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Website redesign without losing your rankings.
A better-looking, faster website should not cost you the Google traffic you already earned. We plan the redirects, content and launch checks first, then design and build.
Starts with
An audit of your site and search data
Protects
Rankings, links, content and tracking
Platforms
WordPress, Divi, Elementor, Wix, Squarespace and more
After launch
Weeks of Search Console monitoring
Why redesigns lose traffic
Most ranking drops are preventable.
When a redesigned site loses search traffic, the cause is rarely the new design itself. It is usually one of these.
Missing redirects
Old URLs that ranked now return “page not found”. Visitors bounce and the signals those pages earned are lost.
Deleted or merged pages
Pages that quietly brought in traffic are removed during the cleanup, without a plan for where that traffic should go.
Lost on-page content
Shorter copy, new headings and missing title tags change what each page is about in Google’s eyes.
Staging settings left on
A “noindex” tag or a blocking robots.txt rule from the development site goes live and tells Google to stay away.
Broken internal links and tracking
Menus and in-text links still point to old URLs, and analytics or conversion tracking quietly stops working.
Slower pages
Heavier images, scripts and page builders make the new site slower on phones, especially on mobile data.
Google documents how to handle these changes in its guide to site moves with URL changes. Our process follows the same principles, adapted to a redesign.
Our process
A safe redesign in six steps.
Every redesign follows the same sequence, so nothing that earns you traffic gets lost between the old site and the new one.
1. Audit
We crawl every current URL and record the pages, rankings, links and conversions you have today. This becomes the benchmark for launch.
2. Content plan
Each page is marked keep, improve, merge or retire. Pages that earn traffic are kept or improved, never dropped by accident.
3. Redirect map
Every old URL is matched to its best new equivalent with a permanent 301 redirect. See our guide to 301 redirects after a redesign.
4. Design and build
The new site is built on a private staging copy, with titles, headings, structured data and internal links carried over deliberately.
5. Launch checks
Redirects, indexing settings, the XML sitemap, forms and tracking are tested on launch day using our website redesign SEO checklist.
6. Monitor
We watch Google Search Console, 404 errors and traffic for several weeks, fix anything that slipped through and report back in plain language.
Is it time?
Signs your website needs a redesign.
- It is slow on phones and visitors leave before it loads.
- Small changes need a developer so the site falls out of date.
- Visitors arrive but rarely enquire because the offer or next step is unclear.
- It runs on outdated technology like unsupported themes, plugins or PHP versions.
- Not sure yet? Read 7 signs it’s time to redesign your website, including when a lighter refresh is enough.
Included
What every redesign includes.
SEO and content audit
Current pages, rankings, backlinks and conversions, documented before anything changes.
Redirect map
A complete old-to-new URL map, implemented and tested at launch.
Content plan and copywriting
Clearer service pages and calls to action that keep the content Google already values.
Custom design
A modern, accessible design approved on desktop and mobile.
Development
On WordPress, or on your current platform if it suits you better, with hand-written HTML and CSS where it counts.
Speed and accessibility
Optimized WebP images, lean code and WCAG 2.2 AA checks.
Launch and tracking
Search Console, XML sitemap, analytics and form tracking verified on launch day.
Post-launch monitoring
Several weeks of checks and fixes, plus a short report on what changed.
Why ARKIELLO
Redesigns run by someone who writes the code.
15 years of experience
Design and development for businesses and brands, including websites for brands in the United States.
Hand-coded quality
Semantic HTML and custom CSS, including custom code inside Divi, Elementor and Breakdance when you want to keep your builder.
SEO planned in, not bolted on
Redirects, content and structured data are planned before design starts.
Honest promises
We commit to the work and the checks. Nobody can honestly guarantee rankings, so we don’t.
Free redesign risk check
Know the risks before you rebuild.
- We review your current site and its visible search footprint.
- You get a short written note on the biggest SEO risks in your redesign.
- Reply within two business days. No obligation, no sales pressure.
Questions
Website redesign FAQ.
Will I lose my Google rankings if I redesign my website?
Any redesign carries some risk, but most traffic losses come from preventable mistakes: missing redirects, deleted pages, lost content or a staging setting left on. With a complete redirect map, preserved content and careful launch checks, the usual result is a short period of fluctuation while Google recrawls the site, not a lasting drop.
How long does a website redesign take?
It depends on the number of pages, how much content changes and how quickly feedback comes back. You get a dated timeline in your proposal after the discovery call. Most of the calendar time usually goes to content and approvals, not code.
Do I have to change platforms?
No. We redesign on your current platform when it suits your goals, including WordPress, Divi, Elementor, Breakdance, Wix, Squarespace and GoDaddy. If a move to a new platform makes sense, we plan the migration and redirects as part of the project.
Will my page URLs change?
Only where it improves the site. We keep URLs that already rank whenever we can. Every URL that does change gets a permanent 301 redirect to its closest new equivalent.
What is a redirect map?
A redirect map is a list of every old URL on your site and the new URL it should point to. It tells browsers and search engines where each page has moved, so visitors, links and rankings carry over to the new site.
What happens after launch?
We monitor Google Search Console, 404 errors and traffic for several weeks after launch, fix anything that slipped through, and keep the redirects in place long-term.
What is the free redesign risk check?
Send us your website address and what you plan to change. We review your current site and reply within two business days with a short written note on the biggest SEO risks to watch for in your redesign. There is no obligation.
Further reading