Top 5 SEO Pitfalls To Avoid When Going Through a Website Relaunch

Joe Stoffel, SEO Director at Marcel Digital, here. Do you have a website redesign or domain migration on the horizon? Then you want to be aware of our top five SEO pitfalls to avoid when going through a website relaunch.

First up, not implementing 301 redirects. When you move or delete pages always set up 301 redirects from the old URLs to the new ones. This ensures that you don't lose valuable SEO equity.

Mistake number two: mass redirecting everything to the homepage. This can confuse users and search engines alike. Always redirect to the most relevant page.

Mistake number three: removing content without assessing SEO performance. Before you hit delete, ensure that the content isn't driving valuable traffic or rankings for important keywords.

Mistake number four: not migrating your old website's optimized metadata. Your meta titles and meta descriptions play a crucial role in click-through rates and rankings. Ensure they're transferred accurately during the redesign.

And lastly, the fifth mistake: blocking search engines after going live. It's common to block search engines during development, but forgetting to unblock them can be catastrophic to your visibility after you go live.

While these are our top five mistakes, remember there are many other pitfalls to consider during a website redesign or domain migration. Always consult with an SEO expert to ensure a smooth transition. Good luck with your migration!