Website Migration Checklist

Two kinds of move

Google’s guidance splits website moves into two kinds, and the checklist follows it.

• The addresses stay the same. Moving to a new host or a CDN changes where the site lives, not its URLs. The risks are DNS, email and downtime. Google’s guide to moves without URL changes suggests lowering the DNS TTL a week before. It also says to keep the old hosting until its traffic reaches zero.
• The addresses change. A new domain, a new platform, a redesign with new page addresses or a switch to HTTPS all change URLs. The risks are lost pages and rankings. Google’s guide to moves with URL changes centres on a URL map and server-side permanent redirects.

Choose every type that applies; a platform change with a redesign gets the items for both.

Redirects: the heart of most migrations

When URLs change, list every old URL from your sitemap, analytics, Search Console, CMS and server logs. Map each one to its new address in a spreadsheet. Then set up permanent redirects (301 or 308) on the server, pointing each old URL straight to its final destination. Google recommends short chains and warns against sending many pages to one irrelevant page such as the home page. For content you remove on purpose, a 404 or 410 is better. Keep the redirects for at least a year.

For a domain change, also submit a Change of Address in Search Console after the redirects are live. It is only for domain or subdomain moves, not for HTTP to HTTPS.

The things that are easy to forget

• Email. If you use email on your domain, copy every DNS record, especially MX, SPF and DKIM, before changing DNS. Then send test emails on launch day.
• Staging blocks. A noindex tag or a robots.txt block that protected the test site will keep the live site out of Google if it is left on.
• Integrations. Payment providers, forms and CRMs often send data back to a fixed address. Update them, then test a real journey.
• Backups and rollback. Take a full backup and test restoring it. Write down what counts as failure and how you would switch back. Keep the old site running until the new one is proven.

Reading and using your checklist

Items are in the order you would usually do them, each with a priority. High-priority items protect your data, email, visitors or search traffic; do them all. Medium items prevent common problems, and low items tidy up. If you enter a launch date, the checklist works out when to test the backup, lower the TTL and start the content freeze.

Tick items as you finish them. Your ticks are saved in this browser and appear as [x] in the Markdown download, so you can share progress with your team. After launch, check the site with the SEO checker and the website speed test. Then set up a routine with the website maintenance planner. If you would rather not do it yourself, our IT support and cloud team and website team can handle the move.