Website migrations fail quietly. Everything looks fine on launch day, but traffic drifts down over the next weeks. That drop usually comes from a few predictable issues: missing redirects, broken internal links, or search engines still seeing the old structure.
If you want to avoid that pattern, treat a migration like a controlled change, not a design refresh. The plan below keeps your visibility intact and gives you a clear way to verify the move.
Start with a content inventory that is honest
Before you touch design or code, capture the current URL list and the pages that already earn clicks. This is the moment to decide what stays, what moves, and what should be retired. If you skip this, you cannot build a reliable redirect map.
A lightweight technical SEO audit is enough. You are not looking for perfection. You are looking for the pages that matter and the technical issues that could block a move.
Decide what stays, what changes, and what goes away
Most migrations involve more than a platform change. They include content consolidation, new positioning, or changes to the way services are described. That is fine as long as it is deliberate. The risk comes when pages are removed without a replacement plan.
Create a simple inventory table with three decisions for every URL: keep, merge, or retire. If a page is being removed, identify the most relevant replacement and redirect to that page, not to the homepage. This is the difference between a clean migration and a slow traffic decline.
Build redirects that preserve intent
Redirects are not just about URLs, they are about intent. A page that ranked for a specific query should redirect to a page that answers the same question. If you redirect everything to the homepage, Google loses the context that made the old page rank.
Keep the map one-to-one whenever possible. If multiple pages are being merged into one, decide which page carries the primary intent and point the other pages to that one. This keeps relevance intact and reduces crawl waste.
Prioritize high-traffic pages first
Not every URL is equally important. Identify the pages that already drive traffic and conversions, and make sure those redirects are perfect. This reduces the risk of losing your most valuable visits.
Once the high-value pages are mapped, the long tail can be handled with a simpler approach. This prioritization keeps the project manageable without sacrificing results.
Map old URLs to new URLs and make it a one to one plan
Google is explicit about site moves: map every old URL to a new URL and keep those redirects live. The guidance is in the Search Central site move documentation. If a page is removed, redirect it to the closest equivalent, not the homepage.
Use permanent redirects. MDN describes 301 as moved permanently and 308 as a permanent redirect that preserves the request method. Both are appropriate for migrations when you intend the new URL to be the long-term destination. See the MDN 301 reference and MDN 308 reference.
When redirecting, avoid chains. Old URL to new URL should be a single hop, not a sequence. Chains slow down crawling and increase the chance of errors.
Validate internal links and navigation
Redirects are a safety net. Internal links should point directly to the new URLs. Update navigation menus, footer links, and in-content links so the crawler and the user both see the new structure.
This is also the moment to verify canonical tags and any indexation controls. If your canonicals point to old URLs or your robots rules block new paths, the migration will look like a mess to search engines even if the site is visually perfect.
Update internal links and canonical signals before launch
Redirects are a safety net, not your primary navigation. Update internal links so every page points directly to the new URL. This reduces crawl waste and improves clarity.
While you are updating links, verify canonicals, robots directives, and XML sitemaps. If your robots or sitemap are stale, search engines can keep indexing the wrong version. If you need a quick cleanup, the robots.txt generator helps you validate directives without guessing.
Test the migration in staging
If you can crawl a staging environment, do it. A staging crawl is the fastest way to catch redirect loops, missing pages, and broken links before launch day. It is also the best moment to validate that new pages return a 200 status and old pages redirect correctly.
Treat staging as the real thing. If staging is blocked or inconsistent, you will not see the problems until after launch. That is when they are most expensive to fix.
Coordinate analytics and tracking
Migrations often break analytics. Tracking scripts can be removed, events can be renamed, and conversion goals can disappear. That is why analytics should be part of the migration checklist. If you do not measure the same way after launch, you cannot compare results.
Before launch, document your critical conversions and ensure they are firing in staging. After launch, compare traffic and conversion data carefully. A tracking break can look like an SEO problem if you are not careful.
Communicate changes to internal teams
Sales and marketing teams rely on URLs. If you change URL structure without notice, internal links in decks, outreach, and email templates will break. Make a simple internal rollout plan so the team knows what changed.
This is a small operational step, but it prevents a lot of confusion and protects lead flow during the migration window.
Submit the sitemap and monitor the move
Google recommends submitting a sitemap for the new URLs in Search Console so crawlers focus on the updated structure. The official guidance is in the Search Central sitemap overview.
After launch, watch Search Console for indexing changes and the queries that actually matter. If impressions rise but clicks fall, your snippet messaging may have drifted. Use the SERP preview tool to sanity check your titles and descriptions.
Expect a short volatility window
Even well-planned migrations can cause a short period of fluctuation. The goal is to minimize the duration and magnitude of any dip. Clear redirects, consistent internal links, and updated sitemaps usually stabilize things quickly.
If traffic drops sharply and does not recover, look for technical issues first: missing redirects, blocked pages, or incorrect canonicals. These are the common culprits and they are fixable if you catch them early.
QA the content, not just the URLs
Migration is a chance to clean up content, but it is also a chance to introduce mistakes. Check headings, internal links, and calls to action. Make sure the messaging still aligns with how you sell.
If your services changed during the migration, update the content everywhere it appears. A single outdated promise can hurt trust even if the technical migration is perfect.
A realistic migration timeline
Most teams underestimate the time required for redirects, QA, and stakeholder review. Build time for inventory, mapping, implementation, and validation. If your migration is tied to a campaign launch, add buffer. Rushed migrations are where the biggest mistakes happen.
Even a modest site benefits from a staged rollout: inventory first, redirect map second, staging validation third, and launch only when those steps are complete.
Post-launch checklist
In the first week after launch, check the top pages, the redirect map, and Search Console for errors. Validate that forms still submit correctly and that analytics still capture conversions. Then re-run a crawl to catch issues that only appear in production.
This short checklist catches most issues before they become real traffic problems.
Keep stakeholders aligned during the move
Migrations impact marketing, sales, and customer success. If those teams are surprised by URL changes, they will send broken links or outdated pages. A simple internal announcement and an updated link list prevent those mistakes.
This is also a brand moment. A smooth migration reinforces trust; a chaotic one creates doubt even if rankings recover.
Keep redirects live longer than you think
Redirects should stay in place well after launch. Buyers will click old links in emails, decks, and bookmarks for months. Search engines will also take time to fully reprocess the change.
If you remove redirects too early, you lose the value of the migration work. Keeping them live is cheap insurance that protects both traffic and conversion.
Common migration mistakes to avoid
The biggest mistakes are usually simple: redirecting everything to the homepage, launching without a full redirect map, or forgetting to update internal links. Another common mistake is changing URLs and content at the same time without tracking what changed.
Avoid these by keeping the scope clear and validating each step. A small delay before launch is usually cheaper than a long recovery after launch.
If you are combining a migration with a redesign, separate the concerns where possible. Freeze URLs first, then adjust design, or vice versa. Reducing the number of moving parts makes problems easier to diagnose and fix.
Document the change for future teams
Migrations outlast the people who ran them. Document the old-to-new URL map and keep it somewhere the team can find later. This makes future audits easier and prevents accidental removal of redirects that still matter.
Documentation is also useful when sales or support teams need to reference older links. A simple map can save hours of confusion.
If you are rebuilding around new messaging, keep a record of what changed and why. That history helps you evaluate performance later and prevents teams from reintroducing retired pages.
If your goal is lead generation, keep the business context visible during the move. The SERP optimization guide explains how small wording changes can protect CTR while you stabilize the new site.
Do not treat the migration as a design-only project
Migration is technical, but it is also strategic. If the new site changes how you describe services, it should be aligned with your buyer journey. This is where a service-focused build matters. If you need support with the migration and the underlying site strategy, start with business website services and share your scope via the project brief.
If the migration already went live and you are seeing a drop, do not guess. The recovery work is almost always about missing redirects and unclear signals. Start with a direct review and reach out through contact if you want a second set of eyes. The FAQ covers common questions that come up during a migration review.
