How to change your website without losing your Google rankings
You can move to a new website and keep your Google rankings, as long as every old page points to its new home with a 301 redirect. Here is how it works.
You keep your Google rankings when you change website if every old web address points to the matching new page with a 301 redirect. Skip that step and Google sees broken pages, and your rankings can drop within weeks. Here is how to do it right.
Why rankings drop after a new website
Google ranks pages, not businesses. Each page has a web address, like yoursite.ie/boiler-repair. Over the years that address builds up trust: links from other sites, clicks, reviews of the page. If the new site moves that page to yoursite.ie/services/boilers and nothing tells Google, the old address shows an error page and its trust is lost.
What a 301 redirect is
A 301 redirect is a note on the old address that says "this page has moved for good, go here instead". Visitors land on the new page without noticing. Google follows the note and carries the old page's trust across to the new one.
How to change your website safely
- List every page on your old site. Include blog posts and pages you forgot about. Your Google Search Console account shows which pages get visits.
- Match each old page to a new one. Every old address needs a home. If a page is gone, point it to the closest match, not the home page.
- Set up the 301 redirects before the new site goes live.
- Keep your words. Pages that rank well should keep their main headings and the phrases people search for.
- Check after launch. Click through your old addresses and watch Search Console for errors over the next few weeks.
Other things that protect your rankings
- Keep the same domain name if you can.
- Make the new site fast on a phone. Speed helps rankings.
- Keep your business name, address and phone number the same everywhere.
- Tell Google about the new sitemap in Search Console.
How we handle it
Every site we build includes this work. We scan your current site, match every page, set up the 301 redirects and check them after launch. You can read more on our websites and pricing page.
The short answer
Changing website does not have to cost you your rankings. Point every old page to its new home with a 301 redirect, keep your best words and check it after launch. If you are planning a new site, get a free website check first.