Website migration is a critical process that can significantly impact your site’s SEO performance if mishandled. Whether moving to a new platform, redesigning your site, or changing your domain, it’s essential to follow best practices to ensure minimal disruption to your search engine rankings. In this post, we’ll guide you through 50 SEO Best Practices for Website Migration to help you navigate the process smoothly, maintain traffic, and optimize your site for future success.
| Point | Details |
|---|---|
| 1. Define Migration Goals | Identify why you’re migrating (e.g., domain change, platform upgrade, HTTPS, etc.). |
| 2. Assemble Your Team | Include SEO experts, developers, designers, and content creators. |
| 3. Conduct a Full Website Audit | Document your current site structure, content, backlinks, and performance metrics. |
| 4. Benchmark Current Metrics | Record rankings, organic traffic, conversion rates, and user behavior for comparison. |
| 5. Analyze Top Pages | Identify high-performing pages based on traffic and backlinks to prioritize their preservation. |
| 6. Crawl Your Site | Use tools like Screaming Frog or Sitebulb to map all URLs. |
| 7. Backup Your Website | Save all files, databases, and site settings securely. |
| 8. Create a Migration Timeline | Plan every phase with milestones and deadlines. |
| 9. Draft a URL Mapping Strategy | Match old URLs with their new counterparts (1:1 redirects). |
| 10. Consult with Stakeholders | Keep them informed and address potential concerns. |
| 11. Set Up a Staging Environment | Work on a test server, not live. |
| 12. Review Robots.txt and Meta Tags | Ensure proper directives on the new site. |
| 13. Audit Internal Links | Check for and fix any broken or outdated internal links. |
| 14. Export Existing Content | Safeguard all existing content, including images and metadata. |
| 15. Secure All Backlinks | Reach out to link sources about the migration and update them post-launch. |
| 16. Enable HTTPS | If switching to HTTPS, install an SSL certificate. |
| 17. Validate XML Sitemap | Prepare an updated sitemap for the new site. |
| 18. Test Site Speed | Preemptively address issues that may slow the new site. |
| 19. Set Up Analytics | Verify that Google Analytics or other tracking tools are on the staging site. |
| 20. Prepare Redirection Rules | Ensure 301 redirects for all old URLs to their new versions. |
| 21. Check Canonical Tags | Ensure they point to the correct versions of pages. |
| 22. Optimize Mobile Responsiveness | Test the site’s mobile experience thoroughly. |
| 23. Verify Schema Markup | Transfer structured data accurately to the new site. |
| 24. Fix Crawl Errors | Address all 404s or other crawl issues on both old and staging sites. |
| 25. Optimize Images | Compress images and include proper alt attributes. |
| 26. Review Hreflang Tags | Validate language tags if your site serves multiple regions. |
| 27. Ensure Proper Indexation | Verify which pages are indexed and which are intentionally indexed. |
| 28. Secure Hosting Reliability | Confirm that your hosting provider can handle potential traffic spikes post-migration. |
| 29. Test Site Navigation | Ensure clear menus and functioning dropdowns. |
| 30. Check for Duplicate Content | Address duplication across URLs |
| 31. Match Content with New URLs | Ensure every piece of content is transferred to the correct location. |
| 32. Check for Content Loss | Verify that no important sections, images, or videos are missing. |
| 33. Update Meta Titles & Descriptions | Ensure these are optimized for the new structure. |
| 34. Migrate Blog Comments | Retain user-generated content if applicable. |
| 35. Audit Landing Pages | Prioritize the UX and SEO integrity of your top conversion pages. |
| 36. Preserve Category/Tag Structure | Maintain logical taxonomy for blog and resource content. |
| 37. Double-Check Redirects | Test all 301s before making the site live. |
| 38. Disable Staging Site Indexation- | Ensure staging is blocked from search engines post-migration. |
| 39. Update DNS Settings | Coordinate with your domain provider for a seamless switch. |
| 40. Monitor Server Performance | Ensure uptime and speed during and after launch. |
| 41. Run Live Crawl | Check the live site for broken links, duplicate content, and crawl errors. |
| 42. Test Forms and CTAs | Verify that all forms, downloads, and calls-to-action work correctly. |
| 43. Update Social Profiles | Reflect any domain or branding changes across all social platforms |
| 44. Notify Google Search Console | Submit the new sitemap and request reindexing. |
| 45. Verify Tracking Tools | Check if analytics and heatmaps are working properly. |
| 46. Monitor Traffic and Rankings | Watch for drops and troubleshoot immediately. |
| 47. Keep an Eye on Crawl Stats | Use Search Console to check indexation and crawling. |
| 48. Check Backlink Health | Reach out to partners if any high-value links are broken. |
| 49. Gather User Feedback | Encourage visitors to report bugs or issues. |
| 50. Celebrate the Success | Appreciate your team’s hard work while staying ready for tweaks. |
