4 Important Things to Check Before Updating a Website

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Updating a website is not easy as it seems. There are numerous factors to think about before you make the switch. If you hurriedly tackle the issue, your ranking might get affected. In this post, I will remind you of the several factors you need to check before you carelessly make changes on your website.

  • Your website architecture.

    • Architecture refers to how your web pages are arranged. After all, a website is a series of web pages that are all connected.
    • To avoid ruining this structure, make sure to maintain the same URLs and categories. If URLs are inconsistent, it will result to multiple broken links.
    • If you make changes, double check that the old URLs are replaced by new and working links, If not, there will be a missing link between your old links and your links. Make sure to fill this gap to avoid unnecessary problems in the future.

  • Your internal links.

    • Once there are broken links, it’s a sign that you made a major change and it did not work out. Perhaps, you forgot to link one page to another.
    • There are online tools you can use to test what links are working or what links are faulty. Some tools are paid while some are not.
    • One of the simple solutions you can use online is dead link checker. This website checker is very easy to use. You will just need to paste your website URL and it will identify the broken links on your website.
    • If you do not locate and fix these broken links, it will surely affect your SEO ranking. So, this is not something you should just shrug off.

Person Using Laptop Computer

  • Your Page Not Found

    • Of course, you will not be always there to constantly check your website for broken links. There are instances where you can’t avoid committing mistakes. It’s part of life!
    • So, when your web visitors encounter broken links, make sure they are provided with a helpful 404 error message.
    • For those who don’t know, a 404 message appears as a server response if a user has clicked a broken link.
    • Customize these error messages so you can still guide your web visitors to the right track. You are confident that if ever they get lost, they will find their way back because there’s a useful 404 message that will assist them anytime.
    • Try to view the current 404 responses and check if it’s helpful enough for you. If not, then, improve so you can ensure a better navigation for your users.

  • Your original site map.

    • Just because you are revamping your website does not mean you should ignore your original site map. Use your original map as a basis for checking your newly renovated website.
    • There are tools that are readily available like the Xenu Link Sleuth. What does it do?
    • It checks the website for you. From the images down to the scripts, it is a very convenient tool to locate what’s broken in a website. After the scan, Xenu Link Sleuth will show you a detailed report.