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Website redesign checklist: protect your SEO and your leads

A redesign checklist covering goals, content audit, URL redirects, tracking, testing and launch so you do not lose traffic.

By the Smartise team · Published · Updated · 5 min read

Key takeaways

  • A redesign can improve results, but a careless one can wipe out years of search visibility.
  • Know what is working before you change it: record your top pages, rankings, enquiries and backlinks.
  • Redirects, tracking and testing before launch are what protect your leads.

1. Define the goals

Write down why you are redesigning. Typical goals include more enquiries, a clearer message, mobile usability, faster pages, easier editing or a refreshed brand. Choose measurable targets, such as contact-form submissions per month, so you can judge the result afterwards.

2. Record the baseline

  • Export top landing pages and search queries from Google Search Console.
  • Note monthly visitors, enquiries and conversion events from your analytics.
  • Crawl the existing site to list every URL, title and heading.
  • List important pages that other sites link to.

3. Audit content

Sort pages into keep, improve, merge and remove. Pages that bring traffic or enquiries should be preserved and strengthened. Thin or outdated pages can be combined or retired, with redirects to the closest relevant page.

4. Plan structure and design

Plan navigation around how customers look for things, not around your internal organisation. Design mobile first, keep calls to action visible, and plan accessible colour contrast and readable text sizes. See website accessibility basics.

5. Protect your URLs

If a page address changes, create a 301 redirect from the old address to the new one. Keep a spreadsheet mapping old to new URLs and test it before launch. Where possible, keep existing URLs unchanged.

6. Carry over SEO elements

  • Titles, meta descriptions and headings that perform well.
  • Structured data, canonical tags and the XML sitemap.
  • Image alt text and internal links.
  • Google Business Profile links pointing to the correct pages.

7. Build and test on staging

Work on a private staging copy with search engine indexing blocked. Test forms, phone links, checkout, mobile layouts and page speed. Ask real people to try completing the main tasks.

8. Launch carefully

  1. Choose a quiet time and take a full backup.
  2. Remove the staging noindex and switch over.
  3. Verify redirects, analytics and the sitemap straight away.
  4. Submit the new sitemap in Search Console.

9. Monitor after launch

Watch Search Console for crawl errors and coverage issues, and compare enquiries to your baseline over the following weeks. Short-term fluctuations are normal; sustained drops signal missing redirects or content that was lost.

Next steps

Our website redesign service follows this process, and you can ask for a review of your current site before deciding anything.

Frequently asked questions

It can if URLs, content or technical settings are mishandled. With careful planning and redirects, you can usually avoid long-term losses.

It depends on size and how quickly content and feedback arrive. Agree a timeline with milestones before starting.

Usually at least some. A redesign is a good moment to update outdated pages and clarify your message.

Ready to grow with Smartise?

Tell us about your business and goals. We will recommend the smallest set of changes that makes the biggest difference, and tell you plainly what we can and cannot promise.

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