Acquiring or Migrating an Existing Website? Here’s How to Protect and Boost Your SEO.
Article — When companies grow through mergers and acquisitions, one of the most important yet often overlooked tasks is consolidating digital assets. Here’s our playbook for redirecting a newly acquired website to your company’s main domain without losing SEO value or damaging the brand's presence online.
Posted by Jase Porter
21.11.2024
When companies grow through mergers and acquisitions, one of the most important yet often overlooked tasks is consolidating digital assets. According to Intellizence[1] there have been over 382 company mergers and acquisitions in 2024 valued at over 1 billion dollars, no doubt these acquired websites generate substantial amounts of organic revenue.
Managing multiple websites can lead to a scattered online presence, diluting your brand’s authority and confusing your audience. Here’s our recommended process for redirecting a newly acquired website to your company’s main domain without losing SEO value or damaging the brand's presence online.
We’ll also share our case study of how we helped Squadron Energy navigate a complex domain migration during their acquisition of CWP Renewables.
Why Redirecting Your Old or Newly Acquired Website Assets Matter
When you acquire a new business, it’s likely that they come with an established digital footprint—one that includes a website with a strong domain authority, backlinks from reputable sites, high-ranking pages, and a steady stream of organic traffic. If you plan to close down the company, decommissioning and redirecting that website to your main domain is crucial to ensure that:
You don’t lose valuable SEO equity: Proper redirects preserve link equity, existing backlinks can help build your website's authority.
You avoid confusing visitors: If users land on the old site and it’s not properly redirected, they may not know how to access your new combined offerings.
You consolidate brand authority: Multiple sites for the same brand can dilute your message and weaken your online presence.
Choosing the Right Redirection Strategy
There are a few different types of redirects, but the one you should prioritise is the 301 redirect[2]. A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect that tells search engines that a page has moved to a new location, ensuring that link equity is passed from the old URL to the new one. You can also use a 308 redirect. Avoid using temporary redirects such as a 302 or 307 redirect.
Types of Redirection Strategies
Here are some strategies to consider:
Full Site Redirection: Ideal when you want to move all content from the old site to a new one.
Page-to-Page Redirection: Redirects each old page to a corresponding new page with similar content.
Single Page Redirection: When there’s no one-to-one match, create a landing page that summarises the old site’s information and directs users to the most relevant sections of your new domain.
Proper redirects maintain link equity, allowing existing backlinks to continue building your website's authority.
Case Study: Redirecting CWP Renewables to Squadron Energy
Following a merger with CWP Renewables, we worked with Squadron Energy to develop a vibrant new website that connects with their broad audience while preserving their existing digital strengths. Here’s a step-by-step look at how we managed the redirection process to retain CWP’s domain authority and support Squadron Energy’s future growth.
The Challenge
CWP Renewables had built significant domain authority and a well-established online presence over time. When Squadron Energy acquired CWP in late 2022, it was essential to integrate CWP’s digital assets into Squadron Energy’s online presence without diminishing either brand’s visibility. The goal was to create a seamless experience for users and search engines alike, ensuring a unified brand narrative.
The Strategy
Assess Existing SEO Value: We conducted a full SEO audit of CWP’s site to identify its highest-ranking pages, backlinks, and keywords. This gave us a clear picture of what was driving traffic and how best to preserve it.
Create a Target Redirection Map: Each high-value page on CWP’s domain was mapped to an appropriate page on the Squadron Energy site. In cases where a one-to-one match wasn’t available, we created a custom landing page that aligned the content with Squadron’s messaging.
Set Up 301 Redirects: Using 301 redirects, we ensured that all traffic from CWP’s old URLs would be directed to the new URLs on Squadron Energy’s site. This helped us retain the link equity and search engine rankings of the original pages.
Implement Internal Redirect Page: To cater to users specifically looking for CWP, we developed an internal page: CWP Renewables has joined forces with Squadron Energy. This page clearly communicated the acquisition and guided visitors to Squadron’s key offerings.
Monitor and Optimise: Once the redirects were live, we monitored both sites closely to ensure that all traffic was correctly routed and that there were no broken links or 404 errors. This process was critical for maintaining SEO health during the transition.
As a result of our careful planning, we preserved organic traffic, retained link equity, and smoothly transitioned CWP's digital assets into Squadron Energy, setting the stage for future growth without loss of SEO value.
How to Execute a Website Migration for Your Company
If you’re planning a similar website redirection, here’s a step-by-step guide to follow:
Conduct an SEO Audit: Before making any changes, perform a detailed audit of the existing website. Identify high-ranking pages, top keywords, and any backlinks pointing to the old domain.
Set Up a Redirection Plan: Create a redirection map that pairs old URLs with new ones. Prioritise pages with high search engine rankings or strong backlinks.
Implement 301 Redirects: Use server-side 301 redirects to route traffic from the old site to the new one. This tells search engines that the move is permanent and ensures that link equity is passed to the new domain.
Communicate Changes to Your Audience: Consider creating a landing page or a banner announcement explaining the change. For example, the page https://www.squadronenergy.com/cwp-renewables helped clarify the transition for CWP visitors.
Update Internal Links: Don’t forget to update all internal links on your new domain to point to the correct URLs. This step is often overlooked but is crucial for preserving link authority.
Submit a Change of Address in Google Search Console: Inform Google about the domain change by submitting a “Change of Address” request in Google Search Console. This speeds up the process of reindexing your new site.
Monitor and Measure Performance: Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track the impact of the redirects. Keep an eye on traffic, bounce rates, and rankings to ensure a smooth transition.
Common Mistakes to Avoid During Domain Redirection
Not reaching out to Update Backlinks: Reach out to key partners or affiliates and request that they update any backlinks pointing to the old domain.
Using 302 Instead of 301 Redirects: A 302 redirect is temporary and won’t pass link equity. Always use a 301 redirect for permanent moves.
Not Setting Up a Custom Landing Page: If a one-to-one page match isn’t possible, create a well-designed landing page to capture traffic and guide users.
Ignoring Mobile and Desktop Versions: If your digital asset has a mobile version, make sure that both the desktop and mobile versions of your site are properly redirected.
Disavow File: It is essential to check for the existence of a disavow file. A disavow file helps search engines, especially Google, ignore specific backlinks that may harm a site’s SEO due to low quality or spammy origins. If improperly configured or missing, it could negatively impact your SEO efforts during the redirection process.
Ready to Consolidate Your Digital Presence?
Redirecting a newly acquired website to your main company domain is a technical exercise and strategic move that, if done correctly, can strengthen your brand’s digital footprint. Whether it’s preserving SEO equity, streamlining the user experience, or presenting a unified brand message, careful planning is key.
If you’re considering a website migration and SEO or need help integrating multiple digital assets, our experienced team can guide you through the process. Reach out to us today to ensure a smooth and SEO-friendly transition that sets your business up for future success. Let’s make your digital transformation seamless and impactful!
What is SEO Migration?
Our SEO Migration services are designed to minimise disruption and ensure a smooth change-over process. We work closely with you to plan and execute a strategy that preserves your SEO equity and positions your website for success.
