Moving or Redesigning a Website? A Small Business SEO Migration Checklist
A website migration is not complete when the new design looks good. The old URLs, customer routes and search visibility need an explicit plan.
A website migration is not complete when the new design looks good. The old URLs, customer routes and search visibility need an explicit plan.
Inventory the pages you already have
Before changes, export or list current important URLs. Include service pages, blog articles, contact pages and resources that customers actually use. Note their titles, content purpose and where internal links point.
Without an inventory, a rebuild can delete useful explanations or replace specific pages with generic content. Ask the developer which existing pages are being preserved, merged or retired and why.
Map changed URLs individually
When a URL must change, redirect it to the most relevant replacement. A discontinued service page should not automatically send every visitor to the homepage. Google's site-move documentation explains the importance of mapping old and new URLs.
Keep stable URLs when practical. Test redirects from actual old links, not only from the site's navigation. Broken bookmarked links are a customer problem as well as a search issue.
Preserve useful content and metadata
Review major page headings, service descriptions, internal links, canonical tags, indexing directives and structured data. Update these intentionally rather than copying incorrect settings from the old website.
Make sure important pages are not accidentally marked `noindex` or blocked by robots instructions. A new sitemap helps discovery, but submitting one does not guarantee instant indexing or rankings.
Test the contact journey before launch
Check phone, email, quote forms, booking links and confirmations on a mobile device. Test that messages reach the business and that third-party integrations continue working under the new domain or hosting environment.
A redesign that keeps traffic but loses inquiries is a failed business migration. Include customer-facing forms and the internal notification process in the release checklist.
Record a launch and recovery plan
Decide who manages DNS, redirects, hosting, backups and access credentials. Have a rollback process suited to the platform. Confirm what happens to email services, redirects and critical vendor integrations if DNS changes.
Do not cancel the old service before ensuring necessary redirects and assets can continue working. Keep the responsibilities written down rather than assuming the original developer will always be available.
Monitor after publication
Use Search Console to inspect important URLs, indexing issues and search performance over time. Compare meaningful periods and allow for fluctuations; don't attribute every change directly to the migration.
Combine technical checks with qualified inquiries. Our website handover checklist covers access, ownership and acceptance testing when the work is complete.
Do not redirect every old page to Home
A customer follows an old link about a specific service but lands on a generic homepage after redesign. The new website technically loads, yet the answer they needed is missing. Map important old URLs to genuinely relevant replacements.
Practical check: Keep original addresses where feasible and test each major redirect.
Is your website making the customer's next step easier?
Planning to move your WordPress or custom site? We can review the page map and customer inquiry routes before anything goes live.
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