SEO Services
Website migration SEO: URL mapping, redirects and launch checks.
A redesign, new platform or domain change can wipe out years of search visibility if old URLs stop resolving or content changes without a plan. We map every important URL, test redirects before launch and monitor Search Console afterward so problems are caught early.
When You Need This
The situations where this work pays for itself.
Signs it is time
- You are redesigning or moving to a new CMS or ecommerce platform
- URLs or site structure will change
- You are changing domain, or moving from HTTP to HTTPS or between subdomains
- You are merging several sites into one
- A previous migration lost traffic and you want to fix it
What you get
- A benchmark of current traffic, rankings and linked pages
- A complete old-to-new URL redirect map
- A pre-launch staging test report and a launch-day checklist
- A post-launch monitoring report with fixes
How We Do It
A clear process you can follow along with.
1. Benchmark the current site
Before anything changes we crawl the live site and export top landing pages from Search Console and GA4, plus pages with backlinks, so we know what must be preserved and can measure afterward.
2. Build the URL map
We map every old URL that has traffic, links or rankings to the closest equivalent new URL. Pages with no equivalent get a deliberate decision, not a blanket redirect to the homepage.
3. Preserve what ranks
We keep titles, headings, body content, internal links and structured data on pages that perform, unless there is a clear reason to change them. Changing too much at once makes problems hard to diagnose.
4. Test on staging
We crawl the staging site with the redirect map applied, check status codes, redirect chains, canonicals and robots rules, and confirm staging is blocked from indexing but that block is removed at launch.
5. Launch with a checklist
On launch day we deploy redirects, confirm robots.txt and noindex settings are correct, submit the new sitemap, update analytics and verify key templates in the URL Inspection tool.
6. Handle domain changes properly
For a domain move we keep the old domain's redirects live, add both properties to Search Console, use the Change of Address tool where it applies and update links we control. Confirm current steps in Google documentation.
7. Monitor and repair
In the weeks after launch we watch the Pages and Performance reports, crawl for 404s and redirect chains, and fix any missed URLs. Some fluctuation is normal, and we do not promise traffic stays flat.
Mistakes We Help You Avoid
Common ways this goes wrong, and what we do instead.
Redirecting everything to the homepage
Google may treat mass homepage redirects as soft 404s. We redirect to the closest relevant page.
Leaving staging blocked after launch
A leftover noindex or robots block can remove the whole site from search. It is the first thing we check.
Changing URLs without need
If the structure was fine, keep it. Every changed URL is a risk.
Skipping the benchmark
Without a before snapshot you cannot tell what the migration changed.
Dropping redirects too soon
Keep redirects live for a long time, ideally permanently for pages with links.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I lose rankings in a redesign?
Some movement is common, and a well-planned migration reduces the risk but cannot remove it. We monitor and repair issues quickly.
Should I use 301 or 302 redirects?
Use 301 for permanent moves. A 302 signals a temporary change, which is rarely what a migration is.
How long should redirects stay in place?
Keep them as long as practical, and permanently for URLs with backlinks. Removing them can lose the value of old links.
Can you do this with our developers?
Yes. We provide the URL map, tests and checklists, and work with your team or your platform's tools to implement them.
Want Help With Website migration SEO: URL mapping, redirects and launch checks?
Schedule an appointment. Tell us about your business and we will outline the safest, highest-value approach.
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