A redesign should make your website better for customers, not wipe out the search visibility you have built. We have redesigned and customised sites such as Powersports Software, Tech Lab Repairs, Mor Media Charity and Crazy Color Malta. This is the checklist we follow.
Before you start
- Record your current performance. Export top pages and queries from Search Console and analytics.
- Crawl the old site. List every URL, title, meta description and H1.
- Identify your money pages. The pages that bring enquiries or sales must keep their content and URLs where possible.
During the redesign
- Keep URLs unchanged where you can. Changing URLs is the biggest risk.
- Map every changed URL to its new equivalent and plan 301 redirects.
- Carry over or improve content. Do not replace a detailed service page with a slogan and an image.
- Keep titles, descriptions and headings optimised.
- Keep the brand recognisable. On Powersports Software we kept the existing red, black and white identity while modernising the layout, product cards and navigation.
- Design mobile first and check tablet layouts too.
- Check speed before launch: image sizes, fonts and scripts.
At launch
- Remove any noindex settings from the staging site.
- Put redirects live and test them.
- Submit the new sitemap in Search Console.
- Check analytics and conversion tracking.
After launch
- Watch the Page indexing report and 404 errors for a few weeks.
- Compare traffic to key pages with your pre-launch export.
- Fix issues quickly; small problems caught early rarely become ranking drops.
Theme changes count as redesigns
Switching a WordPress theme, as we did for Crazy Color Malta, changes layout, headings and sometimes URLs. Treat it with the same care.
Planning a redesign? See our web design and development and WordPress services, or read our on-page SEO audit checklist.
FAQ
Will a redesign hurt my SEO?
It can if URLs, content or metadata are lost. With planning and redirects, a redesign often improves SEO.
How long does a typical redesign take?
It depends on the number of pages and content readiness. We agree a timeline after discovery.
