New Website... Same content, same domain

[Sheldon]

After about 5 years of the same web site and domain, I will be creating a new web site with a new design. The content and domain name will be the same. My old site had quite a bit of SEO done and it performed quite well in that area. I am concerned that even though my new site will be optimized as well I am wondering if the SEO will be adversely affected in any way simply based on the new design.

[Robert Charlton]

Sheldon, thanks for your question, and Welcome to WebmasterWorld [webmasterworld.com].

Though you are suggesting a simple redesign, with no other changes, over the years I've seldom, if ever, seen such a thing. Site changes are in fact an area where lots can go wrong, and even the simplest changes require careful preplanning, backups, and notes.

Many "purely cosmetic changes" that I've seen end up involving changes in site structure, often due to a move to a new "CMS" (Content Management System), sometimes due to addition or subtraction or reorganization of pages... all bringing about changes in internal and external linking, and/or changes in page URLs.

Even "simple" visual changes on a page can bring about major SEO changes. In almost all cases, the site designers and owners had no idea that the changes they were making would affect site SEO.

You've suggested fairly regular attention to SEO, but I'm not sure whether this suggests you've updated content, moved to https, and are mobile friendly. Is yours a large site or a small one? Are you planning to use a CMS, or is your site homegrown? Are you going to add or subtract any pages? Is your site ecommerce, or are you a publisher? Etc....

So, before we make guesses about what might change, I'm thinking it would help if we had a clearer idea about what changes you're planning to make and why.

[not2easy]

If the only thing that has changed it the appearance/design it should continue as it has. If the "new web site with a new design" involved changing your URLs and sitemaps or its platform (html to WordPress for example) that would make a difference. IF that was the case you should make sure that indexed URLs lead to the same content as they did in the past via 301 redirects.

[Sheldon]

I'm finding replying a bit confusing here. This is a reply to Robert. The platform is Joomla and that will not change nor will the server or domain. The site gets an 84% rating on SEmrush. content is always being updated and as an online school, I show #1 in google for Canada for most keywords. According to Search Console, the site is mobile friendly. It's a small site with a MySQL database on the backend which won't change. Also my course is on the backend and that will not change either. I won't be adding any content but the new site will probably be full horizontal pages which will be different than the centre screen focused pages I have now. I plan to still have the same existing content on the same page URL's. One of my concerns is load time. The current site loads in 2.7 to 4 sec. and an 88% and 77% score on GT Metrix. I know that even reduced graphics can add more load time. The site is e-commerce but it's a big ticket item so not that many transactions. All done through paypal. The reason I'm looking at this change is that my site style is getting a little outdated and I am using Joomla 3.6, I think and my programmer tells me that it will soon be time to upgrade Joomla and my site will have to change so I figured if the site has to have a major change why not get a new design at the same time. I appreciate any feedback. Thanks.<snip>

[edited by: goodroi at 10:07 am (utc) on Dec 13, 2019]
[edit reason] Welcome to WebmasterWorld, please go read the rules :) [/edit]

[tangor]

There's always a desire to look at the shiny new penny, but it won't have a value greater than an old, tarnished penny.

Sometimes change for the sake of change is not a good thing.

Describing your niche your users/visitors might be more comfortable with what they have always known rather than a new design that might complicate or confuse them.

IF THIS IS ALL ABOUT APPEARANCE you can still do that, just do it over a long period of time, usually in sections (update header, then footer, then body, each over a period of a few weeks or even months). If you make changes slowly your returning visitors might not be startled when they next return!

If your urls DO NOT CHANGE then as far as g and "seo" you likely will not see any downside.

[tangor]

One other thought ... when considering a move to "modern looking" themes so you look more like other sites you will get use that: Looking like other sites!

Sometimes tried and true simplicity and content delivery (take Webmasterworld, for example) can be top rated, even if it is not "visually stunning". :)

[JesterMagic]

Upgrading Joomla (and it's components) is important so always do that. I assume you mean you will be moving to Joomla 4 from 3.x when it goes live. You will have some time as Joomla 3.x will still receive updates for a while. Google is finicky, any change could result in movement in the SERPS good or bad.

If the only thing you do is change the theme (and are leaving all the modules, etc.. exactly the same content and locations) most likely this will not have any affect. If the new theme introduces a new menu component or something else like a slider (and is beyond the change of colors, fonts, and a few graphics) then the chance of things being affected goes up.

Ideally I would update your old theme to support Joomla 4. Once everything is working and you know the actual major Joomla upgrade didn't affect anything regarding the serps I would then introduce your new theme. If you start tanking in the serps after the introduction of the new theme, you can then revert back to your old theme.

[Sheldon]

I'm glad I joined this forum. Excellent and helpful information. I now have a clearer picture of what my options are. I will be waiting for Joomla 4 and from there make small changes over time as Tangor and others have suggested. It makes sense. Why try and re-invent the wheel when something is working. Thanks again for all of your help. Much appreciated.

[browndog]

Similar but different, my site kept getting battered by Google, it got to the point where traffic was so awful I had nothing left to lose, my site was almost dead.

I switched to a new and fast theme first on the site first to see if I could improve speed and how Google would react (no difference in traffic either positive or negative). I then moved the site from .com.au to .com. URL's exactly the same, minus the .au and the same theme. A week in, and traffic continues to climb to levels I've not seen in some time. It could be the .com or the speed, I really don't know. GT Metrix is showing 93, Google Page Speed Insights is showing 97 (for desktop, 65 for mobile). Time on pages went from a woeful 30 seconds to 3.24 minutes. I'm hoping it's not just Google showing me some newbie love and it sticks.

[tangor]

No disparagement to other tlds ... moving to .com will be the biggest plus factor.

Do keep us informed!

Any reports of GROWING traffic is to die for! :)

[browndog]

Thank you tangor, I will do.