Signs your site is holding you back
- It does not look right on mobile devices
- It takes more than three seconds to load
- Your competitors' sites clearly look more current
- You are embarrassed to share the link with a new client
- Updating content requires calling a developer every time
If two or more of these sound familiar, a redesign is probably overdue.
Redesign without losing your rankings
The biggest mistake businesses make during a redesign is losing years of accumulated SEO value. Here is how to avoid that.
1. Map every existing URL before you touch anything
Document every current page and where its traffic comes from before the old site goes offline.
2. Set up 301 redirects for changed URLs
If a URL structure changes, a permanent redirect passes most of its ranking value to the new page. Skipping this step is the single most common cause of a post-redesign traffic drop.
3. Keep your best-performing content
A redesign is about presentation, not necessarily starting content from scratch. Carry forward what is already working.
4. Test thoroughly before launch
Check every form, every link and every page on both desktop and mobile before the new site goes live, not after.
The right time to start
The best time to redesign is before your current site is actively costing you customers - not after you have already noticed the drop-off.