Why Nonprofit Website Redesigns Hurt SEO in the First Place
There are usually one of four issues when it comes to website redesigns hurting SEO.
The first is when URLs change without redirects. When a page moves to a new address and nothing tells Google where it went, that page’s authority disappears overnight.
The second is when content gets cut in the name of simplicity. Let us be clear that simplifying pages for complex nonprofits is important, but it’s important to find a balance. Pages that feel outdated to your team may be generating real search traffic, and deleting them without checking could cost you ground that’s hard to recover.
Another reason that website traffic might drop after a redesign is if your site’s speed took a hit. New designs can come with heavier image files and more scripts, something that we see happen with DIY websites. Google notices, and so do donors who leave before the page loads.
Lastly, if the internal links were rebuilt or removed, that might also affect your search rankings. Links between your pages pass SEO value through your site. When they’re reorganized without intention, that flow breaks.
None of these are inevitable. They’re what happens when SEO isn’t part of the conversation until after the build is already underway.
Not sure what your nonprofit site actually needs before committing to a scope? Start here: What Kind of Marketing Does a Nonprofit Actually Need?
How to Protect Your SEO During a Nonprofit Website Redesign
Here is a look into a few of the steps we might take when redesigning your nonprofit’s website. You can use this as a quick guide if you’re doing it yourself.
First, audit existing content and traffic before anything else. Before a wireframe is drawn, you need to know which pages are getting traffic, which are ranking, and which can safely be retired. You can do this through tools like Semrush or Ahrefs, as well as internally through looking at which pages are getting the most interaction like email signups or donations.
Next, if you’re updating your website domain name, map out your current URLs and set up redirects before launch. Every page moving to a new address needs a redirect in place before launch day, not the week of.
Be sure to update high-performing pages; don’t delete them. If a page is ranking for a relevant term it’s important to refresh it to be as accurate to your organization as possible instead of retiring it because you think it’s not relevant to your work anymore.
Make sure to test site speed before going live. Address the major issues before launch, not after.
And lastly, submit an updated sitemap immediately after launch. Tell Google about the new site as soon as it’s live.
At Embark, every scope is different and we may not take these exact steps, but this sequencing work happens during The Foundation phase, before any design decisions are finalized. The organizations that are able to hold their SEO through a redesign are almost always the ones who started this conversation early.
How Does a Website Redesign Affect AEO?
The biggest question on everybody’s minds in our industry is how AI affects nonprofits, specifically through AEO or Answer Engine Optimization (showing up in the search results on ChatGPT, Google Gemini, etc.).
Answer engines are increasingly where nonprofit donors and supporters are starting their search. And a website redesign can affect your AEO standing in ways that are less obvious than traditional SEO.
Here’s the core issue: AI engines learn what your site is about by crawling your content over time. When a redesign changes your URL structure, removes pages, or significantly restructures your content, AI engines have to relearn your site from scratch. That relearning period can temporarily reduce how often you’re recommended for relevant queries, even if your new site is objectively better.
The same protective steps that preserve traditional SEO during a redesign also protect your AEO standing. Here’s a quick checklist:
- Keep URLs stable where possible
- Redirect all pages that move
- Preserve the content that established your topical authority in the first place.
- Be careful about deleting pages, anything that has been cited by an AI engine as a resource carries real value and deleting it in a redesign will remove that citation.
Confused or not sure how to discern what needs to go with your website redesign? Get a free consultation with our team of website redesign experts at Embark.
Frequently Asked Questions about Nonprofit Website Redesign
Which agencies specialize in refreshing outdated nonprofit websites without losing SEO?
Look for agencies that work specifically with nonprofits and treat SEO as part of the project from the start. Embark’s work with nonprofits is built around building a real relationship with you first and foremost so we can understand your vision and goals. Then, we focus on auditing what exists before recommending what to change, and protecting search visibility through every phase of a redesign.
Are there affordable options for nonprofit website redesign that don’t sacrifice SEO?
Yes. A refresh is almost always less expensive than a full rebuild, with significantly less SEO risk. For nonprofits with limited budgets, starting with a refresh and building from there is often the smarter path. Read our full article here to figure out which scope your organization actually needs.
What causes SEO to drop after a website redesign?
The most common causes are URL changes without redirects, deletion of content that was generating traffic, slower site speed, and broken internal linking. Any one of these alone can cause a noticeable drop.
How long does it take for SEO to recover after a website redesign?
Sites that complete redirect mapping before launch rarely see a drop lasting more than a few weeks. Sites that didn’t can take three to six months to recover, and some authority may not fully return. The difference is almost entirely in the preparation.
Get the Nonprofit Website Redesign Service that's Right for You
If your organization is trying to decide between a refresh and a rebuild, an outside perspective can help clarify what’s working, what isn’t, and what changes would make the biggest difference for your audience.
Get a free 30 minute consultation with Embark and let’s start building a website that works for your mission.
