Only thought about web design and messed up the relaunch
Mistakes are made when relaunching a website. Not just the much-discussed ones related to design and usability, but also mistakes that are critical to success. What are these mistakes, and how can they be avoided? By Imre Sinka, DotPulse Web Agency.
Evaluate web analytics
The analysis of visitor behavior and visitor sources with web analytics data reveals the strengths and weaknesses of the website. The findings must be incorporated into the design of the new website, otherwise errors will be transferred one-to-one to the new website.
Use a search engine friendly CMS
A CMS (content management system) must also be assessed for its search engine friendliness. The CMS must be open to search engine robots so that they can index the website. It should also output speaking URLs and allow the free revision of page titles, meta tags and alt attributes. If this is not guaranteed, the website will not achieve top positions in the search results.
Ignoring search engine positions
URLs/pages that have reached top positions and are no longer active after the relaunch remain in the search results. This potential must be exploited! To ensure that a click on such a result does not lead to nothing, these URLs should be redirected to corresponding pages with a "301 redirect" so that they inherit the traffic and trust.
Links that lead nowhere
External websites refer visitors to the website via links. After the relaunch, it must be ensured that internal and external links do not point to nowhere, otherwise visitors and search engines will be annoyed.
No "error handling" available
When a site is relaunched, some of its URLs are deleted. Visitors who call up such a URL via bookmarks, for example, end up on unsightly "404 page not found" pages. Error handling intercepts the visitor and redirects him to a page with links to the most important information on the site. This prevents visitors from bouncing.
Deleting texts
Relevant text is often sacrificed for an elegant design. Unfortunately, the prevailing opinion is that website visitors do not want detailed information. This is not the case! Anyone evaluating a product is looking for information. Detailed, focused texts also have a positive influence on search engine positions.
Tracking codes not inserted
If the tracking code for web analytics tools is not transferred to the new website, important information on the acceptance and impact of the relaunch is lost until the error is discovered.
These are some important points to consider when relaunching a website. In order to avoid mistakes, it is worth bringing in specialists not only for the design and programming when relaunching a website, but also for web analytics and search engine marketing. The processing of analytics data provides important insights for maximizing website success. Ensuring the search engine friendliness of the website prevents an abrupt interruption in the flow of visitors from the search engines.
The analysis of visitor behavior and visitor sources with web analytics data reveals the strengths and weaknesses of the website. The findings must be incorporated into the design of the new website, otherwise errors will be transferred one-to-one to the new website.
Use a search engine friendly CMS
A CMS (content management system) must also be assessed for its search engine friendliness. The CMS must be open to search engine robots so that they can index the website. It should also output speaking URLs and allow the free revision of page titles, meta tags and alt attributes. If this is not guaranteed, the website will not achieve top positions in the search results.
Ignoring search engine positions
URLs/pages that have reached top positions and are no longer active after the relaunch remain in the search results. This potential must be exploited! To ensure that a click on such a result does not lead to nothing, these URLs should be redirected to corresponding pages with a "301 redirect" so that they inherit the traffic and trust.
Links that lead nowhere
External websites refer visitors to the website via links. After the relaunch, it must be ensured that internal and external links do not point to nowhere, otherwise visitors and search engines will be annoyed.
No "error handling" available
When a site is relaunched, some of its URLs are deleted. Visitors who call up such a URL via bookmarks, for example, end up on unsightly "404 page not found" pages. Error handling intercepts the visitor and redirects him to a page with links to the most important information on the site. This prevents visitors from bouncing.
Deleting texts
Relevant text is often sacrificed for an elegant design. Unfortunately, the prevailing opinion is that website visitors do not want detailed information. This is not the case! Anyone evaluating a product is looking for information. Detailed, focused texts also have a positive influence on search engine positions.
Tracking codes not inserted
If the tracking code for web analytics tools is not transferred to the new website, important information on the acceptance and impact of the relaunch is lost until the error is discovered.
These are some important points to consider when relaunching a website. In order to avoid mistakes, it is worth bringing in specialists not only for the design and programming when relaunching a website, but also for web analytics and search engine marketing. The processing of analytics data provides important insights for maximizing website success. Ensuring the search engine friendliness of the website prevents an abrupt interruption in the flow of visitors from the search engines.
