We share a recent project we've been working on for a client who is rebuilding their website and wants to preserve their SEO foundations.
This client’s current website was built over a decade ago. It started with a foundation that met their initial needs and requirements. Over the years, as their business grew, they continued to build upon this foundation. However, what often happens in such cases is that the foundation, initially designed for a smaller load, ends up supporting a much larger and more complex structure. Now, as the client embarks on their next phase of growth, it’s clear that their website infrastructure needs a significant upgrade.
The Importance of Strong SEO Foundations
The new website aims to be faster, more intuitive, and robust enough to handle both current and future demands. As their SEO consultant, we’ve been involved in many conversations with the client during the planning stages to discuss factors such as the new URL structure and how that will potentially impact on their SEO performance. Our stance has always been to focus on the best long-term solution in terms of best practices, user experience (UX), customer experience (CX), SEO, and security.
This is because while Google’s algorithm is constantly changing and evolving, the underlying purpose of the algorithm always remains consistent: to provide the best possible user experience to people using it’s search engine platform. So designing and building a website with a focus on UX and CX at the forefront is going to beneficial for your SEO as well.
While the transition to a new URL structure may lead to some short-term challenges, such as a potential decrease in backlink equity value, the ultimate goal is to rebuild their digital foundation in the strongest way possible. This approach ensures sustainability and sets the stage for future growth.
Best Practice for Preserving Backlink Value with 301 Redirects
A major concern with changing the URL structure is the impact on the thousands of backlinks pointing to the old URLs. These backlinks are crucial for maintaining search engine rankings and domain authority. Here’s how we’re addressing this:
301 Redirects and Backlink Value
301 Redirects: Use 301 redirects (permanent redirects) to point old URLs to the new URLs. A 301 redirect passes the majority of the link equity (ranking power) to the redirected page. This is the best practice for maintaining the SEO value of our backlinks.
Link Equity Transfer: While a 301 redirect transfers most of the link equity, there might be a slight decrease in the value. However, if done properly, this decrease is usually minimal.
Search Engine Adaptation: Search engines, especially Google, are quite adept at handling redirects and understanding that the content has moved permanently. Over time, search engines will update their indexes to reflect our new URLs.
Building for the Future
This client’s journey underscores a critical lesson for businesses: the importance of planning for future growth with strong SEO foundations.
As SEO consultants, our role is to guide our clients towards sustainable solutions that prioritise long-term success. While short-term impacts, such as potential decreases in link equity are considerations, the focus remains on creating a robust, future-proof foundation.
For businesses in Brisbane and beyond, considering a website overhaul, it’s essential to partner with an experienced SEO company. Whether you need SEO copywriting, or local SEO Brisbane services, BeKonstructive Marketing can help.
Our commitment is to delivering Brisbane SEO services that not only meet your current needs but also set you up for future success. If you’re looking for a reliable team to help navigate the complexities of SEO, reach out to us to book a free SEO discovery session. Let’s build something great together.
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