to its new home.
- Carry over page titles and descriptions, improving them where you can.
- Keep headings and key content on the pages that rank.
- Add structured data for your business, services and FAQs.
- Make it fast on mobile. Speed is a ranking factor and a conversion factor.
Launch day checklist
- Redirects tested for your top pages.
- No “noindex” tags left from development.
- New sitemap submitted in Google Search Console.
- Analytics and conversion tracking working.
- Enquiry and booking forms tested end to end.
After launch
Watch Google Search Console for errors and traffic changes over the next few weeks, and fix any missed redirects quickly.
Related reading
Planning a redesign? We redesign websites with SEO built in from the start, including redirects and Search Console set-up. See our website design service or request a free quotation.
