I'm working with a client who built their site on WordPress using Divi, and they're worried that if we switch to a custom static site, their SEO might take a hit. I understand there could be a temporary drop in rankings, but I'm looking for advice on how to keep their SEO intact or even improve it while keeping the same domain name. I've been researching, but I still feel a bit lost on the best strategies to ensure a smooth transition. Any suggestions?
5 Answers
It's crucial to take your client's concerns seriously. If you’re not clear on how to manage the SEO aspect of this rebuild, you might want to rethink taking on this project until you have a solid plan. Doing it right involves more than just knowing how to make a static site; understanding the SEO implications is key.
To maintain your SEO while migrating, try to keep the page structure as similar as possible. When you can't, make sure to implement 301 redirects for every page to point to its new location. Use the same meta descriptions and title tags, and don't forget to create a sitemap.xml file and submit it to Google manually. After that, you can work on optimizing your server further. A good start is running a Lighthouse report and addressing any issues it highlights.
Your client is right to be concerned about their SEO. It seems like you're unsure about how to handle this, which is a red flag. Just switching to a static site isn't a guarantee for improvement. It's essential to ensure your professional indemnity insurance is up to date before proceeding, just in case things go sideways with the migration.
I think your client might be mixing up SEO with brand recognition. SEO is all about how well search engines index your site, and the brand value remains intact since you're not changing the domain. However, some users might be unhappy with changes in design or functionality. A good tip is to run a Lighthouse report for both the existing WordPress site and the new static one; if built correctly, the new site should score better on performance benchmarks.
Changing the URI structure can indeed harm SEO. Incoming links contribute significantly to your ranking, so breaking those links can be detrimental. Always do 301 or 302 redirects to avoid 404 errors, as Google marks broken links as negative for your site's reliability.
I agree. If you change your URL structure without keeping redirects in mind, you're risking a big SEO hit. Make sure all your old links redirect properly to maintain your ranking.
If you're exporting the site statically, you shouldn't have too many SEO worries, as the content remains unchanged. Look for a WordPress plugin to help you export static sites. If you want a custom solution, just make sure to capture everything WordPress outputs at the end of the page load and save it into a file. There's some guidance online for modifying the output, which could be useful.
I actually clarified to my client that I wasn't confident about the SEO impact and that I would research thoroughly before making changes. I'm open to suggestions to make my intentions clearer in future discussions.