The short answer: to redesign your website without losing Google rankings, keep the pages that already rank (or redirect them properly), keep their main words and titles, don’t block Google while the new site is live, and check Search Console in the weeks after launch. Most ranking drops after a redesign come from broken or missing redirects and deleted pages.

Before you start: know what’s working

List every page on your current site. Your sitemap (usually yoursite.co.nz/sitemap.xml) is a good place to start.
Find the pages that bring in traffic. Google Search Console and Google Analytics will show you which pages get visits and which searches they rank for.
Note which pages have links from other sites. Those links are valuable and you don’t want to lose them.
Save the page titles and descriptions of your best pages.

During the build: protect what ranks

Keep the same web addresses where you can. If /plumbing-whangarei/ ranks well, keep that address.
Plan a redirect for every page that changes or goes. A 301 redirect tells Google “this page has moved here” and passes on most of its value. No redirect means a dead page and lost rankings.
Don’t delete content that ranks. Rewrite and improve it, but keep the topic and the main words people search for.
Keep your service area pages. Pages for the towns and suburbs you serve are often what local rankings hang on.
Build on a staging site, hidden from Google, not on your live address.

At launch: the checks that matter

Make sure the new site isn’t set to “discourage search engines” — a common setting left on from staging.
Test your redirects: type in your old addresses and check they land on the right new pages.
Submit your new sitemap in Google Search Console.
Check your phone number, address and business name match your Google Business Profile.
Make sure contact forms and call tracking still work.

After launch: watch for four weeks

Check Search Console weekly for errors and pages Google can’t find. A small wobble in rankings for a week or two is normal. A steady drop usually means a missed redirect or a page that lost its content.

Is a redesign even what you need?

Sometimes the problem isn’t the design. It’s missing service pages, a slow site or no clear way to get in touch. Fixing those can bring in more enquiries without starting from scratch. But if your site is old, slow on phones, and hard to update, a rebuild done properly usually pays off.

A redirect plan and post-launch checks should be part of any rebuild. If you’re in Auckland, see website design Auckland; anywhere else, website packages. Or get a free Game Plan and I’ll tell you whether you need a rebuild at all.