Yes, we can redesign your website without losing SEO rankings, as long as the redesign is treated like a controlled migration where URLs, content, and crawl signals are protected before launch and monitored after.
In practice, a website redesign is safest when your domain stays the same and your top-performing pages keep the same URLs, titles, and intent, even if the visuals, layout, and CMS change. This is exactly how we approach projects in our web design work for Orlando and Central Florida businesses that rely on search for calls, bookings, and form fills.
Most ranking drops happen for simple reasons: pages move without 301 redirects, internal links break, important content gets cut, or the new build ships with noindex, blocked assets, or slow performance. Here’s the parts that matter and how we protect them.
| What can change in a redesign | What protects rankings | What you should confirm |
|---|---|---|
| URL slugs and page locations | Keep URLs when possible, otherwise map every old URL to one best new URL with a 301 | No broken links, no redirect chains, no “homepage redirects” for removed pages |
| Navigation and internal links | Keep strong internal linking to service pages and location pages, update links to point to final URLs | Menus, footer links, and breadcrumbs still reach money pages in 1 to 2 clicks |
| On-page content | Carry over the main copy, headings, FAQs, and proof that match search intent | Top pages did not get “shortened” into thin sales blurbs |
| Titles, meta descriptions, headings | Keep winning title tags and H1 topics, refresh only when it improves clarity | No missing titles, no duplicate H1s, no templated junk |
| Schema, canonicals, index controls | Keep schema where it already exists, set canonicals correctly, remove any noindex before launch | New site is indexable, robots.txt is not blocking CSS/JS, sitemap is clean |
| Speed and mobile experience | Hit solid Core Web Vitals by keeping pages light, using modern image formats, and trimming scripts | Mobile pages load fast and do not jump around while loading |
What we do before we touch design
We start by taking inventory of what Google already likes: top landing pages, queries, internal links, backlinks, and conversions. Then we build a page-for-page plan so nothing important disappears during the rebuild.
- Export a full URL list and label pages as “keep,” “merge,” “replace,” or “retire.”
- Freeze the URL pattern unless there’s a strong reason to change it.
- Capture current titles, headings, schema, and internal links on top pages.
- Set a redirect plan for every URL that will change, including PDFs and old blog posts that still get traffic.
What we do during the build
Design can change a lot without changing meaning. We keep search intent intact, then polish layout, messaging, trust elements, and conversion flow so the new site earns more leads from the same traffic.
- Build on a staging site that stays blocked from indexing until launch.
- Keep service pages focused, one primary topic per page, with clear supporting sections like proof, pricing guidance, and FAQs.
- Maintain local signals for Orlando-area businesses, like consistent NAP (name, address, phone), service areas, and the right landing page for your Google Business Profile.
- Keep image sizes under control and avoid heavy sliders, auto-play video, and script-heavy page builders that slow the site.
Launch day checklist that prevents surprises
This is where many redesigns go sideways. We treat launch like a controlled switch, then validate what Google and users actually see.
- Push redirect rules live at the same time the new site goes live.
- Submit an updated XML sitemap and confirm it only contains real, indexable URLs.
- Run a crawl to confirm pages return 200 status codes, redirects are clean, and there are no loops.
- Double-check canonicals, schema, and that no page is accidentally set to noindex.
- Confirm analytics and conversion tracking still fire (calls, forms, bookings).
If you want a plain-English breakdown of redirect choices, our FAQ on 301 vs 302 redirects clears up what to use during a redesign.
What to expect after launch
Even with a clean rollout, it’s normal to see some ranking movement while Google recrawls and swaps old URLs for new ones. When URLs stay the same, that wobble is usually smaller. When many URLs change, it often settles once redirects and internal links are fully processed and the new pages are recrawled.
We monitor Search Console for spikes in 404s, redirect errors, and indexing drops, then fix issues fast. If you are changing URL structure, read our FAQ on how URL structure affects SEO so you know what is worth changing and what is not.
If you’re planning a redesign and want rankings protected while the site also converts better, we can pair the build with our SEO services so the same pages that look better also keep earning visibility and leads.
