Redesign projects usually begin with a visual need: the design feels dated, it does not work well on mobile. But a redesign is not only a design job. The most common outcome of a badly executed one is this: the site looks better and visitor numbers drop. The cause is almost always the same — old addresses and accumulated content were not carried across.
Before anything begins, freeze three things in writing:
Without that record, if something is lost after launch you will not even be able to identify what.
A frequent mistake is rewriting pages that already work, for the sake of design consistency. Shortening or splitting a page that brings traffic can cost its position. Preserve the content of those pages and improve only the presentation.
If the URL structure changes, every old address needs a mapped destination and a permanent redirect. Sending everything to the homepage is not a solution; it misleads both users and search engines. This list must be ready before launch day, not assembled on it.
That last item is the most frequently missed and the most expensive. If crawling stays blocked after launch, the site remains invisible in search for months.
Work does not end at launch. For the first month, review traffic weekly, check error-returning addresses regularly and resubmit the sitemap. A small dip in the first weeks can be normal; if there is no recovery by week four, the redirect list has gaps.
Do not schedule a relaunch during your busiest period. A site launched mid-campaign turns a minor glitch into a serious loss. Choose a quieter window and launch early in the week; a problem that appears on a Saturday waits until Monday.
Almost all traffic lost during a redesign comes from incomplete redirects. This map is the most critical document to have ready before launch day.
Compile a list of every address on your site. Use your sitemap, your analytics data and search engine tools together. Do not rely on one source; each misses different pages.
Not all addresses are equal. Pages that receive traffic, have earned external links or generate conversions come first. Hunting for a perfect match for never-visited pages is wasted effort.
Write the new destination for each old address. Where no direct equivalent exists, redirect to the closest page by topic. If content was removed entirely, sending users to the relevant category page beats sending them to the homepage.
One address redirecting to another which redirects again both slows things down and loses value. Every old address should point straight at its final destination.
Check the addresses in the list before launch. Try the twenty highest-traffic ones by hand. Errors discovered on launch day are the most expensive kind.
Launch day is not a day for improvising. Work through the list below before and after going live.
That last item is the most commonly missed and the most costly. If crawling permission is not restored, the site stays invisible in search results for months.
Review traffic figures and error-returning addresses weekly. Small fluctuation in the first weeks is expected. But if there is no recovery by the fourth week, the redirect map has gaps; go back through it.
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