Website Redesign: The Good, The Bad, and the SEO Hacks

At Vi Digital, we’ve seen the good, the bad, and the downright disastrous when it comes to website redesigns. So, if you’re thinking about modernising your site, switching to HTTPS, or migrating to a new CMS, stop and read this first.

Website Redesign: The Good, The Bad, and the SEO Hacks

At Vi Digital, we’ve seen the good, the bad, and the downright disastrous when it comes to website redesigns. So, if you’re thinking about modernising your site, switching to HTTPS, or migrating to a new CMS, stop and read this first.

Redesigning your website isn’t just a visual glow-up—it’s a high-stakes operation that can make or break your SEO. Get it wrong, and you could watch all your hard-earned rankings nosedive. But get it right? You’ll not only keep your rankings intact, but you might just climb higher and snag even more traffic.

Why Consider SEO During a Redesign?

You might think, “It’s just a redesign—how much damage can it do?” Oh, trust us, it can do plenty. Imagine you’ve been smashing it online: high rankings, loads of traffic, and a steady stream of leads. Now imagine losing it all because your new design didn’t factor in SEO. Painful, right?

But here’s the good news: when done right, a redesign can supercharge your SEO, improve user experience, and set you miles ahead of the competition. The trick? Following the right steps and not cutting corners.

SEO Hacks for a Redesign Done Right

Step 1: Start with SEO—Always

The biggest mistake we see? People diving headfirst into a redesign without considering their existing SEO. They throw away valuable pages, kill established URLs, and basically tell Google, “We’re starting over!”

Here’s the hack: Audit what you already have. Identify pages with strong authority and ensure they’re redirected properly if their URLs change. Keep your content intact and never, ever delete pages without a plan.

Step 2: Audit Your Current Site

You can’t fix what you don’t understand. Run a full SEO audit of your existing site to see what’s working, what’s not, and what needs attention.

Here’s your checklist:

  • H1, H2, and H3 Tags: Are they missing or poorly optimised?
  • Canonicalisation: Are duplicate pages confusing Google?
  • Metadata: Are your titles and descriptions pulling their weight?
  • Duplicate Content: Kill it or consolidate it.
  • Indexing Issues: Ensure all important pages are crawlable.

Need help? At Vi Digital, we offer a free SEO audit that doesn’t just give you a list—it gives you a game plan.

Step 3: No-Index Your Staging Site

Building a duplicate version of your site while redesigning? Great. Leaving it open for Google to crawl? Not so great.

Duplicate content can wreak havoc on your rankings. The hack? Simply no-index your staging site. It’s a one-click fix in most CMS platforms, like ticking the “Discourage search engines” box in WordPress. Don’t miss this step—it’s basic but essential.

Step 4: Crawl Your New Site

Before you go live, crawl your shiny new site to make sure everything’s in place. Use tools like Moz or Screaming Frog to check:

  • 404 Errors: Redirect broken pages to their new URLs.
  • Internal Links: Ensure they all work and point to the right places.
  • Canonical Tags: Make sure duplicate pages are handled correctly.

Pro Tip: Redirects (301s) are your safety net, transferring authority from old pages to new ones. Just remember, every redirect loses a smidge of link juice—so don’t go redirect-crazy.

Content is Still King

Don’t Delete Old Content

We get it—your 2016 blog posts don’t feel “on-brand” anymore. But here’s the deal: those old posts are likely sitting on a pile of SEO gold. Deleting them without a replacement? That’s SEO suicide. Instead, update and repurpose them to keep the authority intact while modernising the message.

Watch Your Landing Pages

Your high-ranking landing pages are the backbone of your traffic. Don’t mess with them unless you have a solid reason—and even then, tread carefully.

The SEO-Friendly Launch

Index Your New Site

Once everything is polished and perfect, switch back on indexing. Google needs to know your new site exists. Without this, you’re essentially invisible.

Keep the Structure Familiar

Major structural changes? Bad idea. They confuse Google and your users. Stick to a similar site structure, and if changes are necessary, make sure they’re backed by solid redirects.

Post-Launch Hacks: Monitor and Adapt

Once your redesign is live, the work isn’t over. Here’s what to keep an eye on:

  • Traffic Trends: Watch for any sudden drops and address them ASAP.
  • Crawl Errors: Regularly check Google Search Console for issues.
  • Rankings: Keep tabs on your keyword positions. Temporary drops are normal, but long-term declines need attention.
  • Analytics: Update your Google Analytics to reflect new goals and track performance accurately.

Redesigning Without Losing SEO: Final Tips

  • Never take your site offline for an extended period. An “Under Construction” page is SEO kryptonite.
  • Refresh your keyword strategy during the redesign. Look for gaps and opportunities, especially with long-tail keywords.
  • Evaluate your metadata and content quality. New design, new opportunities to optimise!
  • Communicate with your design team. SEO isn’t their job—but it needs to be part of the process.

Why Trust Vi Digital with Your Redesign?

Because we get it. A redesign isn’t just a facelift—it’s an opportunity to grow, rank higher, and crush your competition. We don’t just keep your SEO intact; we make sure your new site is stronger, faster, and more visible than ever.

Ready to redesign without regrets? Let’s talk.