Launching a new website is an exciting milestone, but it’s also a critical moment for your SEO migration strategy. A new site provides a fresh opportunity to improve rankings, user experience, and conversions. However, it’s crucial to ensure that your hard-earned SEO authority transfers seamlessly to the new site. Failing to plan properly can result in lost rankings, reduced traffic, and missed opportunities.
Here are nine essential tips to help you retain your rankings, maintain visibility, and ensure long-term SEO success with your new website.
SEO Before Website Launch: Pre-Launch SEO Checklist
1. Implement 301 Redirects
A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect from one URL to another. This step is crucial to preserve link equity (or “link juice”) and ensure that users and search engines find the correct content.
- Map Old to New: Use tools like Screaming Frog to crawl your old site and compile a list of URLs. Match each old URL to the most relevant new page. Avoid redirecting to irrelevant pages, as this frustrates users and harms SEO.
- Test for Broken Links: After implementing redirects, test your new site for broken links or 404 errors. Use tools like Google Search Console or Dead Link Checker for comprehensive scanning.
Pro Tip: If your sitemap structure has changed significantly, allocate extra time to carefully map redirects.
2. Set a Canonical URL
A canonical URL tells search engines which version of your site is the preferred one. Without this, you risk duplicate content issues if Google indexes multiple versions of your site, such as:
- https://example.com
- http://example.com
- https://www.example.com
- http://www.example.com
How to Implement:
- Choose your preferred version (e.g., https://www.example.com).
- Add a rel=”canonical” tag to the header of each page, pointing to the canonical URL.
- Set up 301 redirects from all non-canonical versions to the chosen URL.
Canonical tags simplify crawling for search engines and consolidate ranking signals to one URL.
3. Create and Submit a New Sitemap
A clean and well-structured sitemap helps search engines discover and index your content efficiently.
- Generate an XML Sitemap: Use tools like Yoast SEO (WordPress) or Screaming Frog.
- Submit to Google Search Console: After generating the sitemap, submit it via the “Sitemaps” section in Google Search Console.
- Check for Errors: Ensure all URLs listed in the sitemap are live and correctly redirect, where necessary.
Pro Tip: Organise your sitemap logically, prioritising key pages to help Google understand your site’s hierarchy.
4. Add Tracking Codes
Analytics and tracking codes are easy to overlook during a website migration. However, they are critical for measuring performance.
- Google Analytics: Ensure your tracking ID is installed on every page of the new site.
- Google Tag Manager: Use this tool to manage all your tracking codes in one place, including Google Analytics, conversion pixels, and third-party tags.
- Test Events: Verify that custom events and goals (e.g., contact form submissions) are set up correctly.
Pro Tip: Use tools like Google Tag Assistant to test if tracking codes are firing correctly.
5. Remove ‘No Index’ Tags
During development, sites are often marked with no index tags to prevent them from appearing in search results prematurely. Forgetting to remove these tags can lead to disaster post-launch.
Key Actions:
- Audit for No Index Tags: Check your robots.txt file and individual pages to ensure the no index directive has been removed.
- Selective No Indexing: Retain no index tags on pages like terms and conditions or admin areas to avoid diluting SEO efforts.
6. Monitor Rankings
Tracking your rankings before and after the launch provides valuable insights into the impact of your new site.
- Pre-Launch Benchmarking: Record the rankings for your main keywords using tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Google Search Console.
- Post-Launch Monitoring: Set up automated tracking to monitor changes. Significant drops could indicate technical issues or improperly configured redirects.
Pro Tip: Monitor rankings weekly for at least 3 months post-launch to catch and address any issues early.
7. Check NAP and Citation Consistency
For businesses with a local presence, ensuring NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency is crucial.
- Update Listings: Review and update business directories, Google My Business, and any online profiles to reflect the new website.
- Focus on High-Authority Directories: Ensure consistency on platforms like Yelp, Bing Places, and TripAdvisor.
- Use Tools: Tools like Moz Local or BrightLocal can help audit and correct inconsistencies across multiple platforms.
8. Optimise for Site Speed
Site speed is a critical ranking factor. A slow-loading website can drive users away and reduce search engine visibility.
Optimisation Tips:
- Image Compression: Use tools like TinyPNG to reduce image file sizes without compromising quality.
- Code Minification: Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files to reduce page size.
- Browser Caching: Leverage browser caching to store static files locally for returning visitors.
- Use a CDN: A Content Delivery Network (CDN) distributes your content across multiple servers, improving load times globally.
Pro Tip: Test your site speed using Google PageSpeed Insights and aim for a score of 90+.
9. Conduct Comprehensive Testing
Launching a new website without thorough testing is a recipe for disaster.
Testing Checklist:
- Broken Links: Use Screaming Frog or an equivalent tool to identify and fix broken links.
- Cross-Browser Compatibility: Test your site on all major browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge).
- Mobile Responsiveness: Verify that your site displays correctly on various devices and screen sizes.
- Forms and CTAs: Ensure all forms, buttons, and CTAs function properly.
Pro Tip: Maintain a log of bugs and fixes using tools like Trello, Asana, or Jira for efficient project management.
Launching a new website is a complex process, but with the right preparation, it can be a seamless and rewarding experience. By focusing on the essential SEO tasks outlined above, you can ensure that your website retains its rankings, improves visibility, and delivers a great user experience.
Remember, transferring SEO authority is just the beginning. Continuously monitor your site’s performance, adapt to new SEO trends, and prioritise user needs to stay ahead in the competitive digital landscape. With careful planning and ongoing optimisation, your new website will be poised for long-term success in the SERPs.
New Website Launch SEO FAQs
301 redirects ensure your website retains SEO authority by guiding users and search engines from old URLs to the new ones. Without them, you risk broken links, reduced rankings, and lost traffic.
A canonical URL designates the preferred version of your site (e.g., with or without “www”) to avoid duplicate content issues and help search engines rank you effectively.
Retaining rankings requires careful SEO migration planning, including 301 redirects, sitemap updates, and re-indexing through Google Search Console.
Site speed is a critical ranking factor and impacts user experience. Slow-loading pages can frustrate visitors and reduce search visibility.
Improve site speed by compressing images, minifying code, and leveraging browser caching. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, to identify areas for improvement. With a faster site, you can improve rankings, reduce bounce rates, and enhance user satisfaction.
If ‘no index’ tags aren’t removed, your site won’t appear in search engine results, effectively making it invisible online. You can however strategically use ‘no index’ for pages like terms and conditions to focus Google’s attention on high-value content.
Yellowball, a leading web design and SEO agency in London, combines technical expertise and strategic planning to retain rankings during a site launch. From redirect mapping and canonical URL setup to sitemap submission and analytics integration, we handle every detail. Our bespoke SEO services also include ongoing monitoring and post-launch optimisation to drive traffic and conversions. With Yellowball, you get more than a beautiful website—you get an SEO powerhouse designed to succeed in the competitive digital landscape.
Yellowball: Where Web Design Meets SEO Excellence
Partner with Yellowball for bespoke web design and expert SEO services that captivate and convert. Our team of creatives and technical specialists crafts stunning, user-focused websites that not only look incredible but perform exceptionally in search rankings. From seamless Laravel and WordPress builds to advanced technical SEO strategies, we ensure your digital presence delivers measurable results. Ready to stand out online? Work with Yellowball for a website that drives traffic, boosts engagement, and grows your business. Explore our SEO case studies and contact us today.
