Quick answer: before a redesign, list every URL on the current site and note which pages receive search traffic. Keep those URLs where possible. Where a URL must change, set a permanent 301 redirect to the closest new page. Carry over titles, content and internal links for important pages, remove any staging “noindex” at launch, submit the new sitemap and watch Search Console for errors in the weeks after.
A new design can make a Doha business look current and convert better, and still lose a large share of its Google traffic within weeks of launch. The cause is rarely the design itself. It is usually URLs that changed without redirects, pages that were removed or merged, or technical settings left over from the staging site. This checklist covers what to protect before, during and after the switch.
Before the redesign: take an inventory
- Export every URL from the current site using a crawler, your sitemap and the CMS page list.
- Find the pages that matter in Google Search Console (Performance report, by page) and in analytics: which pages receive clicks, impressions and enquiries.
- Note external links pointing to your site from partners, directories and press, so those destinations keep working.
- Save the current titles, meta descriptions and headings of the top pages, so they are not lost in the rewrite.
During planning: decide what happens to each URL
Every old URL should end in one of three outcomes:
| Outcome | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Keep the same URL | The page still exists in the new site. This is the safest option. |
| 301 redirect to a new URL | The content moved or merged into another page. Redirect to the closest equivalent, not the homepage. |
| Remove (404 or 410) | The content no longer exists and has no close replacement or meaningful traffic. |
Write this as a redirect map in a spreadsheet: old URL, new URL, type. It becomes the checklist for launch day.
Content: redesign the look, protect the substance
Pages often rank because of the text they contain. Shortening a detailed service page into three lines and a large image can remove exactly the content that matched people’s searches. Keep or improve the depth of pages that perform well, and keep their main topic and headings recognisable. If the site is bilingual, check both the Arabic and English versions, as they usually rank for different searches.
Technical checks before launch
- The staging site should be blocked from search engines, and that block must be removed at launch: check the “noindex” setting and robots.txt.
- Canonical tags should point to the new live URLs, not to staging.
- Hreflang tags should link each Arabic page to its English equivalent.
- Internal links in menus, footers and text should point directly to final URLs, not through redirects.
- Page speed on phones should be at least as good as the old site.
Launch day
- Publish the new site and activate all redirects at the same time.
- Test a sample of old URLs, especially the top pages, to confirm each lands on the right new page with a single 301.
- Submit the new XML sitemap in Search Console.
- Check forms, tracking codes and conversion events, so enquiries are still recorded.
The weeks after launch
Some movement in rankings is normal while Google recrawls the site. Watch Search Console for “Not found (404)” errors, indexing issues and pages losing impressions. Fix missing redirects quickly. Compare enquiries and traffic for the top pages against the period before launch, allowing for seasonal effects such as Ramadan or summer in Doha, which can change demand on their own.
If you are also changing the domain
Moving from one domain to another adds a step: after redirects are in place, use the Change of Address tool in Search Console and keep the old domain registered and redirecting for the long term.
Frequently asked questions
Will a redesign always lose traffic?
No. With URLs preserved or redirected and content kept, many redesigns hold their rankings and some improve them because the new site is faster and clearer.
How long should redirects stay in place?
Keep them for at least a year, and ideally permanently, since old links on other sites may keep sending visitors.
Can I redirect all old pages to the homepage?
It is better not to. Google treats mass redirects to the homepage much like missing pages, and visitors land somewhere unrelated to what they wanted.
Sources
- Google Search Central: Site moves with URL changes
- Google Search Central: Redirects and Google Search
If you are planning a redesign and want the search side handled, our SEO service can prepare the URL inventory and redirect map. You can request a quote with your current website address.
Written by the Creative 4 All team, a web and digital agency working since 2012. Last reviewed: November 2026.
