If I change WP theme will harm my site SERPS?

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Hello everybody !
I actually use CTR theme for my Adsense website. I want to make my website more complex, and I want to change my actual theme with Thesis theme. Almost all my pages are on first and second page on Google. Can anybody tell me if this change will affect my position in SERPS ?
Thank you!
#change #harm #serps #site #theme
  • Profile picture of the author patrich
    Originally Posted by Spartan78 View Post

    Hello everybody !
    I actually use CTR theme for my Adsense website. I want to make my website more complex, and I want to change my actual theme with Thesis theme. Almost all my pages are on first and second page on Google. Can anybody tell me if this change will affect my position in SERPS ?
    Thank you!
    It could negatively impact your current serp positions. I have changed themes on a number of sites over the years and in most cases the rankings aren't affected.

    The thing to keep in mind is your on-page optimization. If you are heavily optimized right now and change to a theme that has very little optimization, then you may see a drop in rankings.

    Keep that in mind when changing the theme and make sure your page is either optimized close to the same as it now, or better.

    Other than that you shouldn't have an issue.
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  • Profile picture of the author CombatMode
    Its not the theme but the content that affects the rankings. I have switched so many themes for my website keeping the content same but no change in SERPs. I guess there is nothing to do with what theme you have, you should focus on quality content.
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    • Profile picture of the author patrich
      Originally Posted by BTBAMBB27 View Post

      Its not the theme but the content that affects the rankings. I have switched so many themes for my website keeping the content same but no change in SERPs. I guess there is nothing to do with what theme you have, you should focus on quality content.
      It has a lot to do with what theme you choose. For instance, 1 theme may use h1 headings for the titles, while another may use an h4. One may have the keyword/title in the footer which increases the keyword density on the page. One may use h2's in the side bar while another may just be a bold text, the list goes on and on.

      All of these changing can affect your on page seo, which as a result could affect your rankings. The content stay the same regardless of what theme you choose, so content really has nothing to do with it.
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      • Profile picture of the author CombatMode
        Originally Posted by patrich View Post

        It has a lot to do with what theme you choose. For instance, 1 theme may use h1 headings for the titles, while another may use an h4. One may have the keyword/title in the footer which increases the keyword density on the page. One may use h2's in the side bar while another may just be a bold text, the list goes on and on.

        All of these changing can affect your on page seo, which as a result could affect your rankings. The content stay the same regardless of what theme you choose, so content really has nothing to do with it.
        No offense Patrich , but On Page SEO is the first thing you should consider while thinking about getting your site to the top of search engines. And yes i agree with you on the point that different themes use different layouts with respect to tags , yet they are fully customizable. Further ,onpage SEO nowadays has got very little to do with rankings. Its all about building quality backlinks.

        I have seen many websites , zero onpage optimized ranking higher than the others with good onpage optimization but with less backlinks. I guess you will agree with that.
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        • Profile picture of the author patrich
          Originally Posted by BTBAMBB27 View Post

          No offense Patrich , but On Page SEO is the first thing you should consider while thinking about getting your site to the top of search engines. And yes i agree with you on the point that different themes use different layouts with respect to tags , yet they are fully customizable. Further ,onpage SEO nowadays has got very little to do with rankings. Its all about building quality backlinks.

          I have seen many websites , zero onpage optimized ranking higher than the others with good onpage optimization but with less backlinks. I guess you will agree with that.
          Apparently, In your haste to increase your post count, you did not read the OP very well. He already has rankings, he is concerned that changing his theme will affect the rankings he already has, which means that his content has nothing to do with this. Because it will not change when he changes the theme.

          What will change, is his on-page seo should the theme he changes to, be different.

          And again, in your haste to increase your post count, you apparently did not read my post which said everything that could possibly be a concern as far as on-page seo goes.

          So, no offense taken lol
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          • Profile picture of the author CombatMode
            Originally Posted by patrich View Post

            Apparently, In your haste to increase your post count, you did not read the OP very well. He already has rankings, he is concerned that changing his theme will affect the rankings he already has, which means that his content has nothing to do with this. Because it will not change when he changes the theme.

            What will change, is his on-page seo should the theme he changes to, be different.

            And again, in your haste to increase your post count, you apparently did not read my post which said everything that could possibly be a concern as far as on-page seo goes.

            So, no offense taken lol
            Lets not make this thread a "WAR ROOM" , no arguments from my side. Your point regarding changes in tags was taken in my previous post and yes i did read both of your posts very well. The only point i wanted to make was that if you like a theme more than the other , its easy to inherit the on page seo faetures of the previous one to the later one, hence relieving the OP from his concern. May be i didn't make that clear enough or may be you didn't realize it . Either way , i respect all the valuable thoughts posted , included yours.
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        • Profile picture of the author Legit SEO
          Originally Posted by BTBAMBB27 View Post

          No offense Patrich , but On Page SEO is the first thing you should consider while thinking about getting your site to the top of search engines. And yes i agree with you on the point that different themes use different layouts with respect to tags , yet they are fully customizable. Further ,onpage SEO nowadays has got very little to do with rankings. Its all about building quality backlinks.

          I have seen many websites , zero onpage optimized ranking higher than the others with good onpage optimization but with less backlinks. I guess you will agree with that.
          No offense, but you're a moran.
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          • Profile picture of the author CombatMode
            Originally Posted by talkmeow View Post

            No offense, but you're a moran.
            You could have posted something useful!!!! You are good at spoiling communities it seems. Had a fight at home today?
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            • Profile picture of the author Legit SEO
              Originally Posted by BTBAMBB27 View Post

              You could have posted something useful!!!! You are good at spoiling communities it seems. Had a fight at home today?
              Yes, my wife left me and while she was pulling out the drive way she ran over my dog. At least the super bowl is tomorrow.
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      • Profile picture of the author Spartan78
        Thank you for your advice. I was thinking to change my current WP theme witch is CTR theme with Thesis theme. From what I read Thesis is the best SEO theme.
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        • Profile picture of the author CombatMode
          Originally Posted by Spartan78 View Post

          Thank you for your advice. I was thinking to change my current WP theme witch is CTR theme with Thesis theme. From what I read Thesis is the best SEO theme.
          Wish you luck with your changes. All the best!!!
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    • Profile picture of the author markv
      Changing to a poorly optimised theme from a well optimised one will lower your position in the serps over time. By poorly optimised, i mean slower loading, bloated code, multiple h1 tags etc etc
      Conversely, changing to a better optimised theme, faster loading pages with good use of H1 and other tags will help you to rise in the serps.

      Thats my experience anyway on several sites that i have changed themes on.
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  • Profile picture of the author dminorfmajor
    The only way it "COULD" (hardly EVER does) affect it is if Thesis doesn't have the same placement possibilities for your header/body content.
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  • Profile picture of the author themesplice
    Not at all...I change themes all the time
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