Will switching Wordpress themes fuck up my SEO?

[unrealalex]

My site has been on the same theme for about 2 years. It's a pile of shit. I want to switch to a responsive theme because a lot of my visitors are mobile.

How much damage would such a dramatic change do? The urls would stay the same, content would all be there still but the homepage would be redesigned in terms of layout, images, no stupid rotating banner.

How can I minimize the damage? Also noob question forgive me for not posting in the Newbie section but what's the best way to work on the site without it going live and then launch the changes in one sweep overnight?


Many thanks

 

[Websicosys Team]

There may be plugins or other easier ways to do this, but to me the quickest way to create a "staging" website to make changes on would be to do this:

1. Take a backup of the files and database of the WordPress system.
2. Create a new database for the staging website. Name it something like 'staging' so you can tell them apart. Attach the database to the same MySQL user as your normal WP installation.
3. Load the database backup from step 1 into the new database.
4. Create a new subdomain (for example, 'staging.yoursite.com') and copy the files to the public_html directory of the subdomain.
5. Edit your wp-config.php file to point to the new MySQL database you created in the 2nd step.
6. Navigate to staging.yoursite.com; you should see your old site but in a clone environment.
7. Make changes.
8. Copy the files & database back into your live environment.

There is probably an easier way to do this. Perhaps by setting a template to live for just your user account or something? I don't know, I personally hate WordPress.

 

[shawnhag]

if the theme will improve the overall usability of your site, which you've indicated - you might see a short dance but will probably improve in the rankings.

* try not to change your menu, categories, taxonomy, etc
* try to keep (or add) content on your main page. for example, you might have a ton of content on you rmain page now...if you switch to a theme with a big slider and small content area that could break you down

other than that just try to keep things structurally the same and oyu should be ok

 

[unrealalex]

There may be plugins or other easier ways to do this, but to me the quickest way to create a "staging" website to make changes on would be to do this:

1. Take a backup of the files and database of the WordPress system.
2. Create a new database for the staging website. Name it something like 'staging' so you can tell them apart. Attach the database to the same MySQL user as your normal WP installation.
3. Load the database backup from step 1 into the new database.
4. Create a new subdomain (for example, 'staging.yoursite.com') and copy the files to the public_html directory of the subdomain.
5. Edit your wp-config.php file to point to the new MySQL database you created in the 2nd step.
6. Navigate to staging.yoursite.com; you should see your old site but in a clone environment.
7. Make changes.
8. Copy the files & database back into your live environment.

There is probably an easier way to do this. Perhaps by setting a template to live for just your user account or something? I don't know, I personally hate WordPress.

Thanks, that doesn't seem too bad. How do I create a subdomain? that's through cp panel (Im on hostgator) right?

if the theme will improve the overall usability of your site, which you've indicated - you might see a short dance but will probably improve in the rankings.

* try not to change your menu, categories, taxonomy, etc
* try to keep (or add) content on your main page. for example, you might have a ton of content on you rmain page now...if you switch to a theme with a big slider and small content area that could break you down

other than that just try to keep things structurally the same and oyu should be ok

Yea I'm trying to make it way more user friendly. My bounce rate is super high, there are like 27 http requests, it takes like 2 -3s to load, its not mobile friendly and I have 30% mobile traffic.

I'm actually removing my jquery slider. Just not seeing the clicks to pages rotating on it. Not sure if I will replace it with anything. It's a how to site so I was thinking maybe of creating a fixed "Step tree" that links to various steps off the process.

 

[alpaca]

If your new theme doesn't push your content far below the fold or add a bunch of advertising in places it didn't used to be, then I would say that you should be safe.