SEO site migration, with the redirects tested first
We handle the SEO side of a site move: every old URL mapped to its new page, permanent redirects tested before launch, a new sitemap sent to Google, and Search Console checked every day for two weeks afterwards. We also move the site itself, forms and tracking included.Every old URL mapped, redirects tested before launch, Search Console checked daily afterwards. We move the site too.
- Every URL mapped
- Redirects tested
- Search Console watched
- Old siteEvery page, title, form and tracking tag, cross-checked from sitemaps, analytics and Search Console
URL list - Redirect mapEach old address sent to its closest new page, one to one
301 - New siteCanonicals, sitemap and robots.txt ready to launch with the new addresses
launch - Search ConsoleNew sitemap sent, then coverage and queries checked every day
watch
- Forms
- GA4 events
- Google Ads tags
Teams we've worked with
Six ways a site move loses search traffic
Google publishes what it wants to see in a site move. Most lost traffic comes from skipping one of these, so we plan each one before launch.
Old pages end up nowhere, or all on the home page
Google recommends server-side permanent redirects (301 or 308) from every old URL to its new one, and says permanent redirects don't cause a loss in PageRank. It also says not to send lots of old URLs to one irrelevant page, such as the new home page. We map page to page.
Redirect chains, and redirects removed too soon
Google advises redirecting straight to the final destination, and keeping the redirects for as long as possible, generally at least one year. We test for chains and leave the redirects in place.
The wrong kind of redirect
A 301 or 308 tells Google a page has moved for good. A 302 says temporary, so the old URL can keep showing in results. JavaScript redirects are a last resort, because Google might never see one if rendering fails. We set up permanent, server-side redirects.
Launching while the new site is still blocked
If the new site was kept out of search with noindex or robots.txt while it was built, Google says to prepare the list of URLs to unblock for the move, and the robots.txt the new site should launch with. That's on our launch-day list.
Links and canonicals still pointing at the old site
Google says internal links on the new site should use the new URLs, and each new URL should have a self-referencing canonical tag. After the redirects go live, we confirm the canonicals use the new addresses.
Reading normal wobble as a disaster
Google says to expect temporary ups and downs in rankings during a move, and that a small to medium site can take a few weeks for most pages to move. We check Search Console every day for two weeks, so you know which dips are normal and which need fixing.
A move Google can follow
The same steps whatever you're moving from and to, written down before we start. If you already have a developer, we can run the SEO side alongside them.
A full URL list
Every page, title, form and tracking tag on the current site. Google suggests drawing the list from your sitemaps, server logs, analytics, the Search Console links report or your CMS content list, so we cross-check those instead of trusting one source.
A one-to-one redirect map
Old URL to new URL, page for page, tested before launch and sent live as permanent redirects.
A new sitemap sent to Google
Submitted in Search Console on launch day. Once Google is using the new one, the old sitemap can go, and warnings about redirected URLs in the old one are normal.
Change of Address, when it applies
Google's tool is for changing domain or subdomain. It isn't needed for a move from HTTP to HTTPS, a www change or a path move on the same domain, so we only use it when your domain changes.
One change at a time
Google suggests changing one thing at a time, such as the domain first and the layout later, and timing the move for a quiet period. We tell you if your plan stacks too much into one launch.
A server that can cope
Google crawls a new site more heavily than usual for a while after a migration. We check the new host before launch.
Forms and tracking carried over
Every form rebuilt and tested, with GA4, Google Ads and Meta checked with a test enquiry before launch and again after.
Two weeks of daily checks
Search Console and your leads, every day, with a note to you whenever something needs a decision.
What we watch after the move
Search Console is where Google tells you how it sees the new site. These are the tools it connects to, and what passes along each wire.
Search Console shows search visits and not every query. It can't tell you which visits became enquiries, so we check it beside GA4 and your lead data.
Who this is for
For you if
- You're moving to a new platform, a new domain or a new URL structure, and organic search brings you leads or sales.
- You've been quoted a rebuild and nobody has mentioned redirects.
- You want the risks written down before you agree to anything.
Not for you if
- You're moving servers or cloud infrastructure. That's a different job.
- You want a guarantee your rankings won't move. Google itself says to expect temporary fluctuation, and nobody honest can promise otherwise.
- You're moving onto WordPress. We only move sites off it.
An SEO migration done properly, against the usual one
The left column is what Google's own guides ask for. The right is what we find when a move went wrong.
| What matters |  Done properlyOur pick | The usual move |
|---|---|---|
| Redirects | Permanent, server-side, page to page, kept for at least a year. | A few redirects, or everything sent to the home page. |
| Where the URL list comes from | Sitemaps, server logs, analytics, Search Console and the CMS, cross-checked. | A crawl, or whatever the old developer remembers. |
| Launch | Unblocking list and robots.txt prepared, canonicals checked on the new addresses. | Noindex left on from the build, or canonicals pointing at the old site. |
| Scope | One change at a time where the budget allows, or the risks agreed in writing. | Domain, layout and copy all changed in one launch. |
| After launch | Search Console and leads checked every day for two weeks. | Checked when someone notices traffic is down. |
Left column: Google Search Central, site move and redirect guides, checked 16 October 2026. Right column: what we usually find when a move has gone wrong.
What happens after you get in touch
Short call
You tell us what you're moving from and to, whether the domain changes, and how much search traffic matters to you.
Crawl and map
We list every URL, page title, form and tracking tag, then agree with you which old page each one should land on.
Rebuild and check
We compare each new page with the old one, and test every redirect, before anything goes live.
Launch day
Redirects go live, canonicals and robots.txt are checked, and your new sitemap goes to Google.
Watch
We check Search Console and your leads every day for two weeks, then hand you a note on what we saw.
Work we can show you
We moved pacing.agency from Webflow to Astro ourselves in October 2026, and checked every live URL against the new build before cutover. This page is the general version of that work.
372
addresses on our old site checked against the new build
113
redirects from old addresses to their new pages
Pacing's own move from Webflow to Astro, live 13 October 2026.
Questions people ask before booking
Straight answers, so you know what to expect.
Still have a question?
Book a callWhat if the new site was hidden while it was built?
If it was kept out of search with a noindex tag or robots.txt, we prepare the list of addresses to open and the robots.txt file the new site should launch with. That check is on the launch-day list.
Will we lose our rankings?
We can't promise that, and nobody honest can. What we control is what causes lasting damage: every old URL mapped to a new page, permanent redirects tested before launch, a new sitemap sent, and Search Console checked every day for two weeks.
How long do the redirects need to stay?
Google says to keep them as long as possible, generally at least one year. We leave them in place and tell you where they live, so a future developer doesn't switch them off by accident.
Should we send every old page to the home page?
No. Google says not to send many old URLs to one irrelevant page, such as the new home page. A page with no real equivalent gets the closest relevant page, and we tell you which ones those are.
Where do we submit the new sitemap?
In Search Console, for the new site, on launch day. Each platform makes its own sitemap file, so before we send it we check that it lists the new addresses and not the old ones.
Do you do the move or just the SEO plan?
Both. We map the URLs, move or rebuild the content, set up redirects, forms and tracking, and check it after launch. If you already have a developer, we can run the SEO side with them.
How long does it take?
A site migration used to take months. Now it can take weeks, or even days. The biggest factor is how quickly your team can review the work and give feedback. You'll see the timeline in the written plan before we start.
What are you moving from, and to?
The platforms, whether the domain changes, and roughly how many pages you have.
- You'll talk to Ben or Cam, the people who do the work.
- We'll reply within one working day.
Book a free migration call
Send us your sitemap address and we'll tell you on the call which old pages we'd check first.
Every URL mapped · Redirects tested · Search Console watched