Website migration

What to inventory before migrating

Redirects protect visitors and search visibility

When page addresses change, links from other websites, bookmarks and search results still point to the old ones. A permanent redirect from each old address to its closest new equivalent sends visitors to the right place and tells search engines the page has moved. Redirecting everything to the homepage is a common shortcut that frustrates visitors and loses the relevance built up by individual pages.

Building the redirect map from the inventory, and testing it before launch, is one of the most important migration tasks.

Stages of a migration

1. 01

   Inventory

   Pages, files, forms, integrations and tracking listed.

   Output: Migration inventory

2. 02

   Build and map

   New site built on staging; old addresses mapped to new.

   Output: Staging site and redirect map

3. 03

   Test

   Content, forms, integrations, redirects and mobile checked.

   Output: Approved staging site

4. 04

   Launch and monitor

   Switch made; errors, enquiries and search data watched.

   Output: Stable new site

Launch day checks

Common migration risks

• Search blocking left on

  A staging site's no-index setting copied to the live site.

• Missing redirects

  Old pages returning errors instead of moving visitors on.

• Forms not connected

  New forms not sending to the right inbox.

• Tracking gaps

  Analytics or verification not carried over.

Mobile parity

Google states that it uses the mobile version of a site's content for indexing and ranking. If the new site hides content on phones that was visible before, or shows different titles and descriptions on mobile, search visibility may suffer. Checking that the mobile version carries the same content and metadata as the desktop version is part of a careful migration.

Choosing the new platform

Before migrating, be clear about why: easier editing, lower maintenance, better shop features, lower cost or a platform that is no longer supported. List the features you need, such as forms, bookings, payments, multiple languages or member areas, and check the new platform supports them without excessive add-ons. Consider who will maintain it and what ongoing subscriptions it brings.

A platform chosen for clear reasons makes every later migration decision easier.

Content rarely moves perfectly

Automated import tools can move much of the text, but formatting, embedded media, tables and special layouts often need manual attention. Images may lose their descriptions; internal links may still point to old addresses. Budget time to review every important page after import, and use the opportunity to correct outdated information.

Watch domain and email settings

If the domain's settings change during migration, email can be affected. Make sure the records that route email stay correct, and test sending and receiving after the switch. A website migration that accidentally interrupts email can be more disruptive than any website problem.

Keep the old site for a while

Keep a full backup or archived copy of the old site after launch. If content turns out to be missing, or a redirect was overlooked, the original is available to check. Once the new site has been stable for some weeks, the old system can be retired, along with any subscriptions it needed.