Checklist for Website Migration: What to Do Step by Step

Moving your website is a high-stakes process. It affects how people find you, how your site performs, and how much trust your users place in your brand. If you get it right, it’s just another technical job. But if you miss key steps, you could lose rankings, break user flows, or damage your SEO for months.

This isn’t a simple copy-paste job. That’s why we’ve created this step-by-step checklist, based on real work. Whether you’re changing platforms, switching to a new design, or shifting domains, this guide is built to help you plan and make smart choices.

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Know Why You’re Moving Before You Touch Anything

Before you start exporting files or setting up redirects, take a step back and ask the big question: why are you migrating?

Not every move is the same. The process changes depending on your goal.

Are you:

• Changing from one CMS to another (like WordPress to Shopify)?
• Moving from a subdomain to a root domain?
• Redesigning the site completely?
• Merging multiple sites into one?
• Updating the site architecture?

Knowing your objective shapes everything—from the type of audit you do to the risks you’ll need to watch for.

This is also the time to define success. Is your goal a faster load time? Better conversions? Stable traffic? Make sure you have clarity here.

Take Inventory: Your Site’s Current State Matters

Before moving anything, run a full crawl of your website using a tool like Screaming Frog, Sitebulb, or Ahrefs. This gives you a snapshot of everything that currently exists.

Here’s what to document:

• URLs (every single one)
• Page titles and meta descriptions
• Canonical tags
• Redirect chains
• Internal links
• Site structure
• Robots.txt and XML sitemaps
• Analytics and tracking codes

Think of this as your “before” picture. It’s what you’ll refer to when setting up redirects, tracking errors, and comparing SEO health after migration.

Save everything. You’ll thank yourself later.

Design the New Structure with SEO in Mind

If your migration includes a new structure or content shift, now is the time to plan it.

Site structure plays a big role in how search engines understand your site. Make sure your most important pages are not buried. Use short, clean URLs, and keep your content categories well organized.

Don’t guess. Use existing performance data to decide what pages should stay, what should go, and what can be merged. If some URLs are outdated but still getting traffic, plan to redirect them instead of dropping them cold.

Your sitemap and URL plan should be ready before anything moves.

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Build Redirect Maps Before You Move a Pixel

This is one of the most critical steps in any website migration: redirect planning.

Every page on your old site that’s being removed or changed must have a redirect. If you miss this step, users will hit 404s, and your rankings will suffer.

Create a spreadsheet that maps old URLs to their new versions. Keep it simple and one-to-one wherever possible. Avoid redirect chains and loops.

Once the map is done, test it in a staging environment. Make sure every link goes exactly where it should.

Don’t Let Analytics Slip Through the Cracks

Many migrations go wrong because tracking gets lost during the transition. Before moving anything, back up your current Google Analytics setup and Google Search Console data.

Then, make sure the new site has:

• Google Analytics code is installed correctly
• Google Tag Manager (if used) set up and firing
• Search Console verified for the new version (and both versions if the domain is changing)

Also, annotate the migration date in Google Analytics. It will help you compare pre- and post-migration traffic later.

Test Everything in a Staging Environment First

Never push a new website live without testing it in a closed environment. Set up a full copy of the site on a staging server and walk through every major interaction.

What to test:

• Page load speed
• Mobile performance
• URL structure and internal links
• Redirects and canonical tags
• Forms, CTAs, checkout flows (if applicable)
• SEO metadata on key pages
• Schema markup (if used)

Testing saves you from losing traffic due to missed details.

Double-Check Technical SEO Settings Before Launch

When you’re close to launch, take time to review all the technical SEO settings that could affect how search engines crawl and index your site.

Checklist:

• Robots.txt is correctly configured (not blocking important pages)
• Meta robots tags are accurate (noindex/nofollow used intentionally)
• XML sitemap is up to date and submitted to Search Console
• Canonical tags are pointing to the right URLs
• Structured data is present and working correctly

This step is often overlooked. But it’s one of the easiest ways to keep your SEO stable through the migration.

Go Live With a Clear Game Plan

When everything checks out in staging, it’s time to go live. This is when you point DNS settings to the new server or flip the switch on your platform.

But don’t rush.

Pick a quiet time when traffic is lower—usually late at night or early morning. Have your team on standby to monitor for errors and issues in real time.

Keep these tools open during and after launch:

• Google Analytics (real-time view)
• Search Console
• Server logs
• Crawler reports

You’ll want to catch problems as they happen, not after Google indexes them.

Watch Like a Hawk After Launch

The first 48 to 72 hours after going live are key. Search engines will begin crawling the new structure. Users will hit your new pages. If something breaks, it needs to be fixed fast.

Keep a post-launch log and track:

• Crawl errors in Search Console
• 404s and redirect chains
• Traffic changes
• Rankings for core keywords
• Conversions and bounce rates

If you notice sudden drops, act quickly. Often, it’s a simple redirect that got missed or a broken internal link.

Continue checking performance weekly for the first 30 days.

Let Google Know What Changed

If your site has moved to a new domain, use the “Change of Address” tool in Google Search Console. This tells Google that your site has officially changed locations and helps speed up indexing.

Also, update your sitemap and resubmit it to Search Console.

Check your robots.txt file again to make sure you’re not accidentally blocking new URLs. It happens more often than you’d think.

Update Backlinks, Social Links, and External Mentions

After migration, some of your best backlinks might still point to old URLs. If possible, reach out to those site owners and request updates to your new URLs.

Don’t forget to update your:

• Social media bios and links
• Email footers
• Paid ad landing pages
• Directory listings
• Business profiles (Google Business, Yelp, etc.)

It’s tedious but worth it, especially for top pages that drive leads or sales.

Recap: Your Website Migration Checklist

Here’s a quick summary of the steps:

• Know your reason for migrating
• Crawl and document your existing site
• Plan your new structure with SEO in mind
• Build and test a redirect map
• Keep analytics and tracking clean
• Test the site on staging before launch
• Review all technical SEO settings
• Launch during a low-traffic window
• Monitor closely after go-live
• Notify Google of changes
• Update key backlinks and profiles

Each step matters. Rushing through migration leads to trouble. Taking your time helps protect your traffic, your rankings, and your business.

Need Help With a Migration? Talk to CartCoders

If you’re planning a website migration and want it done right, CartCoders is here to help. Our team has handled platform shifts, domain moves, and large-scale redesigns for businesses across different industries.

We offer full support—from pre-migration audits to launch-day troubleshooting. With our experience in SEO, CMS platforms, and eCommerce frameworks, we can help you move your site without losing visibility or performance.

Let’s talk about your website migration needs. Contact CartCoders for a smooth transition, step by step.