Website redesign without losing your place in Google

Why redesign your website?

Many small business websites were built years ago, often in WordPress. They still work, but they're slow on a phone, the copy is out of date and there's always another plugin asking for an update.

A new site solves that. I build with modern technology (Next.js): fast, secure and without plugins that keep needing updates. I rewrite your copy with you, so it fits what you do today.

The biggest worry with a redesign is almost always the same: will I lose my place in Google? It doesn't have to happen, if you go about it carefully.

A website redesign that keeps you findable

Google knows your old site by its addresses, such as yoursite.com/services/coaching. If that address changes, a visitor from Google lands on an error page. Google notices that too, and after a while the page drops away.

So I make a list of all your old addresses, including stray PDFs that are linked from somewhere. Each old address then redirects automatically to the new page that matches it. Visitors, links from other sites and Google all end up in the right place. For The Diversity Company that meant over 40 old addresses.

I also look at what works well now. If you have Google Search Console or analytics, I can see which pages attract visitors and for which search terms. I keep those topics in the new site.

Nobody can guarantee your positions. After a move, your site may wobble in Google for a while. Good redirects keep that as small as possible. Read more in moving your website without losing SEO.

Your domain and email stay yours

Your domain name stays in your name. If it's with your own provider, I switch the DNS settings to the new site once. You either give me access, or make the changes yourself following my instructions. If you'd rather not think about it any more, I take over the domain for €25 a year, alongside your Hosting or Care. DNS is a kind of address book for the internet: it tells the world where your website and your email live.

Your email keeps working throughout, including on the day of the switch. Want a new business mailbox anyway? That's possible for €5 per mailbox per month.

Be careful when you cancel your old hosting. If your email is in the same package, it stops too. So only cancel the old package once you know where your email will run. There's more in domain names and DNS explained.

What does a redesign cost?

A redesign doesn't have its own price. You choose one of the three packages, just as with a new site: Starter (€795) for a single page, Business (€1,495) for up to 8 pages, or Business Plus (€2,495) for up to about 20 pages with your own content editor. Redirecting your old addresses is part of the redesign.

If you have a large blog archive or a great many old pages, I check up front how much work it is to move them. That's then listed separately in your proposal, so there are no surprises.