Evaluating Your Current SEO Performance
Before embarking on a website redesign, it’s crucial to assess your current SEO standings. Gather the following information and analyze your website’s current scenario:
- website’s traffic
- keyword rankings
- backlink profile
- Content quality
- User engagement (bounce rate, page views per sessions, average session duration)
- Website load speed
- Mobile responsiveness
Use tools like Google Analytics and Search Console to identify what’s working and pinpoint areas that need improvement. If you don’t know how to find this information, no worries. Our team is here to help. You can request a free SEO Audit here!
Understanding your website’s SEO performance sets a benchmark for comparison after the redesign.
Planning for SEO from the Ground Up
A successful SEO strategy always begins with planning. Here are a few bullet points to help you get started:
- Ensure your website’s structure is intuitive and reflects the user’s search intent.
- Create an SEO roadmap
- Do a keyword research
- Create a site hierarchy and metadata strategy.
Align these elements with your business goals and user needs to ensure that the new design is not only visually appealing but also optimized for search engines.
On the technical side, it is important to check on schema markup, canonical tags, and XML sitemaps. These elements help search engines understand and index your website more effectively. Additionally, plan for mobile-first design since Google predominantly uses the mobile version of the content for indexing and ranking.
Ensuring Seamless URL Migrations
During a redesign, URL structure often changes, which can significantly affect SEO if not handled correctly. Develop a URL migration plan to ensure that all old URLs are properly redirected to the new ones using 301 redirects. This preserves link equity and prevents 404 errors, which can harm your SEO performance.
Map out all existing URLs and determine the corresponding new URLs. Use a redirection plugin or modify your .htaccess file if you’re comfortable with code. Remember to update your internal links to point to the new URLs to maintain a good site structure. Post-launch, regularly check for crawl errors in Google Search Console to fix any broken links promptly.
Optimizing Content and Structure for SEO
Content is the cornerstone of SEO. As part of your redesign, review your website’s content and identify opportunities to optimize your content for relevance, quality, and keyword optimization. Here are a few areas to get you started:
- Ensure your headings, titles, and meta descriptions incorporate targeted keywords and accurately reflect the page content.
- Use breadcrumb navigation and logical URL hierarchy. Structurally, your website should facilitate easy navigation for both users and search engine crawlers.
- Optimize images with descriptive ALT tags and compress them for faster loading times.
- Ensure that your website is ADA-compliant to enhance usability for all visitors.
Testing and Monitoring Post-Launch SEO Impact
After launching your redesigned website, it’s imperative to monitor its SEO performance closely. Track the same metrics you assessed before the redesign and compare them to understand the impact of the changes. Look for improvements in rankings, organic traffic, and user engagement.
Utilize A/B testing for different elements such as page layouts, call-to-action buttons, and meta tags to find what works best for your audience. Continuously analyze and refine your SEO strategy based on data-driven insights. Regularly update your content and stay informed about the latest SEO trends and algorithm updates to maintain and improve your search engine rankings over time.
Looking for SEO Experts?
At ELMNTL, we specialize in transforming your website to achieve optimal SEO, Paid Ads, and technical performance. Ready to elevate your online presence with a redesign? Start with a FREE SEO Audit from our expert team. Our SEO specialists are eager to connect with you and strategize the perfect roadmap to your digital success.
