Redesigning a Company Website Without Losing Your Google Rankings

A company website built years ago often feels dated: it doesn't display well on phones, it is slow to load or it is hard to update. A redesign is a natural step. But there is one risk that is often overlooked: the better new website actually loses visitors from Google because the addresses of the old pages suddenly disappear.

This article covers the signs that a website needs a redesign, and the steps that keep the move to a new website from undoing the rankings you have already built on Google.

Signs your website needs a redesign

Not every old website has to be replaced. Consider a redesign if several of these apply:

It doesn't display well on phones: text is too small, buttons are hard to tap or pages need scrolling sideways.
The website is slow: pages take a long time to open, especially on mobile networks.
It is hard to update: every small change has to wait for a developer, or nobody knows how to get into the CMS.
The information is out of date: your products, services or company structure have changed, but the website hasn't.
It falls short of competitors': potential customers compare, and your website looks the most dated.
There is no HTTPS yet, or the browser shows a "not secure" warning.

If the only problem is outdated content, fixing the content may be enough. But if the problem lies in the website's foundations, rebuilding is usually more effective than patching.

Why can a redesign hurt your Google rankings?

Google knows your website through the address (URL) of each page. A page at /products/cardboard-box that has long appeared in search results has a "history" with Google. If on the new website that address becomes /catalogue/carton-boxes without notice, Google and anyone clicking the search result will land on a "not found" page (a 404 error).

As a result, that page's ranking can drop, and links from other websites pointing to the old address are wasted too. The key lies in two things: keeping the same address, or redirecting the old address to the new one correctly. Those links are valuable, so see also backlinks for a company website.

Step 1: Take a content inventory

Before designing anything, list every page on the old website. You can draw on the old website's sitemap, the page data in Google Search Console or a manual crawl. For each page, note:

The page address (URL)
Whether the page is still relevant
Whether the page gets visits from Google
Where the page will move to on the new website

The inventory is also a chance to tidy up your content: merge overlapping pages, update old information and remove what is no longer useful.

Step 2: Keep URLs or use 301 redirects

Where possible, keep the same page addresses on the new website. This is the safest approach. But a redesign is often a chance to tidy up the structure, so some addresses do need to change.

For addresses that change, use a 301 redirect, a permanent redirect from the old address to the new one. A 301 redirect tells browsers and Google that the page has moved permanently, so visitors are sent on automatically and Google understands that the new page replaces the old one.

Diagram of a 301 redirect map from old URLs to new URLs

A few important principles:

Redirect each old address to the most relevant new page, not everything to the home page.
Avoid redirect chains, for example A to B and then B to C. Redirect A straight to C.
Pages that have genuinely been removed and have no replacement can show a friendly "not found" page with a link to the home page.

Step 3: Keep the SEO elements that already work

Besides addresses, pay attention to the page titles, descriptions and body text of the pages that have been bringing in visitors. If a page already ranks for important keywords, don't delete it or drastically change its content without a good reason. The design can change, but the information visitors are looking for should stay.

Step 4: Monitor Search Console after launch

Once the new website is live, submit the new sitemap through Google Search Console. Over the following weeks, regularly check:

Pages reported as "not found" (404) that need a redirect
Pages that haven't been indexed yet
Changes in clicks and impressions compared with before the redesign

Small fluctuations after a move are common. What matters is fixing any problems promptly. If a page still isn't showing up, check why a page isn't showing on Google.

Common mistakes

Every old page redirected to the home page: Google may treat them as missing pages.
The old website switched off without a list of URLs: afterwards it is hard to know which addresses need redirecting.
Important content cut for the sake of the design: the page looks clean, but the information visitors want is gone.
Search Console not checked after launch: errors go unnoticed for weeks.

Frequently asked questions

Will our Google rankings definitely drop after a redesign?

Not necessarily. If page addresses are kept or correctly redirected with 301 redirects, and important content stays, rankings can usually be maintained. Temporary fluctuations may occur while Google processes the changes.

Do we need to change our domain during a redesign?

No, and it is best not to without a good reason. Changing domain adds redirect work and risk. If you really must change it, every address on the old domain needs redirecting to the new domain. Read also choosing between a .co.id and a .com domain.

How long should redirects from the old website stay in place?

Ideally for the long term. Links from other websites, documents or customers' bookmarks may still point to old addresses years later.

A good redesign changes how your website looks, not the trail you have already built on Google.

Planning to refresh your company website? See our website services, or read how long it takes to build a company website.