Website redesign and migration checklist
A new interface needs to respect the website’s history. Before changing its structure, establish which addresses visitors and search engines already know and what must remain accessible.
By Max Nemudry · About the author and work
Preserve a recoverable starting point
Back up files and data, verify the archive and record the restoration steps. Keep a record of domain settings, connected services and available analytics. Private archives must remain outside the public website.
Map old pages to relevant replacements
Collect URLs from the site, sitemap and search tools. Match useful old pages with relevant new pages. A permanent redirect should lead to an equivalent destination rather than sending every visitor to the home page.
Preserve externally linked documents and media. A genuinely removed page without a replacement is a separate decision.
Check the new version before indexing
Review titles, canonical URLs, language links, sitemap and staging restrictions. A staging noindex must not leak onto public pages; staging itself should stay excluded.
Check images, forms and navigation on a phone. Language switches should lead to the corresponding page.
Review actual URLs after launch
Check server responses, redirects and important pages after publication. Update the submitted sitemap and review new crawl errors.
Search engines need time to process a migration. Compare pages and periods while accounting for demand changes; a visual refresh cannot guarantee unchanged rankings.
From brief to project
Explore the service scope and actual work. If it fits your task, send your materials so we can discuss a suitable scope.