Site launches are among the riskiest SEO undertakings. You can transition from SEO bliss to disaster in an instant.

Any seasoned SEO professional can likely share a site launch horror story or two, whether caused by their lack of knowledge or experience or due to factors beyond their control.

I hope to share some valuable lessons I’ve learned from launching websites over the past decade with today’s article. At the very least, I aim to prevent one more site launch horror story.

Here are some significant lessons I’ve learned, presented in no particular order of importance.

1. Excluding low-traffic pages from redirects during a site launch is risky.

I learned this lesson the hard way while working at an agency years ago.

At that time, we only redirected the top 500 pages of a site based on traffic, links, and overall page authority. CMS pages, like category pages, were also redirected. We attempted to mass redirect chunksfor the remaining pages; otherwise, we left them out.

However, when managing an ecommerce site with thousands of pages, even pages with low individual traffic can collectively contribute hundreds or thousands of visits. Ignoring these pages can lead to a significant drop in overall traffic post-launch.

To avoid traffic loss, it is crucial to plan a comprehensive 301 redirect strategy with your web team. Aim to redirect the majority, if not all, of your old pages to your new site.

2. Redirection issues can cause major technical problems and traffic loss after a site launch.

Even the best 301 redirect strategy can encounter issues.

It’s essential to have a solid strategy and comprehensive list and test your redirects immediately after launch to ensure they are functioning correctly.

Key issues to check for include:

• Redirect chains
• Redirect loops
• Incorrect 302 redirects

I recommend using Screaming Frog’s list mode feature to audit your redirects. You can upload your redirect list and check the final destination of each URL. Additionally, I use a tool called WhereGoes to identify redirect loops and chains. Using multiple tools for testing can provide added assurance and catch any potential problems.

3. Changing the user experience can tank your new site’s traffic for months.

I once worked on a furniture site where we made extensive changes, including redesigning the overall site, updating navigation, modifying filters, and overhauling the checkout experience.

While such changes are correct, things can quickly go awry with proper testing.

After the launch, we experienced significant traffic loss and drops in conversion rates. Customers also faced issues at checkout, leading to numerous problems.

Although things gradually improved, I doubt the site fully recovered.

Issues are expected with any launch. However, a tanking conversion rate indicates user experience problems, especially when rolling out changes like navigation updates, new filters, and a redesign.

This experience underscored the importance of having a skilled user experience team. A well-executed user experience can make or break your site!

4. Not involving SEO from the beginning is a recipe for disaster.

During the furniture company site relaunch I mentioned earlier, my role was initially limited to collaborating on the redirect strategy and other SEO details.

I wasn’t included in site launch meetings and had no access to wireframes, designs, or related materials.

In hindsight, I should have requested more information. I assumed these aspects were being handled.

Since then, I’ve learned that it’s crucial to proactively involve yourself in any area that might impact SEO.

Many people often overlook the importance of SEO. It’s better to assume that others may not consider SEO than to think everything is handled.

If SEO considerations are being appropriately addressed, that’s fantastic. You’re one of the lucky few. At least you know you did your due diligence.

Here are areas where you should be involved for a site launch:

• Strategy meetings
• Wireframe/information architecture reviews
• Design / UX discussions
• Keyword research for new pages
• Staging site access and reviews
• 301 redirect strategy
• Post-launch review

You can improve this process through better cross-team collaboration and by communicating the importance of your work and why you do it.

This can be achieved through improved processes, documentation, training, and educating other teams. Often, in SEO, you have to be your advocate.

Navigating the Perils of Site Launches

Site launches are inherently risky for SEO, but with proper planning and cross-functional collaboration, potential pitfalls can be avoided.

Although this isn’t an exhaustive guide, the hard-earned lessons can help you clear common site launch blunders that can set your SEO efforts back months or even years. If you need help, check out our monthly SEO packages and let the experts help.