Search engine optimization (SEO) has long been one of the highest priorities in web design. While the modern digital space has changed and shifted, SEO has remained a vital part of ensuring people find your website. Without well-organized and structured SEO, it can be easy for a website to fall far down in the ranks of a search engine and be lost to traffic.
Additionally, SEO needs to be regularly maintained throughout the lifetime of a website, and this includes during a redesign. In many cases, websites need a redesign to freshen up the aesthetics and branding, improve navigation, and optimize user experience. However, maintaining SEO throughout this process is a key priority. An improperly done website redesign can lead to several SEO errors that can plummet a site’s traffic and the general user experience.
In the article below, we are going to take a look at five common mistakes that can affect SEO during a website redesign. Knowing these can help to avoid them when you begin your redesign.
The Five SEO Mistakes of Website Redesign
Now, let’s jump into the five SEO mistakes that can happen during a website redesign. Of course, these are far from the only mistakes that can occur, but these do tend to be the most common during this process.
1. No SEO Benchmarks Before Beginning Redesign
Before beginning any website redesign work, it is critical to benchmark where SEO performance currently sits. A redesign can easily affect several SEO metrics, including traffic, ranking, conversion, and more. This is why it is important to establish the baseline before changing anything. If performance changes after redesign, the metrics can be compared to the benchmarks to see which area is having an issue. SEO metrics to benchmark include:
- Keyword ranking
- Click-through rates (CTR)
- Conversion rates
- Top traffic pages
- Best converting pages.
Be sure to note all of these metrics down so they can be referred back to after the redesign. Not only will this help you maintain performance from before the redesign, but it will also help tell you whether metrics have improved since.
2. Improper or Missing Redirects
A major part of a website redesign is often restructuring or changing URLs to improve site layout and navigation. However, if done incorrectly, this can create a whole slew of broken web pages and links. This is why it is vital to set up proper redirects throughout the process of web redesign. In other words, if a page is moved to a different URL, there needs to be a redirect set up from the old URL to send users to the new location.
Moreover, this means setting up redirects for any internal links throughout the website. If the landing page links to a relevant blog or service page, but it has been moved, the link will need to be updated or redirected. This also means handling any external backlinks as well, as these can be vital for SEO ranking and indexing.
There are typically two solutions for adapting external links to the new site. It can simply be redirected to the new URL, or the external site can be contacted to update the link. However, the first option is usually the easiest.
3. Failing to Audit Current Content
This mistake goes hand in hand with the first mistake of not setting benchmarks, as this goes for content as well. It is vital to know which content and pages perform well before deleting or changing them. Deleting or changing content with reckless abandon can easily lead to killing off huge sources of user traffic.
Evaluate which pages draw the most traffic and rank well, then do what is necessary to preserve and improve these pages throughout the redesign. Analytics, SEO, and crawling tools can be incredibly helpful in this process.
4. Not Using the Opportunity to Improve SEO Elements
SEO needs to be considered in the redesign process in more ways than one. There is the matter of maintaining and preserving anything that is already performing well, but it is also an opportunity to improve SEO elements. Use the redesign as a chance to update a variety of website elements, including:
- Meta tags
- Fix any broken internal links
- Page speed and performance
- CTAs
- Underperforming content
- Messaging.
5. Ignoring Mobile Optimization
In the modern digital age, mobile devices are king. In fact, a majority of internet traffic is now coming from mobile devices. So, what does this mean? It means any business that isn’t optimizing its website for mobile devices is bound to get lost in a sea of other websites that do.
To be clear, mobile optimization doesn’t necessarily factor into search algorithms and rankings directly, but it can play a role in user friendliness and bounce rates. If a user visits from their phone and finds the site impossible to use or navigate, they will be quick to leave and find a site easier to view.
The mobile version of any site needs just as much focus as the desktop version. It should be fast, easily navigable, and intuitive. Otherwise, a large portion of user traffic could be left behind.
Should You Opt for Website Redesign Services?
Some businesses may wonder whether it would be better to opt for website redesign services. Any business that doesn’t have the experience or qualified designers to complete a website redesign may want to consider using expert services.
Making too many mistakes or an inexpert redesign can often lead to more problems. It can result in broken links, confusing structuring, and SEO nightmares. Of course, it can still be beneficial to know the five mistakes of SEO below, but sometimes, it is better to reach out to professionals, like Graphem Solutions, to ensure the job is done right.
Industry Specific: Healthcare Website Redesign Benefits
With the digital space constantly evolving, people want modern and usable websites. Unfortunately, many healthcare websites are often behind the times in that department. Far too many healthcare websites are clunky, difficult to navigate, and slow to load. Fortunately, a simple redesign can often remedy many of these issues. There are several healthcare website redesign benefits, including:
- Faster load times
- More secure patient and user data
- Higher search rankings
- More satisfied users (more likely to return)
- A competitive edge over numerous other healthcare businesses with outdated websites.
Graphem Solutions: Your Source for Expert Website Redesign
If you are searching for an experienced web design agency, you’ve come to the right place. The team at Graphem Solutions comes with years of experience in custom web design, website redesign, and modernization.
We will work with you closely to understand the needs of your business and what you want out of a redesign. Our team will then work diligently to make this vision come to life. We understand how important your website is to your business, and we want to ensure it stays relevant with expert SEO preservation and redesign.
Check out some of our work with previous clients to see our team’s incredible efforts.
If you want to learn more about our website redesign services, you can fill out our online contact form or call us at 1-800-590-0175. We look forward to helping you redesign your website to add a modern edge and please your users.
