05 / Design · traffic-safe redesign

New look, same rankings.

Keep important URLs, content, links and search performance visible while the design changes.

Request access See how it works

meridian.dev · Design

unpushed

Redesign removed an important heading

brand queries slipping

Why this

The redesign shipped without the core brand heading.

Proposed change

Live now

A styled title with no heading

After approval

Brand heading restored in H1

What changes

Restore the important heading.

What stays

· URL
· layout
· page topic

Technical details

<div class="hero-title">Meridian</div>

<h1>Meridian — deployment tooling for teams</h1>

- <div class="hero-title">Meridian</div>
+ <h1>Meridian — deployment tooling for teams</h1>

Live check

real page checkedthe live page loads and shows the change
the page matches what you approvedthe important heading is back
the layout is unchangedonly the heading came back
the previous version is keptone click back if needed

Demonstration data — not a connected site.

Recognize the problem

A new skin should not erase the site that already works.

A visual refresh can drop headings, navigation, and the pages that already earn traffic. Design keeps those structures visible while the look changes.

01 / See the signal

The redesign dropped the H1 that carried the brand term.

brand queries slipping is a reason to inspect the live markup, not a reason to scrap the site. Compare the current treatment with the proposed one before anything ships.

Illustrative redesign signal

How it looks now

meridian.dev ›

Meridian

The heading search engines read to know what this site is called and what it does.

After you approve

meridian.dev ›

Meridian — deployment tooling for teams

The heading search engines read to know what this site is called and what it does.

Live now: A styled title with no heading
After approval: The brand heading back in place
Measure: brand searches slipping

02 / Run the loop

The job changes. The five moves do not.

Here is this job walking the same five moves.

01Find itThe redesign shipped, but the heading that carried the brand term is gone.
02Preview itThe styled title beside the restored heading, with performance visible.
03Approve itYou approve the look only after the heading is back.
04Push itThe corrected design ships to the homepage.
05Check the real pageThe real homepage matches what you approved — then you watch whether brand searches still find it.

03 / Watch the decision

Current treatment versus the proposed redesign

An accessible side-by-side comparison, not a decorative before-and-after image. Safe visual changes stay separate from protected structure and from work that belongs on Migrate.

Static comparison · prefers-reduced-motion

Current

<div class="hero-title">Meridian</div>

Proposed

<h1>Meridian — deployment tooling for teams</h1>

Preview LCP 1.2s → 1.3s · heading renders in the first paint

Keep the visual refresh, restore the heading that carries the brand term, then check the real page.

What changes

· Restore a real H1
· Keep the new visual treatment around it

What stays

· URLs
· page intent
· content hierarchy
· internal links
· structured content

meridian.dev · Design

pending

Redesign removed an important heading

brand queries slipping

Why this

The redesign shipped without the core brand heading.

Proposed change

Live now

A styled title with no heading

After approval

Brand heading restored in H1

What changes

Restore the important heading.

What stays

· URL
· layout
· page topic

Technical details

<div class="hero-title">Meridian</div>

<h1>Meridian — deployment tooling for teams</h1>

- <div class="hero-title">Meridian</div>
+ <h1>Meridian — deployment tooling for teams</h1>

Live check

real page checkedthe live page loads and shows the change
the page matches what you approvedthe important heading is back
the layout is unchangedonly the heading came back
the previous version is keptone click back if needed

Preview performance first, then approve and check the real Page.

04 / What stays safe

A scoped change should stay scoped.

URLs: Traffic-bearing routes stay attached unless an explicit Migrate job is approved.
page intent and headings: The page still answers the same job, and headings remain real headings.
content hierarchy and navigation: The order of meaning and the way people move through the site stay visible as unchanged.
internal links and structured content: Links and structured content remain in the inventory that gets checked after push.
traffic-bearing pages: pages that already earn attention are protected by default. Visual change does not retire them.

05 / Decide what to do

Redesign the site that already works. Do not invent a new one.

Use Design for traffic-safe visual decisions on an existing site. If the change needs new URLs, that is Migrate. If the answer is stale, that is Update. Inspiration boards are not the job.

Observed signal	Question to answer	What to do
Color, type, or spacing only	Does the preview keep URLs, headings, and navigation?	Treat it as a safe visual change and check LCP first
Heading or hierarchy changed	Did a styled element replace a real heading?	Protect structure, then approve the look around it
Routes or navigation rewritten	Is this still a visual job?	Send URL moves to Migrate
The live page still does the job	Is the redesign only novelty?	Leave it alone

The next job enters the same five moves

06 / Request access

Change the look. Keep the site that earns traffic.

See the current treatment beside the proposed one, then check the real page after it ships.

Request access

New look, same rankings.

Redesign removed an important heading

A new skin should not erase the site that already works.

The redesign dropped the H1 that carried the brand term.

The job changes. The five moves do not.

Current treatment versus the proposed redesign

Redesign removed an important heading

A scoped change should stay scoped.

Redesign the site that already works. Do not invent a new one.

Change the look. Keep the site that earns traffic.

Carry work to the real page.