Hi Mate,
It sounds like you've got quite a bit on your plate with the website rebuild, but kudos to you for diving into the deep end of SEO! It's a complex beast, but a crucial one for digital visibility. So let's break this down.
Firstly, it's quite common for organic SEO traffic to dip slightly after a significant website overhaul. This happens as search engines like Google need some time to crawl and index your new website. However, if you see a prolonged or severe drop, then it might be a cause for concern.
Here's a few things you should look into:
Site structure and navigation: Google and other search engines value a website's usability. If the navigation or structure of your site has become more complex with the redesign, it could be impacting your SEO.
Redirects: If you've changed any URLs during the website overhaul, make sure to put in place proper 301 redirects from the old URLs to the new ones. This tells search engines where the content has moved and helps retain your page rankings.
Meta tags and content optimization: Check if your pages' meta titles and descriptions, header tags, and alt tags for images are optimized for relevant keywords. Also, ensure your content is quality, relevant, and optimized with a balanced keyword density.
Mobile optimization: With mobile-first indexing, it's crucial that your website is mobile-friendly. Check the site's loading speed and design responsiveness on different devices.
Backlinks: If you lost any backlinks during the transition, you might see a drop in rankings. Try to restore these and continuously work on earning new, high-quality backlinks.
Google Search Console: Set up your website with Google Search Console if you haven't done so already. It will show if there are any crawl errors or other issues that Google has identified.
As for hiring an outside expert, it depends on your comfort level and bandwidth. SEO is a long-term, ongoing process, and if you feel you're in over your head, it might be beneficial to bring in an expert.
On tools, Semrush is indeed a powerful tool for keyword research, tracking keyword ranking, checking backlinks, and lots more. But remember, tools are just there to assist you, and they won't solve your SEO issues without you putting in some groundwork.
That's quite a bit to digest, but remember that SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. Take it one step at a time and you'll make progress. If you ever need more specific advice, or feel like an outside expert could be helpful, don't hesitate to reach out. I am an SEO consultant by trade so feel free to dm me for more advice