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Guide · SEO · 5 min read

Redesigning your website: how to keep your search rankings

In short: during a redesign, what loses visits is usually not the new design. It is mostly old addresses that lead nowhere any more, and deleted content. The golden rule: every page that matters keeps its address, or is redirected individually to its new version. The rest is prepared before launch, and monitored afterwards.

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Every old address must lead somewhereDuring a redesign, every old page address is redirected to its new version. A forgotten address leads to an error page, and that page’s rankings are lost. One redirect per page, never everything to the homepage.OLD SITENEW SITE/services/web-design/web-design//blog/seo-tips/guides/seo-tips//contact-us/contact//pricing404 errorKEY TAKEAWAYOne redirect per page, never all to the homepageEvery old address must lead somewhereDuring a redesign, every old page address is redirected to its new version. A forgotten address leads to an error page, and that page’s rankings are lost. One redirect per page, never everything to the homepage.OLD SITE→ NEW SITE/services/web-design↓/web-design//blog/seo-tips↓/guides/seo-tips//contact-us↓/contact//pricing↓404 errorKEY TAKEAWAYOne redirect per page,never all to the homepage

Why a redesign can make visits drop

Google knows your pages by their addresses. If they change without a redirect, Google and your visitors land on an error page, and links from other websites to yours lead nowhere. The most common causes of a drop:

  • Addresses that change without being redirected.
  • Content deleted or heavily shortened, even though it attracted visits.
  • Page titles rewritten without considering the words people type into Google.
  • A slower site than before.
  • The setting that asks Google to ignore the working copy, forgotten at launch.

The method in 6 steps

  1. Take an inventory. List all the pages of the current site, noting those that attract visits (Google Search Console shows them) and those that receive links from other sites.
  2. Decide the fate of each page. It keeps its address, it is redirected to its new version, or it disappears if it has neither an equivalent nor any value.
  3. Write the redirect plan. A simple table: old address, new address. Redirects must be permanent (that is, flagged to Google as final), lead straight to the right page, and never all point to the homepage.
  4. Preserve what works. Pages that attract visits keep their content, and their titles only change for good reason.
  5. Test on a protected copy. Every redirect, the links between your own pages and the speed are checked. At launch, the setting that asked Google to ignore the copy is removed.
  6. Launch, then monitor. Send Google the sitemap, that is the list of your pages, then monitor errors and positions for several weeks. And keep the redirects: Google recommends keeping them as long as possible, generally at least a year.
The three stages of a successful redesignBefore: page inventory, redirect plan, tests on a copy. At launch: redirects live, sitemap sent to Google, internal links updated. After: errors monitored, rankings monitored, redirects kept for at least a year.BeforePage inventoryRedirect planTests on a copyLaunchRedirects liveSitemap sentInternal links updatedAfterErrors monitoredRankings monitoredRedirects keptThe three stages of a successful redesignBefore: page inventory, redirect plan, tests on a copy. At launch: redirects live, sitemap sent to Google, internal links updated. After: errors monitored, rankings monitored, redirects kept for at least a year.Before· Page inventory· Redirect plan· Tests on a copyLaunch· Redirects live· Sitemap sent· Internal links updatedAfter· Errors monitored· Rankings monitored· Redirects kept
A redesign plays out before, during and after launch.

6 costly mistakes

  • Redirecting everything to the homepage

    Google may treat these redirects as missing pages, and the old pages’ rankings may then be lost.

  • Forgetting the setting that hides the site from Google

    The working copy is set so Google ignores it. If this setting stays on at launch, it is the new site that Google ignores.

  • Deleting content that worked

    A page that has attracted visits for years should not disappear in the name of the new design.

  • Changing every address for no reason

    Each changed address is one more redirect to manage. Only change what needs changing.

  • Chained redirects

    An old address pointing to another, then yet another, slows everyone down. Each redirect must lead straight to the right page.

  • Removing redirects too early

    Google needs time to take everything into account, and other sites keep pointing to your old addresses.

And if you also change your domain name?

The method stays the same, with two extra precautions. In Search Console, the “Change of Address” tool tells Google about the move. And keep the old domain name: Google recommends paying for it for at least a year, so that nobody else buys it and misuses it.

An example redirect plan

A simple spreadsheet is enough. Here is what a well-kept redirect plan looks like:

Example of a redirect plan
Old addressNew addressDecision
/services/website-creation//web-design/Redirected to the equivalent page
/blog/10-seo-tips//guides/seo-tips/Redirected, content kept
/team//team/Address kept, nothing to do
/christmas-promo-2019/noneDeleted: no equivalent, no visits

The essential point: not a single page that attracts visits or receives links should go missing.

Planning a redesign?

Redesign or migration, I prepare everything with you: the inventory, the redirect plan, the tests, then the monitoring after launch. And you talk directly to the person who writes the code.

Let’s talk about your project See my WordPress services

Reply within one business day

Frequently asked questions

How long should redirects be kept?

Google recommends keeping them as long as possible, generally at least a year. For your visitors, keeping them indefinitely is safest.

Will my positions drop after the redesign?

Some variation is common, while Google goes over all the pages again. When addresses change, it usually takes 1 to 3 months for everything to be taken into account, sometimes more than a year. These are the timeframes presented by Gary Illyes, from Google’s Search team, at a conference in Barcelona in autumn 2026. If the redirect plan is sound, positions then stabilise.

Must I keep exactly the same addresses?

It is the simplest option, but not mandatory: an address that changes just needs to be redirected to its new version.

What should I do with pages I delete?

If a page has an equivalent, redirect it there. Otherwise, let it answer that it no longer exists: redirecting it to the homepage is pointless.

When should the new site go live?

At a quiet time for your business, not just before an important period: you will have time to fix the last details.

How much does a redesign cost?

It depends on the size of the site, the number of pages to rework and your needs. I never quote without looking first. Describe your project: I will send you a clear, itemised quote. Reply within one business day.

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