Website redesign and SEO: move forward without losing the map
By Pixit
The old website no longer represents the business. Some of its pages may still attract visitors, links and worthwhile enquiries. A redesign needs room for the new direction without treating everything that came before as disposable. At Pixit, we start by identifying what deserves to make the move.
Take an inventory before switching anything off
Gather known URLs, pages appearing in Search Console and destinations receiving external links. Include commercially important pages even when their traffic is modest. A quiet page can still help a particularly relevant customer.
Keep copies of useful text, titles and media. This baseline makes later comparisons possible. Without it, a team often ends up comparing the new site with an unusually flattering memory of the old one. Record the business context as well as the numbers.
Make a decision for every important page
Use three columns: old address, decision and possible destination. Content may be retained, improved, merged or retired when the need no longer exists. The subject matters more than a shared word in the navigation label.
For example, an old article about planning a website can belong naturally in a new Journal. A discontinued service does not automatically become a SaaS service page. If the subject changes completely, redirecting the reader may be confusing rather than helpful. Document that distinction before building rules.
Prepare redirects and update the paths people follow
When URLs change, use relevant permanent redirects and avoid chains. Google also recommends updating internal links and the sitemap to the new addresses. A redirect is not a reason to keep linking to the old location forever.
Check variants that actually appear in links and campaigns, including language versions and trailing slashes. Open an old URL and inspect the destination. Someone who knows nothing about the redesign should still understand why they arrived there. That is a practical test for the mapping.
Plan the release and the way back
Arrange a usable backup and identify who makes the launch decision. Test priority pages, forms, private access and language links. Confirm that preview-site protections will not block the public pages after release.
The launch is not complete when the homepage loads. Send a real test enquiry and confirm its arrival. Make sure someone with the necessary access is available to resolve a problem. A recovery plan is more useful when it is written before the problem appears.
Can every ranking be guaranteed?
No. Search engines need to reassess changes, and fluctuations are possible. Migration planning reduces avoidable mistakes and makes monitoring meaningful; it does not promise a perfectly flat performance graph.
After launch, follow important old pages and their new destinations, errors and actual enquiries. Compare sensible periods and allow for other business changes. Our working rule is to improve deliberately and document what moves. The new design deserves attention. So do the old links that people still use.
