How will a site restructuring / Redesign effect SEO?

[MrApple]

I'm looking into completely restructuring my tourism site

Currently it's purely informational so it has the main pages as Destinations | Things to do | places to go | Holiday Ideas etc then sub pages with more specifics - for example - Things To Do - Adventure & Activities - Water Sports

I would like to change the site to a pure booking platform and I'm trying to get my head around how to keep all the existing content which is ranking decently but making sure the user experience is geared to visitors being able to book a holiday easily with no distractions.

So......do I move all my existing content to a sub domain and keep creating content there? Move all of the existing content into a blog section? Any other way of doing it?

What I want to make sure is that all of the existing content continues to rank and possibly help boost the booking side of things.

Any suggestions would be great

 

[mithbooks]

In my experience, it is always better to keep the links as they are already indexed and will provide juice to your website. You can in my opinion work on restructuring the landing page, to make it look better and well-organized. Keep your article links untouched.

Minor updates to your articles to make them relevant will be good, just don't let your links disappear from search engines.

Try restructuring your home page with your desired look, but keep the links ...

 

[MrApple]

In my experience, it is always better to keep the links as they are already indexed and will provide juice to your website. You can in my opinion work on restructuring the landing page, to make it look better and well-organized. Keep your article links untouched.

Minor updates to your articles to make them relevant will be good, just don't let your links disappear from search engines.

Try restructuring your home page with your desired look, but keep the links ...

Thanks for the info, appreciate it.

I have access to a data feed of over 2,500 holiday cottages for the country I write about which I have an affiliate deal with.....so If I put the data feed on the home page it will look and get messy......

I would like to redesign the site so the cottages are organised by region - Holiday Cottages in North xxx etc then by town

So when a visitor lands on the home page they click the region, get to the towns and can book quickly

It's where to put all of my existing content and as you said the existing links is what I don't know what to do with....

 

[mithbooks]

Yup, I think that should work. Redesign the home page in a way that you are able to accommodate your data or at least link ur data to home page. That should work ... All the Best

 

[tazarbm]

I would like to change the site to a pure booking platform and I'm trying to get my head around how to keep all the existing content which is ranking decently but making sure the user experience is geared to visitors being able to book a holiday easily with no distractions.

Step 1. Create your booking frontend
Step 2. Create a tourism blog
Step 3. 301-redirect each one of the pages that are ranking and which you don't want to lose, to their respective URL on the newly created blog
Step 4. Upload everything to your domain to make everything live
Step 5. Submit the newly created sitemap to your GSC so that the googlebot can recrawl your site and (hopefully) update the SERPs with the new URLs

So......do I move all my existing content to a sub domain and keep creating content there? Move all of the existing content into a blog section? Any other way of doing it?

all content that's informational in nature is fit for a blog-style website, so yes, I would create a blog, just like I mentioned earlier.

Now, whether or not you put this blog on a subdomain or in a folder, it's up to you and both of these options come with their pros and cons (personally, I would choose a folder, just so the blog can inherit the authority your site already has, if you put the blog on a subdomain it will act as a new site and - even though you'll be 301-redirecting all of the pages that have authority and so, the authority should be instantly transferred to the new URLs and bring the subdomain up to your current site's authority - given the fact that google sees the subdomain as a new site it might take a while for the authority to transfer and the rankings to re-appear, which is why I opt for folder in this case)

What I want to make sure is that all of the existing content continues to rank and possibly help boost the booking side of things.

301 redirects at URL level is what you're looking for. But create the sites first, then do the 301s, then replace your current site with the newly created sites, just like I explained earlier

 

[MrApple]

Step 1. Create your booking frontend
Step 2. Create a tourism blog
Step 3. 301-redirect each one of the pages that are ranking and which you don't want to lose, to their respective URL on the newly created blog
Step 4. Upload everything to your domain to make everything live
Step 5. Submit the newly created sitemap to your GSC so that the googlebot can recrawl your site and (hopefully) update the SERPs with the new URLs


all content that's informational in nature is fit for a blog-style website, so yes, I would create a blog, just like I mentioned earlier.

Now, whether or not you put this blog on a subdomain or in a folder, it's up to you and both of these options come with their pros and cons (personally, I would choose a folder, just so the blog can inherit the authority your site already has, if you put the blog on a subdomain it will act as a new site and - even though you'll be 301-redirecting all of the pages that have authority and so, the authority should be instantly transferred to the new URLs and bring the subdomain up to your current site's authority - given the fact that google sees the subdomain as a new site it might take a while for the authority to transfer and the rankings to re-appear, which is why I opt for folder in this case)


301 redirects at URL level is what you're looking for. But create the sites first, then do the 301s, then replace your current site with the newly created sites, just like I explained earlier

Nailed it! Thanks so much for the reply - really appreciate it

 

[tazarbm]

Consider integrating the booking functionality directly into the main navigation of your site. For example, have tabs like "Destinations", "Activities", and "Book Now" prominently displayed.

yeah, that would work, too...

 

[MrApple]

Consider integrating the booking functionality directly into the main navigation of your site. For example, have tabs like "Destinations", "Activities", and "Book Now" prominently displayed.

Good shout - thanks

 

[MEDIAFORDIGITAL]

If there will be changes in URL structures, I recommend that you plan redirects in advance.

 

[freelance4r]

Site restructuring or redesign can have significant implications for SEO, both positive and negative, depending on how it's executed. Here are some potential effects on SEO:

1. URL Changes: If URLs are altered during the restructuring process, it can impact existing rankings and indexed pages. Implementing proper 301 redirects from old URLs to new ones can help preserve SEO equity and ensure a smooth transition for both users and search engines.
2. Content Organization: A site redesign often involves changes to site structure and content organization. Improving navigation and categorization can enhance user experience and make it easier for search engines to crawl and index your website, potentially leading to better rankings and visibility.
3. On-Page Optimization: Site redesigns offer an opportunity to optimize on-page elements such as meta tags, headings, and image alt text. Updating and optimizing these elements according to current SEO best practices can help improve keyword targeting and relevance, positively impacting search engine rankings.
4. Mobile-Friendliness: With the increasing emphasis on mobile-first indexing, ensuring that your redesigned site is mobile-friendly and responsive is crucial for SEO. Google prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in search results, so neglecting mobile optimization could lead to a drop in rankings and organic traffic.
5. Page Speed: Site redesigns should prioritize page speed optimization, as loading times significantly impact user experience and search engine rankings. Implementing techniques such as image optimization, browser caching, and minimizing code can improve page speed and boost SEO performance.
6. Technical SEO Issues: Site restructuring may introduce technical SEO issues such as broken links, crawl errors, and duplicate content. Conducting thorough site audits before and after the redesign can help identify and address these issues promptly to prevent negative impacts on SEO.
7. Backlink Profile: Changes to site structure and content may affect existing backlinks pointing to your website. It's essential to monitor and update backlinks where necessary to ensure they point to relevant pages and preserve link equity, which is crucial for maintaining or improving search engine rankings.
8. Indexing and Crawling: Major site changes can temporarily disrupt search engine crawling and indexing processes. Submitting an updated XML sitemap to search engines and monitoring crawl errors in Google Search Console can help expedite reindexing and mitigate any negative impacts on SEO.

In summary, site restructuring or redesign can have both short-term and long-term effects on SEO. By carefully planning and executing the redesign process, addressing technical SEO issues, and prioritizing user experience and mobile optimization, you can minimize negative impacts and potentially improve your website's search engine rankings and visibility.