Redesign conversations sometimes begin with one of two extremes.
“We need to keep everything because Google already knows it.”
Or: “Let’s wipe it all out and start fresh.”
Neither approach is especially helpful. An old website usually contains a mixture of valuable information, outdated claims, repeated pages, and things nobody needs anymore. The sensible work happens in the middle.
Keep what still earns its place
A page may deserve to stay when it answers a real customer question, supports a current service, brings qualified visits, earns links, or helps someone take the next step. It doesn’t have to look modern yet. That’s what the redesign is for.
Rewriting makes sense when the purpose is still useful but the facts, examples, or language need work. Preserve the reason customers use the page rather than replacing it with prettier but emptier copy.
Combining pages is useful when two or three pages are genuinely trying to do the same job. One complete kitchen-remodeling page is usually better than several thin versions that repeat the same paragraph.
Related does not always mean duplicate, though. Emergency furnace repair and annual furnace maintenance are both heating services, but the customer’s situation is completely different. Those pages may each deserve their own space.
Deleting a page should be a business decision
Outdated, unsupported, irrelevant, or risky content should not remain online merely because it has always been there. Before removing it, check whether customers visit it, other sites link to it, or staff send it to people.
When a real replacement exists, the old address should forward to it. When no relevant replacement exists, sending everyone to the homepage only hides the problem.
A few questions usually bring the answer into focus:
Does this page help a current customer or support a current service? Is it accurate? Is it meaningfully different from another page? Has it produced useful visits, links, or inquiries? Can anyone inside the company keep it current?
The final decision should be recorded along with the person who approved it.
A redesign is a chance to clear out the storage room, not burn down the building. Keep the things that still work, repair what has potential, put duplicates together, and remove what the business has truly outgrown.
Related reading
Blog Posts vs. Service Pages: Which One Should Rank?
Why Thin Service Pages Struggle to Rank
Build a Website Content Inventory Before a Redesign
Sources
Google Search Central: Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content
Google Search Central: Site moves with URL changes
Planning a redesign? Talk with TechDad Technology about your website and the pages you need to preserve.