To redesign a website without losing rankings, keep the URLs that already rank, redirect any address that changes with a one-to-one 301 redirect, keep the content that earns traffic, and check the new site's titles, headings, links and speed before launch. After launch, watch indexing and traffic in Search Console for several weeks.
Most ranking drops after a redesign are caused by avoidable things: pages deleted or renamed without redirects, content cut to "look cleaner", and a new template that is slower than the old one. This checklist is in the order we would do the work.
What to do before you design
- List every current URLCollect them from the sitemap, Search Console, analytics and the CMS. Google recommends building this list from several sources so none are missed.
- Mark the pages that matterIn Search Console's Performance report, note the pages that bring clicks and impressions. These are the ones you must not damage.
- Decide what changes addressKeep a URL the same if the page stays. Only change an address when there is a clear reason.
- Record a baselineSave current rankings, clicks and conversions so you can compare after launch. Run a crawl and keep the file.
- Check the current speedLook at the Core Web Vitals report so you know what the new site has to beat.
What to do during the build
Build the new site on a staging copy that search engines cannot index. Then use this table to keep the important signals intact.
| Keep or carry over | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Page titles and meta descriptions for pages that rank | These shape how the page appears in results. Change them deliberately, not by accident. |
| Heading structure and main body content | Cutting well-performing text can cost the page its relevance for the queries it ranked for. |
| Internal links between important pages | They tell search engines which pages matter and help visitors move through the site. |
| Structured data | Make sure Organisation, Breadcrumb and Article or Service data are still present and valid. |
| Image file names and alt text | They support image search and accessibility. |
| Language and hreflang tags | Needed on bilingual sites so Google shows the right language version. |
Test the staging site on a phone. Many visitors in Saudi Arabia browse on mobile, so a layout that works only on a desktop is a problem. Our technical SEO checklist lists the checks to run.
What to do at launch
Google recommends server-side permanent redirects, such as 301, from each old URL to the matching new one. Redirect straight to the final address rather than through a chain, and avoid sending many old pages to the home page, since that is a poor match for what the visitor wanted.
- Switch the redirects onTest a sample of old URLs, especially the ones with the most traffic, to confirm they land on the right page.
- Remove the staging blockCheck the robots.txt file and the no-index settings so the live site can be indexed.
- Update the sitemapSubmit the new XML sitemap in Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
- Update internal links and canonicalsMake sure links and canonical tags point to the new addresses, not the old ones.
- Crawl the live siteLook for broken links, redirect chains and pages that returned errors.
If the domain is changing as well, the Change of Address tool in Search Console applies. It is not needed when only the paths change on the same domain.
What to do after launch
Google notes that new URLs can take a few weeks or more to appear for a medium-sized site, so a short dip is not a reason to panic. Check these weekly for the first month:
- Search Console's page indexing report, for unexpected errors and for indexed pages moving from old URLs to new ones
- The Performance report, comparing clicks and impressions with your baseline
- Crawl errors and 404s, fixing any missing redirects
- Speed and Core Web Vitals on the new templates
- Conversions, such as form submissions, calls and WhatsApp clicks
Keep the redirects in place for at least a year, which is Google's general guidance, and longer if the old addresses still have links pointing to them.
If rankings fall and you cannot find the cause, an SEO audit will separate redirect problems from content and technical ones.
What changes for Arabic and English sites?
On a bilingual site, redirect each language version to its own counterpart, not to the other language. Keep the hreflang tags consistent between the Arabic and English pages, and make sure each page's canonical points to itself. Check that right-to-left layouts survive the new design rather than being mirrored as an afterthought. See our Arabic SEO guide for the language setup.
If you are planning a rebuild, our web design service includes the redirect map and the post-launch checks described above.
Sources
Planning a redesign?
Send us your current site and tell us what you want to change. We will list the pages and addresses to protect first.