Maintaining a site’s search engine optimization (SEO) through a redesign is an art form akin to a Michelangelo sculpture. If not done properly, redesigning a website can result in a loss of organic traffic and previously generated leads. With the stakes so high, how do you redesign a website properly? While there’s no magic formula that guarantees your site won’t lose its standing with Google, there are some specific search engine optimization tips that will definitely help.
Tip #1: Don’t Blow it All Up!
If your website is still producing leads (albeit less than normal) it may make more sense to simply retool certain pages than to start from scratch. Oftentimes, site owners will think that a drop in website activity warrants an entire redesign. This practice jeopardizes any current leads to your website and may hurt SEO progress that has been previously made.
Tip #2: Monitor a Page’s Internal Links and Content
If a highly linked page on your website is suddenly replaced with a page that includes little to no internal links, the page’s ranking will likely fall. The same goes for replacing a page with a lot of content with one that has minimal content. Major changes may look nice visually, but easing into a new style will be better in the long run.
Tip #3: Keep Keywords and Content Aligned
Understand which keywords each page ranks well for before creating new content. If a page ranks high for poppy seed muffins in Minneapolis and the new content is all about blueberry scones in Cincinnati, you’ve effectively thrown away organic leads for that page. Feel free to rewrite a page’s copy, but keep those high performing keywords within the content. Otherwise, consider creating a new page for new keywords.
Redesigning a website should be a fun and strategic process for you and your business. However, it’s important to fully understand how a redesign will affect your current website’s performance and to take steps to ensure a seamless crossover.
If you need help maintaining your SEO through a website redesign, don’t start without first contacting the team at Brandography. The website specialists at our Minneapolis Internet marketing agency will walk you through the SEO content writing process, key development tools, and design tips to make sure that you build the most effective website design possible.
