Define SEO Requirements

Introduction

Defining SEO requirements is the foundation for every successful website migration or relaunch. Without clear, measurable requirements, important SEO aspects can be overlooked, leading to ranking losses and traffic drops. This guide shows how to systematically and structured define SEO requirements for your project.

Why Define SEO Requirements?

Defining SEO requirements offers numerous advantages:

• Risk Minimization: Avoiding ranking losses during migration
• Clarity: All stakeholders understand SEO goals and criteria
• Measurability: Concrete KPIs for migration success
• Quality Assurance: Systematic review of all SEO-relevant aspects
• Cost Control: Avoiding expensive post-migration fixes

SEO Requirements Categories

001. Technical SEO Requirements

Technical SEO requirements form the foundation for a successful website:

002. Content SEO Requirements

Content-related requirements ensure that valuable content is preserved:

Main Requirements:

• Maintain all existing content
• Optimize Meta Elements (Title, Description)
• Improve H1-H6 hierarchy
• Alt tags for all images
• Internal linking structure

003. On-Page SEO Requirements

On-page optimizations must be considered during migration:

Critical Elements:

1. Title Tags: Unique, 50-60 characters, contain keywords
2. Meta Descriptions: 150-160 characters, call-to-action
3. Header Structure: Logical H1-H6 hierarchy
4. Image Optimization: Alt tags, filenames, compression
5. Internal Linking: Maintain existing link structure

SEO Requirements Checklist

001. Before Migration

• [ ] Conduct SEO Audit: Analyze existing rankings and traffic
• [ ] Create Keyword Mapping: Identify important keywords
• [ ] URL Inventory: Document all important URLs
• [ ] Backlink Analysis: Capture external links
• [ ] Content Inventory: Categorize all content
• [ ] Technical Baseline: Measure Core Web Vitals

002. During Migration

• [ ] 301 Redirects: Correctly redirect all URLs
• [ ] XML Sitemap: Create updated sitemap
• [ ] Robots.txt: Define crawling rules
• [ ] Canonical Tags: Avoid duplicate content
• [ ] Hreflang: Correctly mark multilingual content
• [ ] Structured Data: Implement Schema.org markup

003. After Migration

• [ ] Set up Monitoring: Configure Google Search Console
• [ ] Ranking Tracking: Monitor keyword positions
• [ ] Crawl Errors: Fix technical issues
• [ ] Performance Monitoring: Continuously measure Core Web Vitals
• [ ] Backlink Monitoring: Check external links
• [ ] Content Quality: Verify all content for accuracy

Measurable SEO KPIs

001. Technical KPIs

002. Content KPIs

• Keyword Positions: Maintain Top-10 positions
• Organic Traffic: Maximum 10% loss in first 4 weeks
• Conversion Rate: Maintain or improve
• Bounce Rate: No deterioration by more than 5%

Avoid Common Mistakes

001. Technical Errors

Change URL structure without redirects:

• Problem: Ranking loss due to 404 errors
• Solution: Implement 301 redirects for all URLs

Forget meta tags:

• Problem: Loss of SERP optimization
• Solution: Define and transfer meta tags before migration

Remove structured data:

• Problem: Loss of rich snippets
• Solution: Maintain or improve Schema.org markup

002. Content Errors

Don't migrate content:

• Problem: Loss of valuable rankings
• Solution: Create complete content inventory

Destroy internal linking:

• Problem: Link juice loss
• Solution: Document and transfer internal link structure

Tools for SEO Requirements

001. Analysis Tools

• Google Search Console: Technical monitoring
• Google Analytics: Traffic and conversion tracking
• Screaming Frog: Technical SEO analysis
• Ahrefs/SEMrush: Keyword and backlink monitoring

002. Testing Tools

• PageSpeed Insights: Core Web Vitals measurement
• Mobile-Friendly Test: Check mobile optimization
• Rich Results Test: Validate structured data
• URL Inspection Tool: Check indexing

Best Practices

001. Project Management

• Early Involvement: Include SEO experts from the beginning
• Documentation: Record all requirements in writing
• Testing: Extensive tests before go-live
• Rollback Plan: Define strategy for emergencies

002. Communication

• Inform Stakeholders: Educate all parties about SEO requirements
• Regular Updates: Continuously communicate progress
• Training: Train team in SEO fundamentals

Conclusion

Defining SEO requirements is essential for the success of every website migration or relaunch. Through systematic planning, clear measurability, and continuous monitoring, ranking losses can be avoided and even improvements achieved. Invest sufficient time in defining requirements - it pays off in the long run.

Related Topics

• Website Migration SEO Checklist
• Technical SEO Fundamentals
• Core Web Vitals Optimization
• Conduct SEO Audit
• Keyword Research Strategies

Last Update: October 21, 2025