Before you start: inventory what exists
You can't protect what you haven't listed. Collect:
- Every URL on the current site — from the sitemap, a crawl or your CMS.
- Pages that get search traffic — from Google Search Console's performance report.
- Pages other sites link to, if you can see them.
- Current titles and descriptions for important pages.
- Forms, phone links and tracking that must keep working.
If you don't have Search Console set up, do it now; setting up Search Console explains how.
Decide what to keep, merge or retire
| Old page | Decision | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Gets traffic, still accurate | Keep | Same URL if possible, or redirect to the new URL |
| Duplicates another page | Merge | Combine content, redirect the old URL |
| Outdated service you no longer offer | Retire | Redirect to the closest relevant page, or let it return 404/410 if nothing fits |
| Thin or empty | Improve or retire | Don't carry it over unchanged |
Keeping URLs unchanged is the simplest protection. Change them only when there's a real benefit.
Map redirects for every changed URL
For each old URL that changes, set a permanent (301) redirect to the most relevant new URL — not everything to the homepage. Google's guidance on redirects and on site moves with URL changes covers the details.
Keep the redirect map as a spreadsheet: old URL, new URL, status. You'll need it for testing.
Keep the content that works
Pages that rank usually do so because they answer something well. When redesigning:
- Keep the substance of well-performing pages, even if the layout changes.
- Keep or improve titles and descriptions — see writing page titles and meta descriptions.
- Keep a clear H1 per page and descriptive headings.
- Don't hide important text in images or behind tabs that need clicks to load.
Launch-day checks
- Every redirect in the map returns 301 and lands on the right page.
- No important page returns 404.
- The new site isn't blocked: no leftover "noindex" tags or robots.txt blocks from staging (how noindex works).
- Each page has a self-referencing canonical where appropriate (canonical guidance).
- A new sitemap is submitted in Search Console.
- Forms, phone links and analytics work.
The full pre-launch list is in the website launch QA checklist.
After launch
Check Search Console weekly for a couple of months: coverage errors, 404s, and changes in clicks for important pages. Fix broken redirects quickly. Some movement is normal; a sustained drop on a specific page usually points to a missing redirect or lost content.
Honest expectations
A redesign can remove problems, but it can't guarantee rankings or traffic. MendRev doesn't promise rankings; we can promise the redirects, titles, sitemap and Search Console setup are handled.
Questions
Will a redesign always cause a traffic dip?
Not always, but some fluctuation is common while search engines process changes. Google's own site-move documentation says to expect temporary fluctuation. Keeping URLs, content and redirects in order minimises it.
Should I change my domain at the same time?
Avoid combining a domain change with a full redesign if you can. Changing one thing at a time makes problems easier to diagnose.
Sources and further reading
- performance report support.google.com
- redirects developers.google.com
- site moves with URL changes developers.google.com
- how noindex works developers.google.com
- canonical guidance developers.google.com
Official documentation changes. Check the current version before you rely on a rule, limit or setting.
Next step
See a site built around your real details.
Look at sample layouts (fictional previews, not client work), read published website pricing, or ask for a free concept preview.
Already happy with your site? Website Maintenance covers monitoring, a monthly form test, backups and edits.