A website migration is any move to a new platform, design, URL structure or domain. The SEO side of the job makes sure the rankings, traffic and links you have built over the years carry over to the new site: a full 301 redirect map, keeping the content that ranks, and checks in Search Console after launch.
SEO for a site relaunch
Website migration without losing your Google rankings
What gets lost when a site changes
Why does traffic drop after a migration?
Over time Google has learned which page answers which search. When URLs change without redirects, the old pages return 404 errors and Google has to rediscover the site from scratch. A hosting provider moves the files, but nobody moves the rankings. That is where the drops you often see in the first months after a relaunch come from.
Changed URLs
The new platform generates different addresses for categories, products and articles.
Missing redirects
Without a 301 redirect, the old page returns a 404 and loses its Google rankings.
Backlinks
Links earned over the years point to the old addresses and must be redirected.
Lost content
Copy, titles and meta descriptions that ranked often disappear in a redesign.
The pre-launch checklist
What should you check before launching the new site?
Most problems can be avoided if they are caught on the staging site, before launch. We check:
- An inventory of old pages. Every URL with traffic, rankings or backlinks, pulled from Search Console, Analytics and a crawl.
- The 301 redirect map. Each old address points to its equivalent new page, not to the homepage.
- Content that ranks. The copy, titles and meta descriptions of key pages are kept or improved.
- The staging site. Staging is blocked from Google, and the block is lifted at launch.
- Tracking and Search Console. Analytics, conversions and the new sitemap work from day one.
What we actually do
What does an SEO website migration include?
Pre-migration audit
An inventory of the pages that bring traffic, rankings and links, which you cannot afford to lose.
Redirect map
The file that pairs every old URL with the new page it should lead to.
Staging review
Structure, titles, meta tags, canonicals, indexing and speed on the test site.
Controlled launch
We test redirects, robots.txt and the sitemap right after the site goes live.
Search Console
We submit the new sitemap and, for a new domain, use the Change of Address tool.
Post-launch monitoring
We watch 404 errors, indexing and rankings in the weeks that follow.
How we work together
How do we handle a website migration?
- Kick-off call. We find out what is changing (platform, design, structure or domain) and when the launch is planned.
- Audit of the old site. We inventory the valuable pages and save baseline data for later comparison.
- Working with your developers. We hand over the redirect map and review the staging site together with your team.
- Launch and monitoring. We check the site on launch day and follow traffic and rankings over the next months.
We work with any platform: WordPress, WooCommerce, Shopify, PrestaShop, Gomag, MerchantPRO or Extended. If we build your new site, the SEO migration is part of our website creation service. SEO package prices are on our SEO pricing page.
Short answers
Website migration FAQ
Will I lose my Google rankings if I change platforms?
Not if every old URL has a 301 redirect to its equivalent new page and the content that ranks is kept. A short fluctuation after launch is normal while Google recrawls the site.
My hosting company migrates the site for free. Do I still need SEO?
Hosting moves files and databases to another server, and the addresses stay the same. If you change platform, design, URL structure or domain, you need a redirect map and SEO checks.
How early should I get in touch?
Ideally before development of the new site starts, so the structure is planned properly from the beginning. At the latest, a few weeks before launch, while the site is still on staging.
The new site is live and traffic has dropped. Can it still be fixed?
Yes. We compare the old URLs with the new ones, add the missing redirects and rebuild the lost pages. The sooner the problem is caught, the easier the recovery.
The first step is free
Planning a new website or a move?
We run a free audit and tell you which pages and links must be preserved before launch, so the new site picks up where the old one left off.
