Before you start
1. Write down why you're redesigning
More leads? Better mobile experience? New services? A rebrand? Clear goals decide what the new site must do and how you'll measure success.
2. Benchmark your current numbers
Record monthly visitors, enquiries, top pages and the search terms you rank for. Google Search Console and Google Analytics give you most of this. Without a baseline you can't tell if the redesign worked.
3. List every URL on the current site
Export all pages, including old blog posts and PDF files. Any page that gets traffic or has links from other sites needs a plan: keep it, merge it or redirect it.
4. Identify your best-performing pages
Pages that already rank or convert are assets. Keep their content, keywords and URLs where possible. Rewriting a top page from scratch is one of the fastest ways to lose rankings.
During the build
5. Map old URLs to new ones (301 redirects)
If a page's address changes, set up a permanent 301 redirect from the old URL to the closest new page. This passes most of the old page's ranking value and stops visitors hitting a 404.
6. Carry over titles, meta descriptions and headings
Keep or improve the title tags and H1s on pages that rank. Every page needs a unique title and description.
7. Build mobile-first and test speed
Design for the phone, then scale up. Test speed before launch, not after. See our guide on website speed.
8. Keep your contact details consistent
Business name, address and phone should match your Google Business Profile exactly. Inconsistent details confuse search engines and customers.
9. Build on a staging site and block it from Google
Work on a private copy that search engines can't index. Then remember to remove that block at launch. Forgetting this step has deindexed plenty of new sites.
Launch day
10. Test every form and button
Submit every form, click every phone link and check confirmation emails arrive. Broken forms are silent killers.
11. Reconnect tracking
Make sure Google Analytics, conversion tracking and any ad pixels are firing on the new site. If you run Google Ads, check conversions record properly.
12. Submit your sitemap
Submit the new XML sitemap in Google Search Console and request indexing for your main pages.
After launch
13. Watch for 404 errors
For the first few weeks, check Search Console for pages Google can't find and add redirects where needed.
14. Compare against your benchmark
A small wobble in rankings for a week or two is normal. A sustained drop usually points to missing redirects, lost content or a technical block. Compare monthly against the numbers you recorded at step 2.
Redesign or refresh?
Not every site needs a full rebuild. If your structure works and you rank well, a refresh of design, copy and speed can deliver most of the benefit with less risk. If your site is slow, hard to update or not built for mobile, a rebuild is usually the better long-term move.
We handle redesigns end to end, including redirects, SEO carry-over and tracking. See our web design service or book a free call.
Frequently asked questions
Will a website redesign hurt my SEO?
It can if URLs change without redirects or ranking content is removed. With proper 301 redirects, preserved titles and content, and a sitemap submission, most sites hold or improve their rankings.
How long does it take for rankings to settle after a redesign?
Small fluctuations for a few weeks are normal. If traffic is still well below your baseline after a month or two, check redirects, indexing and missing content.
What is a 301 redirect?
A permanent redirect that sends visitors and search engines from an old URL to a new one, passing most of the old page's ranking value.