If you’re thinking about giving your website a makeover, you need to be careful not to lose all the progress you’ve made in getting noticed on Google. Here’s how you can make sure your website redesign doesn’t mess up your Google ranking.
Consult an SEO Expert Early On
Before you start changing your website, talk to someone who knows about SEO (Search Engine Optimization). They can help you avoid making costly mistakes. For example, we worked with a company that lost $10000 in sales because their website redesign made them almost invisible on Google. This could have been prevented with some help from an SEO expert.
Why Redesigns Can Hurt Your Google Ranking
When you redesign your website, a few things can go wrong and make Google ignore you:
- Changing your website address.
- Not setting up the new website to redirect old pages to new ones.
- Messing with the content on your pages.
- Accidentally removing the keywords that help Google find you.
- Slowing down your website.
- Blocking Google from looking at your website.
All these things can mess up your Google ranking by making it harder for Google to understand what your website is about.
How to Avoid Losing Your Google Ranking
Here are some tips to help you keep your Google ranking safe during a website redesign:
- Keep your website address the same if you can.
- If you have to change it, make sure you set up redirects from the old address to the new one.
- Try not to change the words and phrases that describe your business on your website.
- Check that your website loads quickly and works well.
- Make sure Google can look at your website.
Tools to Help You Keep Your Google Ranking Safe
To make sure your website redesign doesn’t hurt your Google ranking, you can use tools like:
- Semrush to check your website’s links.
- Google Analytics to see where your website visitors come from.
- Google Search Console to see which words and phrases people use to find your website.
Remember, planning is key to keeping your Google ranking safe when you redesign your website. Don’t just trust your web designer to get it right. Make sure you have a plan in place to protect your Google ranking.