Change or not to change...

[glowinggal]

I know what the answer would more than likely be.. but can't help and ask.

My current site.. it's clean, loads fast and is doing wonderful in the SE's.

Current rankings for primary keyword:
Google #1
Alta Vista #1
AOL #1
Ask Jeeves #4
Excite #6
Inktomi #1 and #8
Hot Bot #1
Teoma #3
MSN #21
Teoma #8
Webcrawler #6
Wisenut #9
Yahoo #1
All The Web #26 (but it's an internal page with keywords as page name) :)

*Site is also listed at gimpsy and dmoz*


Rankings for secondary keyword:
Alta Vista #1 and #11
Hot Bot #1 and #8
All the Web #1 and #8 (again internal pages)
AOL #1 and #2
Ask Jeeves #1 and #7
Google #1 and #2
Looksmart #37, 44, 47, and 52
MSN #1, 8, 11, 16
Overture #19, 28
Yahoo #1
Excite #6 and #20
Inktomi #1 and #8
Teoma #1
Web Crawler #6 and #20
Wisenut #1


I had a redesign planned in August when my site wasn't doing quite as well and decided to change the site design (which is much more an indication of my true work) since my rankings were too much to be reckoned with. Then all of a sudden it started doing well... I couldn't believe it...

I have tried to duplicate as much of the KW density as possible and checking the site copies side by side in comparison and the new site is slightly lower in KWD. I planned on tweaking this... but now wonder.... if I'm #1 at google and I change my design will this make too much of a difference. I am continually building my links slowly each month so everytime google crawls there are more backlinked sites... but at the same really want to change my site.

My current site does not even have a site map (I built it before I knew a ton about SEO)... and the new site has internal pages optimized for different keywords from the first page as well as a sitemap.

*Sigh* Advice?? Should I change or leave things alone? If I change should I really be too concerned with the KWD? It is my biz site (website designer and professional website designer = KW's) so I would hate to drop again especially when it took 8 months to get to the top - but I think my site would be more "eye catching" for visitors if I change it.. kind of the "bring them in and keep them in" thoughts of marketing.

**if anyone feels they need to view the new site the main portion of it is online in a subfolder and I can send along the link**

[ihelpyou]

Hey Amy, that's a tough call. Whenever you do a redesign you always run the risk of losing some ranks. All you can do is optimize the new the best you can. It seems like you have a good idea anyway, so if you do lose ranks you will shoot back up again anyway.

Since you said the sales were not good with the site, a redesign may be the best thing anyway.

Sure, post the new site if you wish.

[esavvy]

I have been in similar situations before. If possible - my suggestion is to slowly change the design -- for example if you have top, side & bottom navigation - -- change the top (header .asp, header.php etc...) first .. wait 2 months -- then alter side & then bottom. A slow transition allows you to catch any optimization tactics you've missed.

I recently changed my highest ranking site drastically (felt gutsy one day) ..changed ALL URL's of pages. .. just checked to see how it did in the dance .. 90% of all old pages dropped and new pages added (about 200 page site).

Take it slow .. and it will work.

[sanity]

Hi Amy,

Can you do the redesign keeping the same structure and file names?

Then you can use the Title and other tags as well as the important copy from your old site to ensure you maintain rankings.

You mention your new design has a site map and internal pages optimised for different keywords - I strongly feel that you should incorporate these into your site - whether you stick to the old design or go with the new.

Good luck and let us know how you go.

Sophie

[glowinggal]

What a great idea to do a little at a time... the new design is here... http://www.glowingdesigns.com/new/ (ps - if you view it the images HAVE NOT been optimized size-wise yet).

I would try it with the current design but I don't think it would get the same effect. I plan on adding SRS as well as additional content but keeping the same file names on the site that are there now - just adding to it. I'm also going from a Flash navigation to text links. Also, the old site got business but I think this new design would be more catching.

I think tonight I will start by moving my links from left to right as my new site design is showing as well as making the table liquid perhaps like the new site and see how that small change goes.

I also will plan on implementing the new pages ASAP to assist with the site's SEO as well.

Thanks so much for your input! It's something that I've been back and forth about for quite a bit (if you can tell since the design has been sitting on the server since August!) *G*

[glowinggal]

PS - esavvy you said the new pages were added - but how did they rank in comparison to the old ranking? :)

[scottiecl]

Hey Amy-

I would definitely move to the new design. As a customer, I am going to judge your potential to design my site on how well you have designed your own. The new design is much more eye-catching and interesting than the old one.

As long as you aren't dumping filenames and starting over, you shouldn't have much more than a hiccup in your rankings, if anything. Existing inbound links will help hold things together if google does take a little while to adjust to the new content but these days, Google is pretty good at updating new content.

So make sure you have a custom 404 error page to catch any visitors that may try and visit pages that no longer exist in the redesign.

Best of luck!

[esavvy]

PS - esavvy you said the new pages were added - but how did they rank in comparison to the old ranking?

Per above - I have to admit -- I do not follow internal pages too much on the site -- but the index page edged up the engines on this dance (probably from back links). ..so .. everything turned out fine.

Amy -- nice site .. after seeing the 2 .. I would agree.. go for it.

Mary