Will 301 redirects prevent loss of ranking due to site redesign?

[hyperarts]

I am in the process of redesigning a client's site. I am utilizing keywords in their directory and file names and, thus, their directory and page names are going to be different.

They enjoy pretty good page rank now, but it could be better and so the redesign and re-optimizing.

My question: If we use 301 redirects for all renamed pages, redirecting any old site pages to the most relevant page on the new site, and we submit an xml site map to Google, will there be a loss in ranking or not?

So far my research has been inconclusive and so I come to the experts ;)

Thanks for any help here.

[JohnW]

If executed properly your plan will minimize ranking losses but there will be a period of indigestion as Google gets it all figured out. As far as PageRank, the toolbar will not catch up for a (potentially longer)period of time but this really doesn't matter.

[AussieWebmaster]

By doing the 301s all pages currently in the listings will be redirected to the new pages short term until Google redoes the database with the new directions... you will not lose juice if all pages are redirected