A new website is exciting, but redesigns are one of the most common reasons businesses lose search visibility. When page addresses change and old links stop working, visitors hit error pages and search engines lose track of content they once trusted. Planning redirects carefully protects the value you have already built. Why Redesigns Cause Problems …
A new website is exciting, but redesigns are one of the most common reasons businesses lose search visibility. When page addresses change and old links stop working, visitors hit error pages and search engines lose track of content they once trusted. Planning redirects carefully protects the value you have already built.
Why Redesigns Cause Problems
During a redesign, page addresses often change. A service page that used to live at one address may move to a new one. If nothing tells browsers and search engines where the page went, anyone following an old link reaches a missing page. Over time, that can mean lost traffic and lost customers.
What a Redirect Does
A permanent redirect automatically sends visitors and search engines from an old address to a new one. It tells search tools that the content has moved for good, which helps transfer the trust built by the old page to its replacement.
Before Launching a New Site
- Make a complete list of your current page addresses
- Note which pages receive the most visits and links
- Decide where each old page should point on the new site
- Keep important content rather than deleting it
- Prepare redirects before launch day
After Launch
- Test old addresses to confirm they redirect correctly
- Check for broken internal links on the new site
- Submit your updated sitemap to search console tools
- Watch for spikes in error pages
- Monitor traffic for several weeks
Common Mistakes
- Redirecting every old page to the homepage
- Forgetting about blog posts and image addresses
- Creating chains of redirects that bounce through several steps
- Leaving the new site hidden from search engines after launch
- Removing pages that brought in steady traffic
Fixing Problems After the Fact
If your traffic dropped after a redesign, it is not too late. Review your search console data for error pages, identify old addresses that used to perform well, and add redirects to the most relevant new pages. Many losses can be recovered with careful cleanup.
Updating Your Listings
If page addresses for services or locations changed, update links on your business profiles, directories, and social accounts as well.
Plan Your Redesign With Search in Mind
A redesign should improve your online presence, not reset it. We help businesses plan migrations and recover from redesign issues. Visit our services page or contact us through our contact page.
