How to Retain SEO Rankings During a Website Redesign

When redesigning your website, one of the biggest concerns is maintaining your hard-earned SEO rankings. A poorly managed website redesign can result in lost traffic and lower rankings, we have seen it many times when the basics have not been done.

At WebStudio, we’ve handled countless website redesigns, ensuring a seamless transition that protects - and often enhances - our clients' SEO performance. Here's how we do it.

Before anything else, we dive into the existing website structure to see what’s already working. Using tools like Google Search Console, we identify which pages are ranking, what search terms they’re ranking for, and how much traffic they’re driving.

Additionally, we use tools like site maps or the "site:www.yourwebsite.co.uk" search on Google to compile a complete list of URLs currently indexed. This gives us a clear picture of what we need to preserve.

A website redesign is an opportunity to improve your site's structure. This involves creating a new URL map that reflects your current SEO goals and targets your key personas.

For example:

• We’ll group pages logically to improve user experience and make navigation easier.
• We ensure that new URLs contain relevant keywords and are concise and easy to understand.
• Competitor analysis comes into play here too. By studying how top-performing competitors structure their sites, we gain additional insights to fine-tune your new architecture.

After the redesign, we closely monitor the site's performance to ensure everything is functioning as expected. Specifically, we:

• Check for 404 errors and quickly fix any missed redirects.
• Use Google Search Console to confirm that the new pages are being indexed.
• Track traffic patterns to ensure rankings stabilise after an initial adjustment period.

Over time, we revisit the .htaccess file and remove redirects for pages that are no longer indexed. This keeps your site clean and efficient.

Google provides excellent guidance on how to manage redirects during a website redesign. We always follow their recommendations, including their detailed documentation on 301 redirects. Sharing this resource with our clients provides reassurance that we’re adhering to best practices.

It’s common to see a slight dip in rankings immediately after a redesign. Search engines need time to crawl and understand the new structure. However, with proper planning, most sites bounce back within days - and often perform better than before.

A website redesign doesn’t have to mean starting over with SEO. With a clear plan, a focus on preserving rankings, and regular monitoring, you can ensure a smooth transition. At WebStudio, we’ve mastered the process, helping our clients not only retain their rankings but also set the stage for long-term growth.

If you’re planning a website redesign and want to protect your SEO, let’s talk. We’ll take care of the technical details so you can focus on your business.

Learn more about website redesign and SEO »

1. Will my rankings drop after a website redesign?
   A small dip is normal as search engines adjust to the new structure, but proper planning and redirects will minimise this impact.
2. Why are 301 redirects important for SEO?
   301 redirects ensure that search engines transfer ranking power from old URLs to new ones, preserving your existing SEO efforts.
3. How long does it take for rankings to stabilise?
   Most websites stabilise within a few days to weeks, depending on the scale of the redesign and the quality of the implementation.
4. What happens if I miss a redirect?
   Missing redirects can lead to 404 errors, which frustrate users and harm your SEO. Regular monitoring helps catch and fix these quickly.
5. Can I improve my rankings during a redesign?
   Yes! A redesign is an opportunity to optimise your site’s structure, target new keywords, and improve user experience, all of which can boost rankings over time.