While redesigning a website or if you are modifying some strcture of your website, try to avoid to change the URLs or domain URL. Incase if you change the URL structure, there is no way to get back the Ranking of your webpage for your keywords (or keyword phrase) in search engine. There are expert advise you to do redirect 301 or 404 to handle old URLs but this is even not a right process.
Before implementing new structure think and plan well otherwise you will loose your all previous credibility in the search engines for your high rank page/pages. All back links pointing to your site and all your hardwork to maintain authoritative links will be drain. Even Google mentions that it take time to transfer the page authority and you need to keep the old site parallel for 180 days. http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=83105&hl=en
Read the above Google Guidelines before implementing the change of URL. Even if you take expert advise in the changing the URL, there is no one who can answer you the definit solution.
Whenever, you are planning to rewamping the site design or some navigation, the design companies and web development companies will advise you to change the domain name or the URL structure, Before you act on their advise, You need to evaluate your past hardwork in building the Website credibility in the search engine. Here You are the only one can make the right decision to implement the changes for URL or not.
If once you loose the page rank in Google, it will take you months or more to rebuild the credibility again. Read this http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/3957557.htm, I would suggest here if your clients are inclined to adopt a new domain name or interested to implement a new structure of their website, as an honest SEO you must advise them
- Clearly elaborate the risk element involved in changing the URL
- Make sure your client has understand the risk involved and he has got enough knowledge to handle the on going issues.
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