{"id":1079,"date":"2021-02-12T17:48:08","date_gmt":"2021-02-12T17:48:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.digitalposition.com\/resources\/learn\/?p=1079"},"modified":"2023-06-20T21:40:29","modified_gmt":"2023-06-20T21:40:29","slug":"website-refresh-domain-migration-the-ultimate-guide-for-seo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.digitalposition.com\/resources\/blog\/seo\/website-refresh-domain-migration-the-ultimate-guide-for-seo\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate SEO Guide to a Website Refresh & Domain Migration"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re looking to refresh your website, migrate domains, consolidate websites, or just refresh your brand image, there are always<\/em><\/strong> SEO implications. We always tell our clients that everything you do online regarding your website can directly or indirectly have an impact on SEO, so \u201ccc us on everything\u201d. Especially when URL\u2019s are changing, an experienced SEO should be involved to ensure that everything is done properly.<\/p>\n

That said, we have a specific way of looking at SEO that helps us boil down this process and make it easier to digest. We split SEO in 5 parts:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Architecture & Internal Linking<\/li>\n
  2. On-Page Optimization<\/li>\n
  3. Technical SEO<\/li>\n
  4. Keyword Research & Content<\/li>\n
  5. External Brand & Link Building<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The goal here is to provide an in-depth checklist for you to refer to when doing your own project that pertains to every section above.<\/p>\n

    Are You Making the Right Decision?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Before you pull the trigger and take on what typically ends up being a large project, make sure you\u2019re making the right decisions so you\u2019re going down the correct first. Below I\u2019ve compiled some of the most common client questions we\u2019ve gotten when entering into these projects:<\/p>\n

    Should we combine our multiple domains?<\/em><\/strong><\/h5>\n

    In about 90% of circumstances, the answer is yes. Many clients have old historical domains or internally they think of their business as multiple \u201cdivisions\u201d. However, when it comes to SEO the answer is almost always combining domains and if needed putting separate sections into subfolders within the main domain. The goal is always a singular, cohesive vision. If you\u2019ve got multiple websites then you\u2019ll need separate PPC accounts, separate SEO agreements, separate development fees, separate content, etc., etc. \u2013 most teams are too busy to check off all the proper digital marketing boxes on 1 website, never mind 2\/3\/4 websites! When at all possible, consolidate. It\u2019s easier to manage and when combined your marketing efforts will be more effective for both sides.<\/p>\n

    Our domain doesn\u2019t match our brand name, but our domain ranks well. What should we do?<\/em><\/strong><\/h5>\n

    For this we need to consider both the branding & business implications as well as SEO. Same as the above question, in the vast majority of circumstances you should get your domain in alignment with your brand name. Branding is a powerful thing, if you\u2019ve got mixed messages let\u2019s clean that up. We encourage you to think long-term, we want to set your business up for sustainable growth. Tackling this issue \u201cnow\u201d is typically much easier than \u201clater\u201d. The only exception sometimes may be where you\u2019ve got conflicting brands, but the old brand really speaks to the customer way better than the new one. We\u2019ve seen clients who have changed their logo but not domain, and we\u2019ve recommended instead of changing their domain to change their logo back but update the design of it.<\/p>\n

    How do we do this without any loss in revenue?<\/em><\/strong><\/h5>\n

    Alright time to set some expectations. In any migration, there\u2019s typically an adjustment period where traffic & revenue may go down. If you\u2019re building a house on a crumbling foundation, it might suffice for now but we want to fix that foundation so you can build a mansion. We typically see a 2-3 month adjustment period as we react to volatility in rankings, in PPC, etc. and adjust accordingly. Then we start to accomplish what couldn\u2019t have been possible before.<\/strong> There is a measure of faith in a website migration or brand refresh that at the end of the day you\u2019re trying to create the absolute best experience for your customers. If you keep your focus on that and understand there will be some bumps in the road in those first couple months as you iron things out, you\u2019ll be able to get through it more smoothly. Obviously, this is something that we walk every client through to ensure they\u2019re comfortable with every step!<\/p>\n

    What do we need to accomplish this properly?<\/em><\/strong><\/h5>\n

    Many clients have a vision but don\u2019t have all the pieces to the team. To get through a migration properly, you\u2019re going to need people who can speak fluently to the following:<\/p>\n