A new website should bring in more work, not less. Done carelessly, a redesign can knock you off Google overnight and take months to recover. I’ve picked up the pieces after plenty of these. A business owner spends good money on a lovely new site, launches it on a Friday, and by the following month the phone has gone quiet and nobody can work out why.
This is the process I work through whenever a client is changing their site, from the first planning chat to the weeks after launch. Follow it and a new site should hold its rankings, then climb.
Why do rankings drop after a redesign?
Usually because Google loses track of what it already knew about you. Page addresses change, content that ranked gets cut, titles get rewritten by a designer who didn’t know they mattered. Every one of those resets a little of the trust your old site had built up over the years.
None of it is the new design’s fault. It’s the move that does the damage. A good designer and a good SEO working together can launch a site that looks completely different and still keeps every ranking it had. The trick is treating the move as its own job rather than an afterthought.
What should you record before the build starts?
Everything you could lose. Before a single page is designed, I take a snapshot of the old site so there’s something to check against later. That means a full list of every page address, along with which pages get visits and enquiries according to Google Analytics, and which searches each one shows up for according to Search Console.
I also save the current page titles and meta descriptions, note any pages other websites link to, and take a complete backup of the site and its database. It sounds like a lot. In practice it’s a morning’s work, and it’s the difference between a smooth move and a panic.
If you haven’t got Analytics or Search Console set up, sort that first. Without them you’re moving house without knowing what’s in the boxes. I can do Google setup before the redesign starts.
Should you keep the same page addresses?
Yes, wherever you can. If your boiler repair page lives at /boiler-repairs/ today, keep it there. The design can change completely and Google barely notices, because the address it trusts is still the same.
Sometimes a change makes sense. Messy addresses full of numbers and question marks, or a structure that no longer fits how you work. That’s fine, as long as every old address gets redirected to its new home. More on that below.
What should happen to your old content?
Keep what ranks and improve it. I see this all the time. A designer trims a long service page down to three lines because it looks cleaner, and the page drops off Google within a month. The words were doing the work.
Every main service should still have its own page on the new site. Pages that bring in nothing can go, but redirect them rather than just deleting them. If the old copy is tired or doesn’t sound like you, a content overhaul alongside the redesign is often the best time to fix it. I’ve explained why the words matter so much in why content matters for SEO.
Why do redirects matter so much?
They’re the single biggest thing in a site move. A 301 redirect tells Google and visitors that a page has moved for good, and passes most of its value to the new address. Without one, anyone following an old link, bookmark or Google result lands on an error page, and the value you’d built up is lost.
I map every old address to its closest new page in a spreadsheet before launch. Not everything to the homepage. A redirect from a driveway cleaning page to the homepage throws away most of what that page had earned, because Google treats it as a dead end. Point each one at the closest match instead.
Links from other websites are the ones to be most careful with. If a local newspaper or a trade body links to one of your old pages, that link is worth protecting. I’ve written about why those links matter in backlinks: quality over quantity.
Where should the new site be built?
On a test address that search engines are blocked from. That way Google doesn’t find two copies of your business and get confused about which one is real.
Use the test site to check the things that affect rankings. How quickly pages load, whether everything works on a phone, whether forms send and whether each page has a clear title and description. Most visitors will see your site on a phone, so that’s where I test first. I’ve written more on why a slow mobile site costs you customers and why your website must work on a phone.
What needs doing on launch day?
A short run of jobs, done in order and checked twice. First, remove the setting that blocks search engines. Forgetting this one is more common than you’d think, and it can keep a brand new site invisible for weeks. Then put all the redirects live and test a handful by hand, typing in old addresses to make sure they land in the right place.
After that, submit the new sitemap in Search Console, send a test enquiry through every form, check Analytics is recording visits and update the website link on your Google Business Profile if it’s changed. I launch early in the week, never on a Friday, so any problems get fixed while people are about.
What should you watch in the weeks after?
Search Console, mainly. It flags pages Google can’t find, which usually means a redirect was missed. Fix those as they come up. Keep an eye on calls and enquiries too, because they’re the number that really matters.
Expect a bit of movement in rankings for a few weeks while Google re-reads everything. A small wobble is normal. A big drop that doesn’t recover means something has gone wrong, and it’s usually redirects or missing content. Ongoing website management covers this watching period so problems get caught early.
Do you need a new website at all?
Often not. Plenty of people come to me wanting a new site when the real problems are a slow host, oversized images, thin service pages and a neglected Google profile. All of that can be fixed on the existing site for far less money and far less risk.
If the site is genuinely past saving, a new one is the right call, and I’ll build it with SEO in from the start. See website development. If you’re comparing designers, my list of questions to ask a web design company will help you spot the ones who know about moves like this.
Planning a new website?
Fill in the form before you start. I’ll check what your current site ranks for, what needs protecting in the move and whether you need a new site at all.
If you want me to crack on, it’s £125 a week, about £18 a day, on a 30 day rolling basis.
Free website check
Checked by me, not a tool.
Rather message? WhatsApp 07463 631121 or call 0151 402 0925.
Questions people ask me
Will a new website hurt my rankings?
Not if the move is planned. Most drops come from missing redirects or deleted content.
How long does it take to recover if rankings drop?
If the cause is fixed quickly, a few weeks. If it’s left, it can take months.
Do I need to keep my old content word for word?
No. Improve it, but keep the pages and the topics they cover.
What’s a 301 redirect?
A permanent forwarding address for a web page. It sends people and Google from the old address to the new one.
Can I change my domain name at the same time?
You can, but it adds risk. I’d usually do one big change at a time.
Should the new site go live on a Friday?
I’d avoid it. Launch early in the week so any problems get fixed while people are about.
Do I need a new website at all?
Often not. Fixing the old one can be cheaper and safer. I’ll tell you honestly which makes sense.
Can you handle the move for me?
Yes. Redirects, checks and launch are part of every website I build.
Keep reading
Before you brief a designer, read questions to ask a web design company. On-page SEO basics explains what every new page needs, and how to turn website visitors into enquiries makes sure the new site actually brings in work.
Hi, I’m PetePlanning a new website?
Email, call or WhatsApp me before you start. I’ll tell you what needs protecting and whether you need a new site at all.
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