REVAMP WITHOUT LOSING YOUR RANKINGS

Why rankings drop after a redesign

Google ranks pages, not websites. When a redesign changes page addresses, removes content that was ranking, or forgets the page titles, Google effectively sees the old pages disappear. Traffic drops, sometimes for months. Almost every time, it's avoidable.

Before you change anything

1. List every page you have now. Crawl the site and export the list of addresses.
2. Find the pages that earn traffic. In Google Search Console, export your top pages and search terms for the last 12 months.
3. Save each important page's title, description and main heading. These are what Google has been ranking.

During the rebuild

1. Keep addresses the same wherever you can. The safest redirect is the one you never need.
2. Redirect every page that moves. A permanent (301) redirect from the old address to its closest new page, never to the homepage by default.
3. Don't delete content that ranks. Improve it, restructure it, but keep the substance that earned the ranking.
4. Carry over titles and descriptions, then improve them carefully.
5. Don't change domain and design at the same time unless you have to. One big change at a time is easier to recover from.

On launch day

• Test every old address and check it lands somewhere sensible.
• Submit the new sitemap in Search Console.
• Check no page is accidentally hidden from search. It happens more often than you'd think when a test site goes live.
• Run a speed and mobile check, because a faster site usually helps rankings.

The four weeks after

Watch Search Console weekly: indexed pages, crawl errors, and clicks to your top pages. Small dips in the first week or two are normal while Google re-crawls. A steady slide on one page usually means a missed redirect or lost content, and it's quick to fix if you catch it early.

This is the process behind every revamp we do. Not sure where your site stands? Start with the free health check.