Website Redesign Checklist: Keep Your Rankings and Improve Results

A redesign can raise enquiries, or quietly lose search traffic. This checklist helps you avoid the second outcome.

Before you start

1. List your current pages and the visits each one gets (Google Analytics or Search Console).
2. List the search words each page ranks for (Search Console, Performance report).
3. Note which pages bring enquiries.
4. Record page speed on a phone.

During the redesign

1. Keep URLs that already perform. If a URL must change, plan a 301 redirect from old to new.
2. Keep or improve page titles, headings and copy that bring traffic.
3. Fix structure: one clear H1 per page, logical headings, internal links between related pages.
4. Compress images and keep scripts light.
5. Design for the phone first.

Before launch

1. Test every redirect.
2. Test forms and phone links.
3. Check titles, descriptions and structured data.
4. Generate a fresh sitemap.

After launch

1. Submit the sitemap in Search Console.
2. Watch the Pages and Performance reports for errors and drops.
3. Fix broken links and missing redirects quickly.

Rankings can move for a few weeks after any redesign. Planning keeps that movement small.

Need help? See our website redesign services or send us your site address.