TL;DR
When transitioning to a new website, don’t start from scratch with your SEO. Begin by analysing your current site’s performance and competitors’ strategies to identify what works, what doesn’t, and where opportunities exist. Then create a strategy for your new site that preserves existing SEO value while addressing gaps and capitalising on new opportunities.
These are all useful – and most have free tools:
An SEO Strategy!? Where do I start?
The Challenge of Website Transitions
Creating a new website is exciting and presents a valuable opportunity to improve your SEO standings. As a branding and web designer, I work with many clients at different stages of their business. Some are creating their first website, but some are moving from an old one to a new one. To ensure the new website maintains the rankings, traffic, and conversions you already have we need to take some time to assess what’s currently working with the site. SEO is a necessary evil. If a tree falls in the woods, and no-ones around, does it make a sound? If a website is crammed with excellent content but it’s on page 67 of Google search results, does it even exist!? (That analogy sounded better in my head.)
Making SEO a core component of your website redesign process from day one ensures a smooth transition that not only preserves your existing search visibility, but by looking around and making a solid plan it can address the areas for improvement.
Why Starting with Analysis Matters
Before making any decisions about your new site, you need a clear picture of your current SEO landscape. This means understanding what’s working well, what needs improvement, and how you compare to competitors. Without this foundation, you risk discarding valuable SEO assets or missing crucial opportunities.
A comprehensive analysis provides the insights needed to make informed decisions about your new site’s structure, content, and technical implementation. It also helps you prioritise your efforts, focusing on changes that will have the greatest impact on your search visibility and business results.
The Strategic Approach to Website Transitions
Assessing Your Current Site
1. Performance Analysis
- Google Search Console: Extract data on current rankings, impressions, clicks, and CTR for all keywords
- Google Analytics: If you have this on your current site, use it to identify top-performing pages, user flow patterns, bounce rates, and conversion points
- Backlink Analysis: Use Ahrefs or Majestic to analyse the quality and quantity of backlinks pointing to the site
2. Content Audit
- Map current content against keyword rankings to identify strong performers
- Assess content gaps compared to search intent for target keywords
- Evaluate quality metrics (word count, readability, media richness) of top-performing pages
Competitor Analysis
1. Identify True Competitors
- Use SEMrush, Ahrefs and Moz, to find who ranks for the same keywords
- SimilarWeb: Helps identify traffic sources and user engagement metrics for competitor sites.
- SpyFu specialises in revealing competitors’ paid and organic search strategies
2. Keyword Gap Analysis
- Identify keywords competitors rank for that you don’t
- Assess keyword difficulty and search volume to prioritise opportunities
- UberSuggest can help with this
3. Content Strategy Comparison
- Analyse content types, formats, and topics that perform well for competitors
- Compare content depth, quality, and media usage
- Identify unique angles or approaches competitors are using successfully
4. Backlink Comparison
- Identify authoritative sources linking to competitors but not to you
- Analyse anchor text distribution and link quality patterns
Strategy for the New Site
1. Keyword Strategy
- Develop primary and secondary keyword targets based on current performance and competitor gaps
- Group keywords by search intent and buyer journey stage
- Prioritise based on business value, search volume, and competition
2. Content Plan
- Map keywords to specific page types and content formats
- Create a content calendar that prioritises high-value opportunities
- Plan for content migration and redirection strategy from old site
Conclusion
A successful website transition doesn’t happen by accident. It requires careful planning and a strategic approach that builds on your existing SEO assets while addressing weaknesses and capitalising on new opportunities. By starting with a comprehensive analysis of your current site and competitors, you can create a roadmap for your new site that ensures SEO success.
Remember that the goal isn’t just to maintain your current search visibility, but to improve it. With the right strategy in place, your new website can become a powerful tool for driving organic traffic, leads, and sales for your business.
