How to move or relaunch a site without tanking your traffic
A redesign or platform move is the most common way businesses accidentally destroy their search traffic. With a few safeguards, you keep every hard-won ranking.
The non-negotiables
Map every old URL to its new one with 301 redirects. Preserve titles, headings, and content on key pages. Keep your schema. Submit a fresh sitemap. And monitor closely for the first weeks to catch anything that slipped.
Why it goes wrong
Usually a forgotten redirect, dropped content, or a launch nobody monitored. Each quietly tells search engines a valuable page vanished. A careful plan — like the ones we run for redesigns — prevents it.
Common questions
Will a redesign hurt my SEO?
Only if done carelessly. With full 301 redirect mapping, preserved content and schema, a fresh sitemap, and post-launch monitoring, you keep your rankings.
What's the most common migration mistake?
Forgetting to redirect old URLs to their new equivalents, which strands the authority those pages earned.
Planning a redesign or move?
Planning a move? See what's at risk before you lose rankings.
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