Setting Up Correct Redirects Before You Launch

Launching a new website should feel like progress. But without proper redirects in place, it can quietly undo years of SEO work in a matter of days.

When you change URLs — even slightly — you’re changing how search engines and users find your content. If those old addresses suddenly disappear, Google doesn’t assume they’ve moved. It assumes they’re gone. Rankings drop, backlinks lose value, and visitors hit dead ends.

Why redirects matter

Every indexed page on your site carries some level of authority. Redirects are the mechanism that transfers that value from old URLs to new ones. Without them, it’s like abandoning your existing footprint and starting again from scratch.

The impact is often underestimated. It’s not unusual to see significant traffic loss after a redesign that didn’t properly handle redirects — even when the new site is objectively better.

Where things typically go wrong

The most common issue is simply not mapping old URLs at all. Teams get focused on the new structure and forget that the old one still exists in search engines and external links. When those pages vanish, Google drops them from the index.

Another frequent mistake is redirecting everything to the homepage. It feels safe, but it actually signals to search engines that the original content no longer exists in any meaningful form. Users arriving from search results also land somewhere irrelevant, which increases bounce rates.

Unnecessary URL changes are another hidden problem. Many redesigns introduce new structures purely for aesthetic or organisational reasons, even when the existing URLs were working perfectly well. Every change introduces risk, and often there’s no real gain.

There’s also a more technical issue that slips through: using the wrong type of redirect. Temporary redirects don’t pass full SEO value, so if they’re used by mistake, rankings can erode over time without any obvious error showing up.

A better way to approach it

The safest approach starts with understanding what currently exists. Before anything is launched, you should have a full list of your live URLs. This becomes the reference point for everything that follows.

From there, each URL needs a clear destination. Ideally, this is a direct equivalent on the new site. Where that’s not possible, the closest relevant page should be chosen — not a generic fallback.

Implementation should be done at server level where possible, ensuring redirects are fast and reliable. Once in place, testing is critical. You want to confirm that every old URL leads directly to its new counterpart, without chains or errors.

After launch, monitoring completes the process. Search Console, analytics, and even simple checks on key pages can quickly reveal whether anything has been missed.

The bigger picture

A website launch isn’t just about design or content — it’s about continuity. Search engines need clear signals that your content still exists, just in a new location.

Handled properly, redirects preserve your rankings and allow your new site to build on what’s already there. Handled poorly, they erase that foundation and force you to rebuild visibility from scratch.

It’s one of the few areas where a relatively small amount of planning can prevent a disproportionately large problem.