The Role of SEO in Website Redesign Decisions

When considering a website redesign, an SEO company plays a critical role in ensuring your site maintains and then improves its search engine visibility.

Many businesses we have worked with already have a history in search engines - even if their previous SEO efforts weren’t top-notch.

This history is incredibly valuable, as it allows us to understand how Google "sees" your website and gives us a solid foundation to build on.

One of the big advantages of a redesign is that we're not starting from scratch.

You already have something to work with, and that's huge.

Even if your previous SEO wasn't perfect, we can still see what’s been working and what hasn't.

Tools like Google Analytics can provide invaluable insights into which pages were the most visited, how long people stayed on those pages, and where improvements are needed.

If you’ve been lacking traffic, leads, or a smooth mobile experience, a website redesign is a great time to fix all of that.

The best news? Things will only get better from here. As we live and learn, we put those lessons into improving your site's SEO performance.

When redesigning a website, SEO isn't just something we "add" at the end—it's woven into every step. Here are some key strategies we focus on during a redesign:

• Keyword Analysis: The first thing we look at is how to target the right keywords. Using our keyword analysis tool, we identify long-tail keywords with low competition but high search volume. These are often the "low-hanging fruit" that can quickly improve your site's ranking.
• Content Strategy: Once we have the keywords, we structure the content around pillar pages and cluster pages. This method helps establish your site as an authority on your topic. By building comprehensive pillar pages (like a guide to your services) supported by specific cluster pages (such as blog posts or case studies), we ensure search engines view your site as a valuable resource.
• SEO Site Architecture: Having a clear, well-thought-out architecture helps both users and search engines navigate your site easily. We structure the content in a way that makes sense for your audience while keeping SEO best practices in mind.
• Redirects: After the redesign, one of the most important tasks is setting up 301 redirects for pages that no longer exist. This ensures that any SEO "juice" from your old pages is preserved and passed on to the new ones.
  This is useful information from Google about redirects »

At WebStudio, we’ve been through this process many times and have developed a streamlined approach.

We start by extracting your knowledge—what worked for your business and what didn’t.

For instance, if your current site isn’t generating enough leads or loads too slowly on mobile devices, we make those issues a priority.

Example: One of our clients had a website that wasn’t mobile-friendly, and they saw a drop in traffic. After we redesigned their site with a focus on speed and mobile responsiveness, their SEO rankings improved, and so did their lead generation.

Your input is essential in making the redesign successful. You've learned from your current site’s performance, and we take those insights and combine them with our expertise to create a dream website that performs well in search engines.

The benefits of including SEO in your website redesign are substantial:

• Cost-Effective: A redesign is often less costly than building a new site from scratch because you already have a foundation to build on.
• Learning from History: By analysing your site’s performance (using tools like Google Analytics), we can improve on what works and fix what doesn’t.
• Continuous Improvement: Your new website will grow and adapt. SEO isn’t a one-time thing—it improves over time as we refine the strategy.
• Reduced Reliance on Paid Ads: With the rising cost of paid advertising, a well-optimised website can help you rely less on PPC and more on organic traffic.

It’s easy to make mistakes when redesigning a site, especially if SEO isn’t considered from the beginning. Here are a few pitfalls to avoid:

• Not Planning for SEO: Some businesses think of SEO as an afterthought. Don’t. It should be part of the redesign from the get-go.
• Ignoring Redirects: Failing to set up proper redirects can lead to a loss in search rankings, which means losing valuable traffic.
• Focusing Too Much on Aesthetics: A beautiful website is great, but if it doesn’t perform well in search engines, it’s not helping your business.

After the redesign, tracking success is key. We monitor:

• Search Rankings: We’ll keep an eye on your keyword rankings and make adjustments as needed.
• Traffic and Engagement: Using analytics, we’ll track how users interact with your new site—how long they stay, what pages they visit, and what actions they take.
• Lead Generation: Ultimately, the goal is more leads. We’ll measure conversions and optimise your content to improve those numbers over time.

1. Why is SEO important during a website redesign?
   SEO ensures that your site maintains or improves its search engine rankings, helping you get more traffic and leads after the redesign.
2. How does Google Analytics help during a redesign?
   Google Analytics provides valuable data on your site’s performance, such as which pages are most visited and how long users stay on them. This helps identify what’s working and what needs improvement.<
3. What are pillar and cluster pages?
   Pillar pages are comprehensive guides on a broad topic, while cluster pages are smaller, more specific articles that link back to the pillar page. This structure helps build authority on your topic.
4. Why are redirects important after a redesign?
   Redirects preserve the SEO value of your old pages and ensure that any visitors landing on old URLs are directed to the correct new page.
5. Can SEO reduce the need for paid advertising?
   Yes, a well-optimised website can drive organic traffic, reducing your reliance on costly paid ads.

Incorporating SEO in your website redesign is essential for maintaining and growing your online presence. By understanding how search engines view your site, setting clear SEO objectives, and continuously improving, you’ll see long-term benefits. At WebStudio, we use our experience to guide you through the process, ensuring your website not only looks great but performs better in search engines. If you're ready to take your site to the next level, let’s chat!