If you're considering a site redesign for the new year, you'll want to optimize it for search engine results. What's the best way to optimize? Jody Nimetz at SEO Space says that designing a site to generate revenue through search takes a good amount of planning and, most importantly, patience. "Taking your time will ensure that you do things right the first time, and can save you time and resources post-launch," he says. Breathe, breathe.

OK. Nimetz suggests addressing these key items:

Proper URL Structure: "Take the time to plan out proper page URLs. Keep them clean, short, and make them search-engine friendly and relevant to the page," Nimetz advises.

URL Mapping/Redirection: If you're changing URLs, he says, you need proper redirection to point the search engines and the users from the old page to the new page. "Do not assume that your existing rankings will simply transition over with the launch of the new site."

Visibility in the Search Landscape: Look at your analytics to understand your current visibility in the search engines; which keywords you're ranking for; what pages are driving non-branded traffic to the site; and so on. You'll also want to put measures in place to preserve your most effective rankings.

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