SEO Tycoon

**missingtime** · 01-12-2009, 09:29 AM

We're a small business with a website that someone else (the designer) controls.

We'd like to change this by building a new website ourselves.

However, the designer has told us that building a new site will affect our search engine rankings.

My question is this...

How can a new site affect our search engine rankings if we keep the same directory structure that's there now? I mean..the URLs won't change, only the content on the pages. If so, how can our search engine rank be affected?

**Jeremy80** · 01-12-2009, 12:34 PM

It is a good plan to keep the directory structure & urls the same. So you are on the right track there. Rankings do in part depend on your onpage content and it's seo quality though. So changing your content too drastically could have an adverse effect. One thing in particular that you'll want to be careful with is how much your change your internal link anchor text.

Usually when you do a full site redesign like this you stand the chance of initially losing some of your rankings. Usually those rankings do come back after a brief wait.

Once you do the redesign I would resubmit your sitemap to Google Webmaster Tools so that they know to recrawl your content. I would also work at building more links after the site redesign. This will keep the search engine spiders coming back to your website and should help retain the trust that the search engines have in your website.

**missingtime** · 01-12-2009, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy80

One thing in particular that you'll want to be careful with is how much your change your internal link anchor text.

You mean...if we have "Click on the red house" (and 'red house' is the link) we shouldn't mess with that?

**Feydakin** · 01-12-2009, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by missingtime

We're a small business with a website that someone else (the designer) controls.

Why won't he let you have your website?? You paid for it, it's yours..

**juliensimon** · 01-12-2009, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by missingtime

.the URLs won't change, only the content on the pages. If so, how can our search engine rank be affected?

Well, the content plays a big role in the rankings so changing it will definitely affect your rankings. However, it could be positive changes. Who knows?

**wishbone** · 01-13-2009, 01:59 AM

Better to remain the main contents of your site then slowly add and edit contents. Also always submit updated sitemap on Google Webmaster Tool when you made changes.

**micoblanco** · 03:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by missingtime

My question is this...

How can a new site affect our search engine rankings if we keep the same directory structure that's there now? I mean..the URLs won't change, only the content on the pages. If so, how can our search engine rank be affected?

In SEO, there is a saying that goes... "Content is King". Content plays an important role in SEO especially when we're talking about the rankings. Changing your website's content can have a positive or a negative effect regarding your rankings.

BTW, would you mind if I ask you "why you decided to build a new website for your business?"