Changing WordPress Themes - Does It Affect This...

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This is probably a very stupid question to some...

If I have a bunch of content on my WP site and then change the theme one day, do I lose any of the search rankings I get from Google and the other search engines?

I assume as long as all of the links are the same, then it isn't a problem.

Thanks.
#search engine optimization #affect #changing #themes #wordpress
  • You won't lose any Google rankings unless the theme is not coded properly. I have changed themes and never lost my rankings except for the one time when I went from 1st to 4th in Google for my name. I changed the theme again, I got back the No.1 position.
  • Theoretically...changing the theme shouldn't make a difference...but I'd be careful if your site is already ranked really well in Google, just in case it triggers something.
    • [1] reply
    • So how do we know if a theme is coded properly before installing it?

      At least it's good to know that if there is an issue, you can go back and get the rankings back.

      Yeah, theoretically it shouldn't. But I'd rather know for sure instead of chance any theories.



      Thanks to the both of you for your response.
  • Your theme is independent of your content so the broad answer is that it will not affect your rankings.

    However, there are different settings in different themes that may have an impact.

    As an example: if your current theme displays post tags and your new theme doesn't (or is not set to), then that element of your on site SEO will be lost.

    So when you change your theme make sure that all the content you're displaying with your current theme is displaid with your new one. Particularly focus on tags, categories, plus, of course, your menu.

    As long as that happens then you'll be OK.

    Cheers,

    Martin.
  • You never know until you try it.

    In fact recently I activated a plugin and my site disappear from 4 to 9 ranking on Google for some of my keyphrases.

    Luckily it appear again after 5 days later. I suppose Google need to get use to it.

  • Thanks guys.

    I just have a bunch of content I want to start posting but I'm not set on a theme yet. I'm sure I'll end up changing it down the road. Hence this thread.

    Thanks again.
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