Web design
Website Redesign Checklist: 10 Steps to Protect Your Rankings
A redesign can lose the rankings you already have if the old pages are not handled properly. Here are ten steps to get it right.
On this page
- 1. List every page on your current site
- 2. Find out which pages already bring visitors
- 3. Map old addresses to new ones
- 4. Plan permanent redirects
- 5. Keep your good titles, descriptions and headings
- 6. Make the new site fast
- 7. Check it works on every screen
- 8. Set up tracking and Search Console again
- 9. Launch with a plan
- 10. Watch the results and keep the redirects
- Common redesign mistakes
- Want a redesign done properly?
- Frequently asked questions
A new design can make a website look better and work better. It can also wipe out the Google rankings it took years to earn, if the old pages are not handled properly.
This website redesign checklist covers ten steps to make sure the new site keeps what works. If you are still deciding whether you need a rebuild, read our guide to bespoke websites vs templates.
1. List every page on your current site
Before you change anything, make a list of every page, including blog posts, service pages and any old pages still live. You cannot protect what you have not listed. Your sitemap and Google Search Console’s Pages report are good places to start.
Planning a website redesign?
Tell us about your site and your goals and we’ll show you what we would do first, and how we would protect the pages that already work. Free, with no obligation.
2. Find out which pages already bring visitors
In Google Search Console, look at which pages get clicks and impressions. These are the ones to protect first. Our guide to Google Search Console shows where to find them.
3. Map old addresses to new ones
Google advises mapping your old site’s web addresses to the addresses on the new site, including images, videos and other files. Do this before you start building, so nothing is forgotten.
4. Plan permanent redirects
Where an address changes, set up a permanent, server-side redirect from the old address to the new one. Google recommends 301 or 308 redirects, and advises avoiding chains where one redirect leads to another. Redirects send both visitors and Google to the right page.
5. Keep your good titles, descriptions and headings
If a page ranks well, do not rewrite it carelessly. Keep the wording that works, and make sure every page still has a clear title, heading and description. Our guide to writing a page title and meta description explains how.
6. Make the new site fast
Slow pages lose visitors. Test the new design on a phone before launch and fix what slows it down. See our guide on whether website speed affects SEO.
7. Check it works on every screen
Test the new site on phones, tablets and computers. Check forms, buttons, phone links and menus.
8. Set up tracking and Search Console again
Make sure your contact forms, calls and any tracking are working on the new site. Check that Search Console still covers your site, and update your sitemap.
9. Launch with a plan
Back up the old site. Switch over at a quiet time. Then check the redirects, the sitemap and the key pages straight away. Submit the new sitemap in Search Console.
10. Watch the results and keep the redirects
Google says to expect temporary fluctuation in rankings during a move, and that they can take weeks or longer to settle. It also says to keep redirects in place for as long as possible, generally at least a year. Check Search Console regularly for new errors.
Common redesign mistakes
- Launching without redirects, so old pages show “not found”
- Changing every address for no reason
- Leaving a “noindex” tag on after testing
- Blocking Google with robots.txt on the new site
- Forgetting to update the sitemap
- Not checking the site on a phone
Want a redesign done properly?
We design and build bespoke, fast websites and look after the move, including the redirects. See our web design service and our website hosting on Cloudflare, or book a call and tell us about your site.
Google’s site-move guidance checked against its Search Central help pages on 18 October 2026. Google changes its guidance over time, so check its pages if something looks different.
Frequently asked questions
Will a redesign hurt my Google rankings?
It can, if old pages are lost or redirects are missing. Google says to expect some temporary fluctuation during a move, and that rankings can take weeks or longer to settle. Planning the redirects well reduces the risk.
How long should I keep redirects?
Google says to keep them for as long as possible, generally at least a year.
Do I need to tell Google about my new website?
Update your sitemap and submit it in Search Console. Google says to submit the new sitemap and to use Search Console to monitor indexing during a move.
Should I keep my old web addresses?
If an address is already working well, keeping it avoids the need for a redirect. If you must change it, use a permanent redirect.
Can you redesign my existing website?
Yes. See our web design service, or web design in Lancashire. We keep what works, fix what does not and carry across any pages that already rank.
