Why SEO is Essential During a Website Redesign

Picture this: You've just opened a brand-new store, filled to the brim with products you're certain people will love.

The only catch?

Your store is tucked away in an alley, nearly invisible to passersby. That's what it's like to have a website without considering Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

SEO, dear reader, is your golden ticket to visibility in the vast digital marketplace.

Prefer to watch a video on the topic?

It's the art and science of making your website attractive to the algorithms of search engines (primarily Google). It’s the equivalent of moving your store from that hidden alley to a bustling main street, where potential customers can easily find you.

Now, imagine doing a complete makeover of your store, making it more appealing, more navigable—only to find out that you’ve moved further down the alley.

That's precisely the risk you run when you redesign your website without considering SEO.

A well-designed website is not just about aesthetics; it's about being found. It's about ensuring that each page, each piece of content, serves as a beacon, drawing in visitors from the vast expanse of the internet.

The world of SEO is ever-changing, and your website needs to keep pace. This means that when you're planning a website redesign, SEO isn't just a box to be checked—it's a critical component that should shape your redesign strategy from the ground up.

So, come along on this journey as we peel back the layers of SEO during a website redesign. Let's move your store out of the alley and onto the main street, where it truly belongs. The road ahead is clear, and the rewards are plentiful. Buckle up, and let's dive in!

The Redesign SEO Checklist

But what is a 404 error?

A 404 page is the digital equivalent of that missing book. The URL they clicked promised a webpage, but instead, they're greeted with a "Page Not Found" message. It's a dead end in their journey, causing them to backtrack or, worse, leave your website altogether.

And search engines?

They're not big fans, either. These errors can negatively impact your SEO by making your site appear unreliable.

Here's an example of a 404-error page on our site. This page would show when someone tries to go to a page that is no longer there, and it was not redirected to a new page. Or perhaps someone typed in the wrong URL with a typo, for example. 

So, how do we fix this?

First, identify these elusive 404 errors. Tools like Google Search Console (a free tool) or other paid SEO Tools can crawl your website, unearthing any pages that are leading users to a dead end. (here's a related post on how to use Google Search Console to easily improve your SEO).

Once you've hunted down these culprits, it's time to fix them. 

You have two main options:

Redirect the broken URL (preferably using a 301 permanent redirect) to a relevant live page, guiding your visitors to the right path. Or, if the content was valuable, recreate the page at the original URL.

Remember, every 404-error page is a missed opportunity - a potential customer lost, a frustrating user experience, a dent in your SEO armor. But with vigilance and swift action, you can turn these digital dead ends into pathways to success.

An XML Sitemap is like an open invitation to search engines, a detailed roadmap that beckons them to discover, index, and value each page of your website.

Here's an example XML sitemap: 

And if you use WordPress, the Yoast plugin automatically creates an XML sitemap for you. 

By listing all your site's URLs, it ensures none of your precious content is overlooked, elevating your visibility in the vast digital landscape.

But creating and maintaining an XML Sitemap isn't a one-size-fits-all task.

It requires finesse and an understanding of your website's unique structure.

Best practices to help you craft a compelling sitemap during your redesign:

Remember, your XML Sitemap is more than just a list of links—it's the key to unlocking your website's full potential in the eyes of search engines. So, wield it wisely during your redesign. 

Now, apply this scenario to your website redesign. 

Going live with a new design without any testing is akin to stepping onto the stage unprepared.

The result? 

SEO missteps, broken links, and perhaps, a dip in your site's rankings.

This is where the magic of a test site comes into play.

A test site, also known as a staging site, is a clone of your live website. It's your very own digital playground, a safe space to experiment, tweak, and perfect your new design before it meets the world.

Why is this crucial, you ask?

A test site allows you to spot and fix any SEO issues BEFORE your new design goes live. Think of it as your dress rehearsal, ensuring that when the curtain lifts, your website performs flawlessly, captivating your audience (and search engines) with its seamless functionality and improved SEO.

Moreover, a test site shields your users from any potential redesign hiccups. Because let's face it, nothing shatters a user's experience quite like a site under construction. With a test site, you can refine every detail behind the scenes, so that your users only see the final masterpiece.

URL structure refers to how your website's individual pages are organized and displayed. It's like the blueprint of your online property, guiding visitors and search engines alike through the labyrinth of your content.

Here's an example:

Let's suppose you are a personal injury attorney, and you have offices in Houston and Dallas.

On your website, you provide car accident personal injury services in each market, among other services. 

An ideal way to represent this URL structure is:

• /houston-personal-injury-attorney/car-accidents 
• /dallas-personal-injury-attorney/car-accidents

Each of those pages would discuss Houston or Dallas car accidents. 

Now if someone backs up the URL, for example, just to /houston-personal-injury-attorney/, they will get the Houston personal injury page. And similar to the Dallas URL. 

Organizing your site this way supports good site organization, which is good for users and good for Google. 

Now, you might wonder - why does this matter for SEO? 

Well, imagine a librarian trying to locate that book you've requested. If the books are systematically arranged and cataloged, they'll find it in no time.

Similarly, an SEO-friendly URL structure makes it easier for search engines to crawl your site, understand its content, and thereby rank it better.

When redesigning your website, a well-thought-out URL structure is crucial.

It's your chance to clean up old, confusing paths and create a streamlined, intuitive journey for both your users and search engines.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

Embarking on a website redesign is like setting sail on a voyage. Your URL structure is your map.

Craft it wisely, and it will lead you to the treasure trove of improved SEO rankings and increased visibility. 

But fear not, dear reader! 

For every challenge in the digital landscape, there's an SEO tool ready to guide you. Let's explore some of the essential ones that can turn your website redesign into a triumphant adventure.

Remember, these tools are designed to help you navigate the complex terrain of SEO during a website redesign. They offer insights, identify issues, and provide solutions, ensuring your redesigned website doesn't just look good—it also performs brilliantly in search rankings.

So, gear up, adventurers! With these tools in your backpack, you're well-prepared for the exciting website redesign journey. Onward and upward!

Crawling is when search engines send out digital spiders to traverse your website, following links and gathering data. Indexing, then, is the next step: the search engine stores and organizes the information collected, preparing it for display in search results.

Now, imagine if our explorer couldn't access certain parts of your territory, or worse, didn't even know it existed. This would mean missing out on precious opportunities to be discovered by seekers back home (read: potential customers).

So, how do you ensure your redesigned site is fully crawled and indexed?

Remember, the more thoroughly you're crawled and indexed, the better your chances of ranking in search results. After all, if Google doesn’t know a page exists, it certainly isn’t going to ever be found in a search. So, as you redesign, think like a search engine spider. Make it easy for them to explore, understand, and appreciate your website, and watch as your visibility soars.

Just like that restaurant, your website needs to offer an exceptional User Experience (UX). A site that's easy to navigate, appealing, and intuitive doesn't just win over visitors—it wins over search engines too. Yes, UX and SEO are two sides of the same coin.

So how do we ensure a redesign that enhances UX and boosts SEO?

Here are some tips:

So how can you optimize these posts during a redesign?

Summary

We've journeyed together through the vast landscape of website redesign, exploring everything from 404 error paWrges to XML Sitemaps, test sites, to blog posts, all with a single goal—boosting your SEO and traffic.

A well-planned redesign isn't just about aesthetics—it's a potent tool that can transform your site's SEO, skyrocket your traffic, and, ultimately, fuel your business growth. It's about creating a site that's not just visually appealing, but also a delight to navigate, both for your users and for search engines.

So, as you embark on your next website redesign project, arm yourself with this checklist. Use it as your compass, guiding you through the twists and turns of the redesign process. And remember, every tick on this checklist brings you one step closer to a site that's not just beautiful, but also powerful—a true force in the digital realm. So, are you ready to transform your website into an SEO powerhouse? Let's get started!