What is the quickest way to technically compare two sites?

What’s the Quickest and Most Effective Method to Compare Two Versions of a Website?

Background: My client has just launched a new Shopify store and is preparing to release Version 2 with a different theme. They want to ensure that the following elements remain intact:

  • The SEO schema and structure are intact and unchanged
  • The URLs, breadcrumbs, and content are consistent
  • Review the internal linking, navigation, and hierarchy
  • Load time is equal to or better than the previous version (this can be easily checked using tools like PageSpeed Insights)

Additionally, I’m concerned about how to mitigate any potential issues arising from code changes due to the new theme:

  • Preventing Google Sandbox Effects: How can we ensure that Google doesn’t penalize the site due to the theme change, which might cause rankings to drop temporarily?

Currently, I have access to Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, and Google Search Console.

Questions:

  • What would you recommend for a comprehensive comparison of the V1 and V2 theme versions of the Shopify site concerning the elements mentioned above? Is there a way to visualize this information side-by-side, perhaps using Google Sheets?

  • Is there a method or best practice to maintain consistency with Version 1 in order to avoid Google penalties when changing the theme but keeping the content the same?

Thanks in advance for your insights!

Hubsadmin

2 responses to “What is the quickest way to technically compare two sites?”

  1. To effectively compare the V1 and V2 versions of the Shopify store and ensure a smooth transition while addressing your concerns, follow these steps:

    1. Technical Comparison Tools

    • Screaming Frog: Use Screaming Frog to crawl both versions of the site. This will help you analyze the SEO elements, including:
    • Meta Tags (Title, Description, H1, etc.)
    • Schema Markup: Check the structured data implementation (ensure it’s the same).
    • URLs and Redirects: Verify all URLs are intact and confirm proper redirects if needed.

    • Internal Links: Analyze interlinking and ensure the hierarchy remains consistent.

    • Ahrefs: Perform a site audit on both versions to compare backlinks and ensure no critical connections are lost in the transition.

    2. Visual Comparison

    • Google Sheets/Excel: Create a side-by-side comparison table in Google Sheets or Excel to manually input key data points for both versions. Categories could include:
    • URLs
    • Title Tags
    • Meta Descriptions
    • H1s and H2s
    • Schema Markup

    • Page Load Speed metrics

    • Screenshots/Visual Comparison Tools: Use tools like Visualping, Diffchecker, or GIMP to take screenshots of both versions and compare visually.

    3. On-Page Elements Audit

    • Make sure to check:
    • Breadcrumb Navigation: Confirm the breadcrumb structure remains the same.
    • Content: Compare text content for any changes.

    4. Site Performance

    • Use Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix to measure load times for both versions. Note any differences and resolve issues on the V2 site as needed.

    5. Monitoring Google Search Console (GSC)

    • After launch, closely monitor GSC for any crawl errors, penalties, or index issues. Ensure that the sitemap is updated and submitted in GSC.

    6. Avoiding Google Sandbox Effects

    • To minimize the risk of a sandbox effect or penalties:
    • Ensure that the URL structure and canonical tags remain the same.
    • Test the new theme in a staging environment before going live.
    • Maintain existing site metadata and schema as much as possible.
    • Use the Robots.txt file to ensure that it allows indexing of your pages.
    • Monitor your rankings closely after the launch to quickly identify and remedy any potential issues.

    7. Final Steps

    • Conduct a pre-launch checklist to ensure everything is properly set up.
    • Consider a soft launch or A/B testing approach if possible to gradually transition traffic from V1 to V2.

    By using these methods, you’ll create a comprehensive comparison that can help you ensure the new version of the site maintains what worked well in the previous version, while minimizing disruptions to SEO and user experience.

    Reply

  2. This is a great discussion on the nuances of comparing website versions, especially when launching a new theme!

    To address your first question on a comprehensive comparison, I recommend utilizing a combination of your existing tools—Screaming Frog for crawling both versions, Ahrefs for backlinks and on-page SEO analysis, and Google Search Console for performance metrics. For a side-by-side visualization, consider creating a structured Google Sheet that breaks down each element you’re monitoring (SEO schema, URLs, internal linking, etc.). This can be done by listing Version 1 and Version 2 side by side in rows and then filling in the data from your tools in corresponding columns. You could also use conditional formatting to highlight discrepancies, which might quickly draw your attention to any potential issues.

    As for mitigating the risk of Google penalties post-theme change, here are some best practices:

    1. **Maintain key elements**: Ensure that critical meta tags, structured data, and essential site-wide functionalities remain unchanged in the new theme, as these can influence how Google perceives your site.

    2. **Monitor changes closely**: After the launch, keep a close eye on Google Search Console for any crawl errors or warnings. Regularly checking your site’s performance and indexing status can help catch issues before they escalate.

    3. **Implement 301 redirects**: If there are any changes to URLs, implementing proper 301 redirects ensures that users and search engines can find the new content without encountering broken links.

    4. **Communicate with

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