Move website content without losing rankings by following four steps in order: inventory everything on the old site, map every old URL to its new home, redirect each old address properly, and check the live site page by page before announcing the move. Most ranking losses after a migration are not caused by the new platform; they are caused by pages that vanished, links that broke, or images that lost their descriptions in the move.
This checklist is about moving content, not about redesigning it. A redesign changes how a site looks; a content migration moves what a site says from one platform, domain, or structure to another — for example, from an old builder to WordPress or WooCommerce, or from a dated structure to a cleaner one. Design may change at the same time, but the migration job itself is an inventory and mapping job, and it deserves its own checklist. For planning a redesign as a whole, see our separate guide on how to plan a website redesign without losing rankings.
Step 1: Inventory Every Page, File and Image
Start by listing everything that exists, not everything you remember. Crawl the old site with a site-crawling tool or export its sitemap, then compare that list against the pages linked from menus, footers, and blog indexes. The gap between those lists is where forgotten pages hide: old campaign landing pages, PDF downloads, staff profiles, and blog posts that still receive search traffic even though nobody links to them any more. Each forgotten page is a page that will either vanish or break if it is not on the inventory.
Record four facts for every item: its current URL, its title, its purpose in one line, and its decision — keep, merge, rewrite, or delete. Deleting is legitimate for genuinely dead content, but it must be a decision, not an accident. A page that is deleted without a redirect returns a "not found" error to visitors and search engines alike, and a page that is kept without being mapped may survive in the new system under a different address that nobody can find. The inventory is the document that prevents both failures.
| Inventory column | What to record | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Old URL | Full address exactly as it appears today | Redirects and checks depend on exact addresses |
| Title and purpose | Page title plus one line on what it does | Decides keep, merge, rewrite, or delete |
| Traffic and links | Whether it receives visits or inbound links | High-value pages get priority checking |
| Images and files | Every image, PDF and download on the page | Files are content too, and they break silently |
Step 2: Map URLs and Build the Redirect Table
URL mapping is the heart of the migration. For every old URL that has a new home, write one row: old address, new address, and redirect type. The correct type for a permanent move is a 301 redirect, which tells both visitors and search engines that the page has moved for good and that ranking signals should follow it to the new address. Temporary redirects, meta refreshes, and JavaScript jumps do not pass that signal reliably, so they should not be used for a permanent migration.
Map like-for-like wherever possible: an old service page to the new service page on the same topic, an old blog post to its new version, an old product page to its replacement product. Sending every old page to the homepage is not a mapping; it is a mass deletion wearing a redirect costume, and visitors who land on a homepage instead of the article they wanted will leave. Where no equivalent page exists, map to the closest relevant section page, and where content is genuinely gone, let the page return a proper 404 with a helpful message and links, rather than a misleading redirect.
| Old URL (example) | New URL (example) | Redirect |
|---|---|---|
| /services/plumbing | /plumbing-services | 301 permanent |
| /blog/boiler-guide | /blog/boiler-maintenance-guide | 301 permanent |
| /old-offer-page | /services | 301 to closest section |
| /discontinued-product | No equivalent page | Proper 404 page |
Test the redirect table before launch, not after. Load a sample of old addresses in a browser and confirm each lands on the intended new page, with no redirect chains (an old address pointing to another old address pointing to the new page) and no loops. Chains slow pages down and dilute the signal a redirect is meant to carry. If the new platform generates its own redirects automatically, reconcile them with your table so the same address is not redirected twice by two different rules.
Step 3: Move Images, Alt Text and Downloads Properly
Images are the most commonly damaged cargo in a migration. Files get renamed by the new system, folders change, and descriptions written for accessibility and search get dropped because the migration tool moved the file but not its metadata. Audit images as content, not as decoration: list every image on every kept page, confirm it appears on the new page, confirm its file name still makes sense, and confirm its alt text — the short description used by screen readers and search engines — survived the move.
Alt text deserves a rule of its own: describe what the image shows in plain words, and name the subject where it helps, rather than stuffing it with keywords. A photo of a plumber fitting a boiler should be described as exactly that, not as a list of search terms. Missing alt text is a fixable fault; keyword-stuffed alt text is a quality fault. The same care applies to downloads: every PDF, price list, and brochure on the old site needs a new home or a deliberate decision to retire it, because a broken download link on a new site looks like a site that was never finished.
Example migration inventory for a 40-page small-business site — counts for one illustrative site, not averages or measured data.
Step 4: Post-Launch Checks in the First Two Weeks
Launch day is the start of verification, not the end of the migration. On launch day, test the highest-value pages first: homepage, top service pages, and the blog posts that receive the most search visits. Check that each loads, that its title and headings survived, that its images display, that its internal links point to new addresses rather than old ones, and that its contact or enquiry action works. Then work through the redirect table in full, testing every old address at least once.
| Check | How to do it | When |
|---|---|---|
| Old URLs redirect correctly | Load each old address, confirm the intended new page | Launch day, then day 7 |
| No broken internal links | Crawl the new site, fix links pointing at old addresses | Launch day, then day 14 |
| Search console coverage | Submit the new sitemap, watch for crawl errors | Launch day, then weekly |
| Key pages indexed | Search for site pages by title, confirm they appear | Day 7 and day 14 |
| Forms and checkout work | Submit a test enquiry or order end to end | Launch day |
Submit a fresh sitemap for the new site on launch day, and keep the old sitemap available briefly so search engines can discover the redirects. Watch for crawl errors over the following two weeks: a spike in "not found" errors usually points to a page or file the inventory missed, and it is cheaper to fix in week one than to discover in month three. Expect some short-term fluctuation in rankings while search engines process the move; a well-mapped migration typically settles, while an unmapped one does not, because its signals were never transferred.
Tip: Keep the old site's redirect table live for at least a year. Inbound links from other websites keep pointing at old addresses long after launch, and every one of those links needs its redirect to keep working. Removing redirects early silently breaks other sites' links to you.
Five Migration Mistakes That Cost Rankings
Skipping the inventory. Migrating from memory guarantees forgotten pages. Crawl the old site and reconcile it against menus and sitemaps before moving anything.
Redirecting everything to the homepage. Visitors and search engines both treat this as deletion. Map like-for-like, or to the closest relevant section, and use a proper 404 where content is genuinely gone.
Using temporary redirects for a permanent move. A permanent move needs a 301 redirect so ranking signals follow the page. Temporary redirects withhold that signal.
Losing image descriptions in the move. Files transfer easily; alt text does not always follow. Audit alt text page by page on the new site.
Declaring victory on launch day. Rankings, crawl errors, and broken links reveal themselves over two weeks. Schedule day-7 and day-14 checks before launch, not after problems appear.
Key takeaway: A safe content migration is an inventory job first and a technical job second. List everything, map every old URL to a like-for-like new home with a 301 redirect, carry images and alt text across intact, and verify the live site at launch, day 7, and day 14.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a content migration and a redesign?
A redesign changes how a site looks and feels. A content migration moves what the site says — pages, images, files — from one platform, domain, or structure to another. They often happen together, but the migration checklist stands on its own: inventory, URL mapping, redirects, and post-launch checks.
Do I need a redirect for every old page?
Every old page that had a new equivalent needs one, as a 301 permanent redirect to its like-for-like new home. Pages with no equivalent should return a proper 404 page with helpful links, not a redirect to the homepage.
How long should redirects stay live?
At least a year, and indefinitely for pages with inbound links from other sites. Those links keep pointing at old addresses long after launch, and removing the redirect breaks them silently.
Will my rankings drop after a migration?
Some short-term fluctuation is normal while search engines process the move. A well-mapped migration with 301 redirects usually settles; ranking loss that persists usually traces back to missing pages, broken redirects, or lost content rather than to the new platform itself.
What should I check first on launch day?
Your highest-value pages first: homepage, top service pages, and most-visited blog posts. Confirm each loads with its title, images, internal links, and enquiry action intact, then work through the full redirect table.
Planning a move to a new platform or structure? If you want the migration mapped and checked properly rather than left to chance, talk to Asad Webs about your website migration and we will inventory your current site before anything moves.
Methodology note: example URLs and inventory counts are illustrative examples written for this guide, checked October 2026. For more step-by-step guides, browse Asad Webs blog.
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