So you’ve launched a new website for your business…congratulations! Wait, what happened to your SEO rankings? They seem to have disappeared just as soon as that new website went up. That surely wasn’t part of the plan.
You launched a new website, so shouldn’t that have boosted your SEO rankings instead? In theory, yes. But, if the company that redesigned your website doesn’t truly understand the ins and outs of SEO, you’ll see your rankings go out the window.
While it is common to see a slight drop in your ranking because Google has to re-evaluate the new site and its content, you should see those rankings recover within a couple of weeks. If you don’t, then it’s time to do some damage control.
Several things should have been done before your new website was off and running to avoid this from happening. If one or more of the following items weren’t addressed, they could be to blame for your SEO slide.
Were the Re-Directs Done?
Re-directs are what’s responsible for sending people to your new and improved page and for telling search engines to rank the new page instead of the old one. If this step is ignored you may see an SEO drop that doesn’t rebound over a reasonable amount of time.
Do the New Copy Changes Still Contain Your Keywords?
When a website undergoes a makeover, the content pages likely get a facelift too. But, if the new pages take out the keywords that used to get you great SEO rankings, your SEO will tank without them.
The solution here is simple. Your new content pages need to still contain your keywords. Knowing which keywords were the ones that help you hit your SEO out of the park will help. If you get rid of the mediocre performers, you should still be okay. But, keep those heavy hitters in there to keep your SEO rankings high.
Were Pages Deleted?
Many times content pages get deleted as part of a new website launch. When this happens a gap occurs which can lead to any rankings that page previously got to disappear and your SEO rankings to drop.
If you don’t want this to happen, make sure the pages that are being deleted don’t include those heavy-hitting keywords we were talking about before. If they do, the effect will be worse than deleted copy because this is an entire page that no longer exists. Being conscious of your big keywords can make all the difference in a website redesign.
Were There Major Changes in Your Sitemap?
Your sitemap plays a big role in how Google understands your web page. If there were drastic changes, you need to make sure that a new sitemap was also created to go along with your web design.
While you’re at it, also be sure that all of your internal links on your new webpage are current. Obsolete links can also play a role in your SEO rankings.
Is Your Analytics Tracking Code in Place?
Sometimes something as simple as making sure your analytics tracking code is in place on your site can make all the difference in your rankings. This common mistake could lead you to believe that you’ve lost all of your traffic when that’s just not the case.
To avoid all of these issues, you want to make sure that SEO is part of your website redesign plan. The agency that you choose to revamp your site should have someone dedicated to this area who understands the logistics and will know what needs to be done to avoid SEO drops. They will also tell you about new ways your website redesign can boost your SEO rankings.
When all of the right things are done, your new website should bring in new traffic and be a breath of fresh air for your entire marketing plan. At VIVID Collective, we know what steps need to be taken to avoid an SEO meltdown. We will put a plan in place so that you can see your rankings grow. For more information on website redesign, SEO strategies, and all other marketing needs contact VIVID Collective today at 720-594-6968 or send us a message using this online form.
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