Website MigrationSEO
Moving a site is the moment search visibility is most at risk. We plan the redirects, test the new build and watch the launch so equity is carried across.
Website Migration SEO: what the work involves
Most traffic crashes after a relaunch are self-inflicted. The new site ships with different URLs and no redirects, titles are replaced with placeholders, a staging noindex tag is left switched on, or whole sections are quietly dropped because the designer never saw their rankings. Google then has to relearn the site from scratch, and recovery can take months even when everything is repaired.
We join the project before design is final. We inventory every indexed URL, rank them by traffic and links, decide what stays, merges or retires, and write a one-to-one redirect map. On staging we crawl the new build against that map, check metadata, canonicals, robots and sitemaps, and on launch day we verify live responses and track Search Console closely until the picture stabilises.
Core features
Pre-migration URL inventory
A complete list of indexed, linked and traffic-bearing URLs from crawls, analytics, Search Console and backlink data, which becomes the source of truth for the move.
Redirect mapping
Every old URL matched to its closest equivalent with a permanent redirect, avoiding chains, loops and blanket redirects to the homepage.
Staging crawl and sign-off
The new build is crawled before release to catch noindex tags, missing titles, broken links, wrong canonicals and unreachable pages.
Content and equity preservation
High-performing copy, headings and internal links are carried over deliberately, so a redesign does not erase what already works.
Launch-day verification
Checks of live status codes, robots rules, sitemaps and the change-of-address process where a domain moves.
Post-launch monitoring
Daily review of coverage and crawl errors for the first weeks, with a fix list ready for anything the redirect map missed.
What we get right before launch
Some dip is normal
Even well-run migrations usually show fluctuation while Google reprocesses the new URLs. We cannot promise zero movement, only that avoidable losses are prevented.
Redirects must live for a long time
Removing redirects too early throws away the link equity pointing at old URLs. We recommend keeping them in place for at least a year, longer where backlinks remain.
Do not change everything at once
A new domain, design, URLs and copy together make any traffic change impossible to diagnose. Where possible we advise splitting changes into stages.
Tools and technology
- Screaming Frog
- Google Search Console
- Ahrefs
- GA4
- Bing Webmaster Tools
- Chrome DevTools
- Looker Studio
Common questions, answered
When should SEO get involved in a migration?
At the planning stage, before design and URL decisions are locked. Early involvement lets us protect important pages, specify redirects and metadata, and avoid expensive rework after the new site has already been built.
Will I lose rankings if I change my domain?
Some temporary movement is common, and recovery depends on how carefully redirects, content and signals are carried over. A properly mapped move reduces risk considerably, but no one can promise rankings stay exactly as they were.
Can you fix a migration that already went wrong?
Often yes. We compare the old URL list with what is live, restore missing redirects, repair metadata and indexing rules and monitor recovery. Earlier action helps, though regained visibility still takes time.
Do I need to tell Google about the move?
For a domain change, yes, using the change-of-address tool in Search Console after redirects are live. For path changes inside one domain, correct redirects and updated sitemaps do the work.
More SEO services
All SEO servicesSEO for Website Redesigns
A redesign should improve your site, not erase years of search equity. We bring SEO into the project early so launch day brings no unwelcome surprises.
Canonicalization Fixes
When several URLs show one page, search engines pick a favourite, and it may not be yours. We make your preferred versions unambiguous.
Indexing Issue Fixes
A page that is not indexed cannot rank, and the reason is rarely the one people assume. We diagnose each excluded URL and fix the underlying cause.
Ready to start your Website Migration SEO project?
Tell us what you need and we will come back with a clear scope, timeline and the questions worth answering before any build starts.