Technical SEO · 6 min read
Website Migration Checklist: URLs, Redirects, and Testing
A website migration changes domains, paths, platforms, or page structure. Search and customer issues often come from missing redirects, broken forms, and overlooked dependencies rather than the visual redesign.
Create a complete before-and-after map
Export the old URLs and classify each as keep, merge, replace, or remove. Map changed URLs to the closest relevant destination. A redirect to the homepage is usually not a suitable replacement for a specific service page.
Record titles, descriptions, canonicals, analytics, forms, and important links. Keep the old site or a backup available until the new destination is tested and recovery is understood.
- Inventory every important URL.
- Redirect to the closest useful replacement.
- Record analytics and form dependencies.
Test the live migration
Check status codes, redirect destinations, canonical tags, page content, mobile rendering, and contact submissions. Confirm that the sitemap lists the new canonical URLs and that robots.txt does not block them.
Use Search Console to inspect important new pages and monitor crawl errors after launch. Keep a short change log so any traffic or usability issue can be connected to a specific release.
- Test key URLs and forms before switching traffic.
- Update sitemap and robots references.
- Monitor Search Console and keep a change log.
Common questions
How long should old redirects remain?
Keep redirects in place for as long as old links and references may still be used, while following the hosting provider's current guidance.
Plan your next step
Explore the sample builder, review website packages, or contact Ridgeline Web Co. about project fit.