SEO Migration Checklist
Migrate your website without losing rankings — follow this step-by-step guide to handle redirects, sitemaps, and indexing safely.
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Pre-migration
Map Every Old URL to a New URL
Export all current URLs (from your CMS, Screaming Frog, or analytics) and create a one-to-one URL mapping to the destination URLs. This prevents lost traffic by ensuring every important page gets a correct redirect.
Decide the Scope of the Migration
Confirm what’s changing: domain, protocol (HTTP→HTTPS), subdomain, CMS/theme, architecture, or a mix. Knowing the exact scope sets redirect needs, QA depth, and risk level.
Benchmark Current Performance & Rankings
Record baselines for organic sessions, conversions, top landing pages, and keywords. Take exports from Google Analytics/GA4 and Google Search Console to compare post-launch impact.
Prioritize High-Value Pages
Identify pages driving most traffic, links, and revenue (use GA4, GSC, Ahrefs/Semrush). Flag them for extra QA and double-check redirects and on-page elements first.
Prepare a Staging Site (Blocked from Indexing)
Build the new site in staging and block search engines with a password or noindex so it doesn’t compete with the live site before launch. Test critical templates, rendering, and internal links here.
Replicate On-Page SEO on Staging
Ensure titles, meta descriptions, headings, canonicals, schema, hreflang, robots meta, and internal links are present and correct on staging. Use a crawler to compare old vs. new page-level SEO.
Build the Redirect Plan (301s)
For any URL that will change, configure 301 permanent redirects from old to new URLs. Avoid redirect chains (A→B→C) by pointing old URLs directly to their final destination.
Choose the Preferred Site Version (HTTPS & host)
Confirm one canonical host (e.g., https://www.example.com) and plan 301s from all variants (HTTP, non-www). Make sure SSL is valid and mixed content is fixed.
Prepare Clean XML Sitemaps for Launch
Generate new sitemaps that contain only final, indexable URLs (no 404s or redirects). Keep them modular (by section) to monitor discoverability after launch.
Freeze Content & Code Before Cutover
Stop adding or changing content and code a few days before the migration. This makes sure nothing new gets missed or overwritten when the new website goes live. If there are any last-minute changes, note them so you can include them in redirects or the final version of the site.
Confirm Access and Assign Responsibilities
Make sure everyone has access to what they need before launch — like your hosting account, domain settings (DNS), website builder or CMS, Google Analytics, and Search Console. Clearly decide who is responsible for each task (like setting up redirects, checking the site, or fixing issues) so the launch runs smoothly.
Schedule a Low-Risk Launch Window
Pick a low-traffic time, align stakeholders, and communicate that minor volatility in rankings/traffic is normal for a short period after launch.
During migration (launch day)
Remove Noindex/Blocks from the New Site
Right before going live, ensure the new site isn’t blocked by passwords, noindex, or robots rules that were used on staging. Re-crawl priority templates to verify they’re indexable.
Deploy 301 Redirects and Test Samples
Turn on your redirect rules and test a sample from every section (top pages, faceted pages, media, blog posts). Each old URL should go straight to the intended final URL, with one hop.
Push Updated XML Sitemaps
Publish sitemaps at their final location and submit them in Google Search Console. Check that sitemap URLs return 200 and match live pages (no redirects).
Verify Canonicals, Hreflang, and Robots Meta
Spot-check live pages for correct rel=canonical (pointing to the final URL), hreflang pairs (if multilingual), and absence of accidental noindex. This protects international and duplicate-content signals.
Validate Core Templates and Key Journeys
Click through nav, category, product/article, cart/lead forms, and search pages. Confirm internal links, breadcrumbs, and CTAs work and point to final URLs (not staging or old paths).
Check Analytics/Tagging & UTM Persistence
Confirm GA4, GSC verification, and tag manager fire on the new site. Test key events (purchases/leads), and ensure outbound links/ad landing pages preserve UTM parameters where needed.
Run a Live Crawl and Compare Old vs. New
Crawl the live site immediately and use a crawl comparison (or URL mapping diff) to spot missing pages, rogue 404s, blocked assets, or unexpected redirects.
Update Key External Touchpoints
Update hard-coded links in ads, email templates, social profiles, top referral partners, and critical third-party tools to point to the new URLs. This avoids needless redirects and tracking loss
Post-migration (days 1–45)
Submit Change of Address (if domain changed)
If you changed domains, use GSC’s Change of Address to formally tell Google about the move. Keep the old domain verified while redirects remain in place.
Monitor Indexing & Errors in Search Console
Check Indexing → Pages and Sitemaps for spikes in “Excluded,” soft 404, or server (5xx) errors. Investigate fast—these usually point to mis-mapped redirects or blocked sections.
Watch Rankings & Traffic Against Benchmarks
Compare your baseline to daily/weekly data in GA4 and GSC. Short dips can be normal; sharp sustained drops often indicate missed redirects, broken templates, or blocked content.
Recrawl Regularly to Catch Missed Items
Run fresh crawls (day 1, week 1, week 2) to find leftover 404s, redirect chains, missing canonicals, or parameter traps on the new site and fix quickly.
Inspect Server Logs for Googlebot Behavior
Look at server logs (or your CDN logs) to see where Googlebot spends time and which status codes it receives. This reveals crawl waste and problem areas you might miss in tools.
Rebuild Priority Internal Links
Use your internal link modules (navigation, related content, footers) to point authority to key pages that lost link equity in the move. Replace old internal links that still hit redirects.
Refresh External Links Where Possible
For top referrers and partner sites you control, request direct link updates to the new URLs (instead of relying on redirects). This preserves equity and improves speed.
Keep the Old Domain & Redirects Live Long Enough
Maintain the old domain ownership and 301s for months (ideally 6–12), so users and search engines fully process the move. Don’t remove redirects prematurely.
Re-generate and Re-submit Sitemaps After Fixes
When you fix large batches of issues or add back missing pages, update sitemaps and re-submit. This speeds up discovery of corrected URLs.