{"id":10020,"date":"2023-06-22T12:54:44","date_gmt":"2023-06-22T12:54:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/06\/22\/seo-during-website-development-and-post-launch-key-considerations\/"},"modified":"2023-06-22T12:54:44","modified_gmt":"2023-06-22T12:54:44","slug":"seo-during-website-development-and-post-launch-key-considerations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/06\/22\/seo-during-website-development-and-post-launch-key-considerations\/","title":{"rendered":"SEO during website development and post-launch: Key considerations"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Building a website or changing platforms involves plenty of moving parts. One crucial step is setting the site up for success in search engines.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But after their new website goes live, some brands make a costly mistake \u2013 neglecting to develop an ongoing <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/guide\/what-is-seo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SEO<\/a> strategy.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe integrated SEO into our site during development, so we don\u2019t need an ongoing program\u201d is a common misconception.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>They assume the initial setup was enough and rely on the content or social media team to handle the rest.\u00a0However, this approach is similar to having a new lawn. <\/p>\n<p>While it may look great initially, it will gradually lose its appeal without regular maintenance like mowing and fertilizing. Moreover, if your neighbor (i.e., a competitor) tends to their lawn properly, it will look even better.<\/p>\n<p>This article breaks down some key steps during the website development (or replatform) phase and why the SEO process needs to be ongoing.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/06\/22\/seo-during-website-development-and-post-launch-key-considerations\/#SEO_during_website_developmentredesign\" >SEO during website development\/redesign<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/06\/22\/seo-during-website-development-and-post-launch-key-considerations\/#Building_the_site_structure\" >Building the site structure<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/06\/22\/seo-during-website-development-and-post-launch-key-considerations\/#Technical_best_practices\" >Technical best practices<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/06\/22\/seo-during-website-development-and-post-launch-key-considerations\/#Content_creation_and_migration\" >Content creation and migration<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/06\/22\/seo-during-website-development-and-post-launch-key-considerations\/#Ongoing_SEO_activities\" >Ongoing SEO activities<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/06\/22\/seo-during-website-development-and-post-launch-key-considerations\/#Fresh_and_relevant_content\" >Fresh and relevant content<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/06\/22\/seo-during-website-development-and-post-launch-key-considerations\/#Technical_cleanup\" >Technical cleanup<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/06\/22\/seo-during-website-development-and-post-launch-key-considerations\/#Offsite_promotion\" >Offsite promotion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/06\/22\/seo-during-website-development-and-post-launch-key-considerations\/#Dont_stop_your_SEO_efforts_after_launch\" >Don\u2019t stop your SEO efforts after launch<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SEO_during_website_developmentredesign\"><\/span>SEO during website development\/redesign<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Prior to building or <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/redesign-website-google-rankings-395604\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">redesigning your website<\/a>, ensure that your SEO fundamentals are set up.<\/p>\n<p>Below are critical steps to prioritize.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Building_the_site_structure\"><\/span>Building the site structure<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>During this project phase, ensure the <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/how-to-build-a-better-website-architecture-392766\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">website\u2019s architecture<\/a> is aligned with the business strategy.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s say you sell \u201cjeans\u201d but the marketing director prefers to call it \u201cdenim.\u201d In this case, discuss and make decisions based on keyword research.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Not every aspect of the business can be highlighted in the top navigation, so it\u2019s crucial to have a strategic and data-driven conversation about what is important.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Use this discussion to drive other elements of site structure, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/change-url-seo-389209\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">URL structure<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/site-taxonomy-seo-guide-386837\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">taxonomy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Technical_best_practices\"><\/span>Technical best practices<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>During this phase, ensure that everything is properly set up and search engines can easily locate your content. This involves implementing redirects, 404 pages, and canonical tags.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Neglecting these aspects can result in search engine blockages or significant traffic gaps when large pages are not redirected.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Content_creation_and_migration\"><\/span>Content creation and migration<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In this step, ensure you have appropriate content for the new site. For redesigns, plan for any existing content you want to keep.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Create a content\/URL map to organize this. Similarly, address inbound links to ensure they direct to the correct location and remain relevant.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Remember, content remains crucial, even in an AI-driven world.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<div class=\"nl-inline-form border py-2 px-1 my-2\">\n<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-3 col-xl-4 pe-md-0 pb-2 pb-lg-0\">\n<p class=\"inline-form-text text-center mb-0\">Get the daily newsletter search marketers rely on.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-7 col-xl-6  pe-lg-0\">\n<div class=\"form-nl-inline\">\n<div class=\"row g-0\">\n<div class=\"form-group col-12 col-lg-8 mb-0\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-4 col-xl-4 mb-0\">\n<div class=\"d-none\">\n<p>Processing\u2026Please wait.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"btn btn-dark inlineButton w-100 rounded-0 font-weight-bold\">SUBSCRIBE<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-2 col-xl-2 ps-1\">\n<p class=\"text-center mb-0\"><a class=\"nl-terms\" href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/termsofuse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">See terms.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ongoing_SEO_activities\"><\/span>Ongoing SEO activities<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fresh_and_relevant_content\"><\/span>Fresh and relevant content<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Your site needs to stay current and relevant. You should write new blogs and evergreen content that reflects your current customer demand.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This could be as simple as creating and updating a <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/create-helpful-faq-page-examples-395380\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FAQ page<\/a> as new questions are asked. Relevant and consumer-focused content is crucial for success.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Technical_cleanup\"><\/span>Technical cleanup<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Even if you try to stay on top of every change on your website, things can still break without your knowledge.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Conducting a monthly or quarterly <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/technical-seo-audit-what-to-look-for-385213\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technical site audit<\/a> helps you step back and identify any changes requiring cleanup.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Offsite_promotion\"><\/span>Offsite promotion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Building a strong site is great, but don\u2019t forget about the value of how the rest of the internet views your site.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This is often best measured by your inbound links and link quality. Your link profile is always changing and should be worked on consistently to maximize offsite promotion opportunities.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Dont_stop_your_SEO_efforts_after_launch\"><\/span>Don\u2019t stop your SEO efforts after launch<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You might think that if your website doesn&#8217;t change much and you already have a good ranking, you don&#8217;t need to worry about ongoing SEO. However, that&#8217;s a surefire way to be outperformed in the market.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Even if your business remains the same, the environment around you is dynamic, with constant changes.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Competitors are always striving to surpass you.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Search engines continuously evolve, introducing new algorithms and features to deliver accurate results and stay up-to-date with technology.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This is especially relevant with the current introduction and testing of generative AI without clear expectations of its impact.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The best approach is to test and comprehend how these changes affect your business. Slowing down between launches or redesigns will put you at a disadvantage.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/seo-during-website-development-and-post-launch-key-considerations-428482\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SEO during website development and post-launch: Key considerations<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Search Engine Land<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Building a website or changing platforms involves plenty of moving parts. One crucial step is setting the site up for success in search engines.\u00a0 But after their new website goes live, some brands make a costly mistake \u2013 neglecting to develop an ongoing SEO strategy.\u00a0 \u201cWe integrated SEO into our site during development, so we don\u2019t need an ongoing program\u201d is a common misconception.\u00a0 They assume the initial setup was enough and rely on the content or social media team to handle the rest.\u00a0However, this approach [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"h5ap_radio_sources":[],"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-best-seo-blogs"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":false,"author_link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/author\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10020","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10020"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10020\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}