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An SEO Checklist for Site Redesign
November 15, 2005
When you're about to unleash a site redesign, your to-do list probably appears endless. And once you've taken care of the design itself and the graphics, page files, and remaining assets are accounted for and tested, you still have to consider SEO.
A more comprehensive SEO checklist for site redesign surely exists somewhere, but my goal is to show things that site owners typically overlook and that, when added up, can have significant impact on a site's performance over time. Note: When I refer to "redesign" in this context, I'm not talking about changing domains. Instead, I'm referring to changing the entire file, folder, and page structure of the existing site, and perhaps (but not necessarily) a migration to a new code type, such as going from PHP to ASP (or back).
- Account for your top URLs. Analyze the last few months of web stats and determine your highest performing pages, both in terms of entry pages and strict page views. Brochure-type sites will have a smaller number than database-driven sites. Determine whether these top pages will have counterparts on the new site. If so, map the old pages to the new ones using a 301 (permanent) redirect. (James discusses 301 redirects here.)
As for your non-performers, that's a judgment call. Even if certain pages don't get too many views or don't have new-site counterparts, you need to account for them when you roll over and make sure that if users land on them, they end up somewhere relevant. You can map those remaining pages to the home page (again, using a 301), or, you can avoid a lot of work and let a custom 404 page handle it (see below). Using a 301 will transfer lots of little fragmented bits of link pop and PR to the root, but a well built custom 404 page will likely be more help to your users and save them a click or two in getting to their final destination.
Along these lines, do a thorough backlink check to see who's linking deep into your site. (Yahoo Site Explorer is currently one of my favorite backlink checkers.) Even if these links don't send much traffic, chances are the traffic is pretty qualified, so you should take special care of the visitors that come from reputable industry sites and make sure that the page they land on isn't a black hole.
I often read articles that recommend you contact everyone linking to you and request that they update their links. In my experience, this hasn't been necessary. When a 301 is properly implemented from old_page.htm to new_page.asp, I've always seen links to old_page.htm eventually show up in a backlink check of new_page.asp.
- Prepare your custom 404 page. A custom 404 page is like a trapeze artist's safety net. Even if a user calls for a page that doesn't exist, she'll still end up on your site instead of seeing the ugly (and near-useless) default 404 page. A well made 404 page is often a variation of the site map, along with an introductory note that apologizes for the lost page, and an earnest hope that the user will find what she needs by following one of the links on the page. Most important, make sure that the links on your 404 page correspond to your new site content, not the old content. Otherwise, your users might just end up swallowing themselves in an endless 404 loop. (One more thing: If you're on a Microsoft platform, make sure that your 404 pages give a true 404 error code.)
- Update your robots.txt file. Many people forget to update their robots.txt exclusions when their folder structures change. If your private data, images, or testing area has changed locations, make sure to add a line in the file to account for it. Now this is important, and it needs emphasis: Don't replace old exclusions with new ones. Instead, add new exclusions and retain old ones. From the engines' perspectives, those old folder structures will still be around for a while, so if you delete old exclusions, you could see some funky things happen for several months.
- Update your analytics and conversion definitions. Here's another item that often goes overlooked until the monthly reports come out. If your analytical conversions are based on views of certain pages, specific click paths, or hits on certain files from the old site, make sure to update your conversion definitions to account for the new site. You don't need the accounting mess created when the revenue and the analytics program disagree about conversions and ROI.
- Remember your outgoing links. When everything else is done and you have time for a bit of altruism, remember that your outgoing links are likely benefiting someone else - either another site you own or a site you have recommended. Any old articles or resource pages that link to those sites will no longer benefit them if they're deleted. So if you still think those sites are worthy of your link, make sure to recreate them somehow.
I hope this list brings up some issues you hadn't thought of. If you have other ideas, drop a note in the comments and I'll post them later on.
All posts by Erik Dafforn
posted by Erik Dafforn at November 15, 2005 11:10 PM
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Comments
I think it important to note that a webmaster must keep all pages active that have backlinks. I found this info by using Google Site Maps. A deleted pages gives the sitemaps an error.
Posted by: SEO Checklist at May 21, 2008 11:36 AM
Just wanted to inform people that a change in URLS will effect your rankings. Make sure to either keep the old URLS the same or make sure you add a 301 redirect. I am currently updating my site and this information is more than helpful when you must take the risk of a redesign.
Posted by: Teeth whitening at September 27, 2008 9:02 PM
I Guess this is pretty old but it's definately still a great list! WE have to migrate a website and I was looking for "SEO Checklist" your website still comes up great! So I guess you were right!
Thanks.
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