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How Does Web Redesign Impact Backlinks

by Dana Sanders
5 replies
  • SEO
    • |
I have just completed a website redesign project for a client. The site was converted from a basic and dated php template over to a custom Wordpress themed one.

The client is concerned that not all of the .php pages from the old site match up to the pages on the new site. There is the concern that all of the backlinks that pointed to the old site will be invalidated for SEO purposes if we just do a simple redirect.

Can someone confirm what is the best solution to this dilemma or if there even is a dilemma at all? Any authority sources I can refer to the client to assure them that the new site will not be negatively impacted?

~Dana
#backlinks #impact #redesign #web
  • Profile picture of the author sovereignn
    What you'd want to do is just make sure the URLs aren't changing at all.

    If you could do that then it would be your best option.

    If not you'll have to 301 redirect each page one by one which will be more work

    No matter what though if you do it right the links and rankings will stay the same
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    • Profile picture of the author jovykhan
      If there are changes in the URL then the existing backlinks go 404 and this affects rankings. Same with the indexed pages when the URL is changed they'll go 404 and deindexed so make sure to redirect.

      See your analytics and list the the top performing pages and make sure they are redirected accordingly if there are URL changes.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dana Sanders
    How would you keep the URLs the same if on the old site, they end in url.com/pagename.php and on wordpress it ends in url.com/pagename?
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    • Profile picture of the author jovykhan
      Originally Posted by Dana Sanders View Post

      How would you keep the URLs the same if on the old site, they end in url.com/pagename.php and on wordpress it ends in url.com/pagename?
      You can't. That is why you need to redirect it. Use the htaccess of the old site to redirect the old pages to the new ones.

      So, to be sure I understand, it sounds as if you both are saying that if I use a 301 redirect for each page, the rankings should not be affected?
      Not exactly. There is still a slip in ranking until the old index is replaced by the new URLs.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dana Sanders
    So, to be sure I understand, it sounds as if you both are saying that if I use a 301 redirect for each page, the rankings should not be affected?
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