SEO Website Migration: The Complete Checklist to Preserve Rankings

Pre-Migration SEO Checklist: Plan for Success

Most SEO damage during a migration happens before launch because the prep work wasn’t done. This is where you build the safety net that preserves your rankings.

Audit your current website structure and content

Before you change anything, you need a clear picture of what’s working which is where an initial audit should take place.

• Crawl your site with tools like Screaming Frog or Sitebulb to map URLs, metadata, status codes, and internal links.
• Identify top-performing pages by traffic, backlinks, and conversions, these are non-negotiable to protect.
• Assess internal linking to ensure your authority flows logically through the site. Make note of key hubs and orphaned pages.

This audit is your baseline. It tells you what must stay, what can go, and where SEO value is currently concentrated.

Benchmark current SEO performance

Think of this as your SEO control group, you can’t measure migration success without knowing where you started.

• By using tools like Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Google Search Console (GSC), you can see traffic volumes, top landing pages, keyword rankings, bounce rates, and indexed pages.
• Third-party tools like Ahrefs or Semrush can help track backlinks, referring domains, and keyword visibility.
• Export this data and store it. You’ll reference it again post-launch.

This will give you the KPIs you need and helps manage internal expectations on what success looks like.

Map old URLs to new URLs with 301 redirects

This is critical, as every legacy URL must be accounted for, especially those high-value pages.

• Put together a redirect map that matches each old URL with its new equivalent.
• Use 301 (permanent) redirects, not 302s, to retain link equity and signal permanence to search engines.
• Avoid redirect chains (for example: A > B > C). Each hop weakens SEO signals.

Tip: Use a spreadsheet with columns for legacy URL, destination URL, page type, priority, and notes. This will become your QA checklist before go-live.

Create a detailed migration plan

Migrations aren’t just technical, they’re project management challenges as they must align marketing timelines, stakeholder expectations, platform constraints, SEO strategy, and brand.

When looking at creating a detailed migration plan, you should consider the following:

• Define your stakeholders: SEO lead, developers, designers, content owners, PMs.
• Build a clear timeline with deadlines for QA, staging, and post-launch checks.
• Include a fallback plan in case traffic tanks or unexpected issues arise.
• Consider tools like Asana, ClickUp, or Notion to centralise communication and task ownership.

The more deliberate the plan, the less reactive your team will need to be when launch day arrives.

SEO Best Practices During Website Migration

Launch day is not the time to hope for the best, with the technical execution of your migration being where all the preparation gets put to the test. Here are some best practices to get it right:

Implement redirects and test before launch

Your redirect map should already be built. Now it’s time to bring it to life and test it thoroughly.

• Implement all 301 redirects in your staging environment, not just live.
• Run a crawl of the staging site using Screaming Frog to verify that each legacy URL correctly resolves to its new version.
• Watch for common issues: 302s, redirect loops, or paths that drop users on generic pages.

Redirects are your safety net. If they’re broken, users hit 404s, and Google drops URLs from its index.

Maintain internal linking structure and canonicals

Internal links don’t just help users navigate, they shape how authority flows through your site.

During migration:

• Make sure all internal links point to the new URLs. Don’t rely on redirects to do the work, it slows down crawl efficiency.
• Review and update canonical tags so they point to the final destination, not staging or legacy versions.
• Check for duplicate content risk across page templates, filtered views, or dynamic URLs.

This step helps preserve content journeys and prevents crawl budget waste and ensures pages pass value efficiently.

Set up crawl control (robots.txt, XML sitemaps)

Google’s crawl behaviour is influenced by two key files, so if you get them wrong, you’ll block critical content or mislead bots.

• Ensure robots.txt allows crawling of key pages and resources (e.g., JS, CSS, images).
• Submit a fresh XML sitemap with all final canonical URLs, no staging and no redirects.
• Add the new domain and sitemap in Google Search Console, and verify ownership if you haven’t yet done so.

Crawlability is not optional, it’s the starting point for reindexing and recovery.

Pre-launch staging site testing and QA

Before you flip the switch, simulate everything in staging:

• Crawl the full site to flag errors, missing metadata, broken links, or redirect mismatches.
• Test for mobile-friendliness, page speed, and core web vitals using tools like Lighthouse.
• Check for tracking scripts (GA4, GSC, any PPC pixels) to ensure proper data collection starts from day one.

No one wants to debug SEO on launch day. QA is where stress is swapped for certainty.

Post-Migration SEO Checklist: Monitor & Optimise

Even when the launch is done, the work isn’t. What you do in the first days and weeks post-migration can make or break your recovery. It’s where early detection and fast action protect rankings and stop small issues from snowballing. Here’s how to stay on top of it.

Track performance changes with Google Search Console and Analytics

This is where your benchmarks come into play.

• Use GSC to monitor index coverage, crawl errors, and performance trends. Pay attention to pages that drop out or see sudden ranking changes.
• In GA4, set up comparisons between pre- and post-migration data: organic sessions, top landing pages, bounce rate, and conversions.
• Track keyword performance through tools like Ahrefs or Semrush to monitor volatility.

This goes beyond reporting, as it’s risk management. Spikes and dips here will often flag redirect issues, crawl blocks, or content mismatches.

Identify and fix 404s or redirect errors

A few broken links might seem minor, but they add up fast which is why you should focus on the below:

• Monitor 404 errors through GSC and server logs.
• Prioritise pages with backlinks, traffic history, or internal link equity.
• Check for any redirect chains or loops that might slow down crawling or dilute signals.

Think of it as clean redirects equal clean crawl paths.

Submit updated XML sitemaps

If you haven’t already, this step is critical.

• Generate a fresh XML sitemap from your CMS or using a tool like Screaming Frog.
• Only include final, canonical URLs: no redirects, staging links, or duplicate paths.
• Submit in Google Search Console and track the last read date to ensure it’s being processed.

This helps Google understand your new site structure faster, especially after big changes.

Rebuild lost backlinks if needed

Sometimes, links break during migration and if they don’t redirect cleanly, that equity vanishes.

• Use Ahrefs or Semrush to run a backlink audit comparing pre- and post-migration states.
• Identify lost referring domains and pages that now resolve to 404s or the wrong content.
• Reach out to high-value sites with updated URLs, especially if they link to blogs, resources, or service pages.

It’s not always fast, but even recovering a handful of strong links can speed up ranking recovery.

How to Measure Success and ROI After Migration

Sooner or later, the question of ‘did it work?’ will pop up which is where you can prove that the SEO migration has been successful with the right metrics.

Key SEO metrics to track post-launch

Beyond basic traffic numbers, you want to track signals that tell the full story:

• Keyword rankings: Are your core terms stabilising or recovering? Use rank tracking tools to watch key positions weekly.
• Organic traffic trendlines: Focus on sessions to high-intent pages (service, pricing, blog pillars).
• Indexed pages: Make sure Google is picking up your new structure.
• Bounce rate and dwell time: Indicators of UX health post-launch.

Layer this with internal KPIs like form fills, demo requests, or content downloads to track pipeline impact.

How long should recovery take?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer for SEO website migration recovery, but as a framework, two to four weeks is usually when the initial volatility occurs as Google re-crawls and reprocesses the site.

From four to eight weeks, the rankings of core pages should begin to stabilise. It’s then from eight to 12 weeks (and potentially more) that you should see full traffic recovery, depending on domain size and redirect precision.

If you’ve done everything right, you may see flat or even improved performance within 30 days, but if things drop, this window gives you time to spot and correct the cause.

Aligning SEO metrics with business goals

This is where SEO meets board-level reporting.

• Translate rankings into lead impact: Which keywords drive the most high-quality MQLs?
• Tie organic performance to conversion metrics in GA4, including form completions, sales chats, pipeline generated.
• Use pre/post comparisons to show tangible ROI, especially if you’ve increased visibility for strategic pages.

This means you’re not just recovering, you’re growing and the metrics can be shared with leadership.

Should You Hire an SEO Agency for Website Migration?

A successful migration doesn’t just depend on technical know-how, it requires SEO strategy and coordination under pressure. If your internal team is stretched or you’ve never handled a migration at scale, bringing in expert support can make the difference between a smooth transition and a costly misstep.

Benefits of expert-led migrations

A specialised SEO agency can bring risk mitigation as experts know what to look for and how to avoid the most common (and often expensive!) errors.

These agencies should also have proven processes and tools which can result in fewer delays, clearer QA, and faster execution as they already have the know-how for approaching the situation.

For many businesses, working with an SEO agency can bring you the peace of mind needed for website migrations as you’ll have someone in your corner who has done it before.

What to look for in an agency partner

While an SEO partner can be incredibly beneficial, not all are created equal. To make sure you’re working with an agency which is right for you, make sure you check previous migration experience. You can ask for examples in your industry or site size.

You should look to see if they offer transparent reporting too and the extent of their reporting throughout the project and post-completion. When working with an agency, you want them to understand your needs and the complex service.

Questions to ask before hiring

If you’re exploring agency support, ask:

• How do you define a successful migration?
• What’s your QA and testing process?
• How will you handle post-launch support and troubleshooting?
• Can you show past migration results, ideally in our sector?

The goal isn’t just to get a list of services, it’s to find a partner who’s aligned with your outcomes and accountability expectations.

Final Thought: Losing Rankings Doesn’t Have to be Inevitable

Whether you’re rebranding, scaling, or simply upgrading your tech stack, website migrations are a natural part of growth, but the SEO risks aren’t.

With the right planning and execution, you can migrate without sacrificing visibility and in many cases, come out stronger.

If you’re looking for a partner who understands the stakes and has the track record to deliver, Common Ground is here to help. Get in touch to see how we can help.