“What is the process of migrating your website, doing a rebuild using the same domain with a different builder? Are there any potential issues that I need to be aware of?”
Summary:
Revamping your website? Don’t lose SEO juice! This guide unveils how to seamlessly switch website builders while keeping your search engine ranking as you migrate your content. Learn redirect magic using .htaccess and discover UltimateWB, a powerful builder for ultimate customization.
Website Builder Moving Guide
The digital world keeps growing, and so do website needs. Maybe you crave a flashier design, smoother features, or top-notch performance. Rebuilding your website with a new builder can be a smart move. But hold on – SEO matters! Don’t let your search engine ranking vanish during the makeover.
Often, website transitions involve switching website builders. Platforms like Wix and Squarespace are user-friendly, but changing builders can hurt SEO. Here’s the key: updating your domain nameservers with the new hosting provider makes your website accessible, but SEO goes deeper.
Search engines use URLs to find and rank webpages. Messing with URLs without proper “redirects” sends them on a wild goose chase, dropping your ranking and traffic. To avoid this SEO nightmare, keep your URLs the same during the switch, or set up redirects.
Redirects are crucial for holding onto that SEO power you’ve built. One common method uses the “.htaccess” file, a hidden powerful tool for website servers. This file lets you control how your website works, including setting up redirects.
Here’s Your Redirect Rescue Plan:
- Identify Your URLs: Before the switch, list every URL on your website, including pages, blog posts, and anything else visitors can access with a unique URL.
- Craft Redirect Rules: Found your URLs? Now, use the “.htaccess” file to write “redirect rules” for the URLs that will change. These rules tell search engines and browsers where your old URL has gone.
Here’s an example (don’t worry, this isn’t scary!):
Redirect 301 /old-url https://www.example.com/new-url
This code tells everyone the old URL has permanently moved to the new one.
- Upload and Activate: Upload your updated “.htaccess” file to your website’s main directory on the new server. Make sure the file permissions are set correctly for the server to access it. Usually, your web host will already have an .htaccess there, in your “public_html” or “www” folder – just login to your web hosting control panel, such as cPanel, go to your File Manager, and find/edit your .htaccess file. Sometimes you will need to set the option in your File Manager to “Show Hidden Files”.
- Test and Track: After setting up redirects, thoroughly test your website to ensure everything works smoothly. Keep an eye on your website traffic and ranking to catch any issues and fix them quickly.
By following these steps, you can switch website builders without sacrificing SEO. It is important to note that not all website builders will give you the access to edit your website htaccess file. In that case, choosing that website builder would mean choosing to lose any SEO you have already built, unless you can make sure that it will let you maintain all the same webpage URLs. With so many options, choosing the right builder is key.
Popular platforms like Wix and Squarespace are easy to use, but they might not offer the flexibility and customization businesses need. That’s where UltimateWB comes in.
UltimateWB is a powerful website builder that lets you create highly customized websites to fit your exact needs. With features like contact forms, a mailing list, sitemap generator, seo tool, easy social media integration, robust social networking and e-commerce tools, UltimateWB is a versatile solution for businesses revamping their online presence.
The bottom line? Migrating content and rebuilding with a new builder can be a growth opportunity. However, prioritizing SEO during the switch is crucial to keep building on your valuable organic traffic. By keeping your URLs or setting up redirects, you can safeguard your hard-earned SEO ranking while enjoying the benefits of a new builder like UltimateWB.
Are you ready to design & build your own website? Learn more about UltimateWB! We also offer web design packages if you would like your website designed and built for you.
Got a techy/website question? Whether it’s about UltimateWB or another website builder, web hosting, or other aspects of websites, just send in your question in the “Ask David!” form. We will email you when the answer is posted on the UltimateWB “Ask David!” section.
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