By Built to Appear · Practical notes from our website and search work. Updated .
Start with what the current site has earned
A redesign should begin with an inventory, not a blank canvas. Export the current URLs and identify pages bringing relevant search visits, inquiries, or links. Include articles, downloads, images linked from other sites, and landing pages used in ads or email. Keep a copy of the old site and its content before making changes.
For a small business, a simple migration sheet can do the job. Use columns for old URL, current purpose, proposed URL, action, and verification. Actions might be keep, improve in place, merge into a relevant destination, or retire. A page with low traffic can still be essential to an existing customer; traffic alone should not decide its fate.
Keep URLs when the purpose is staying the same
Suppose /services/bookkeeping already explains bookkeeping. A new design is not a reason to rename it /solutions/financial-success. Keeping a useful address reduces unnecessary change. If the service page really moves, record its direct replacement before launch.
A retired article about one service should not automatically redirect to the homepage. Choose a genuinely relevant destination where one exists. If there is no replacement, an honest not-found response can be more appropriate than sending every old address to an unrelated page. Test the final destinations rather than assuming a redirect rule worked.
Map functionality as carefully as content
List every form, booking flow, payment link, downloadable file, and account connection. Decide what moves, what gets rebuilt, and what will remain with an external provider. A custom content site and a complex membership or commerce application are different scopes; uncover that before quoting the move.
Move approved text and media with meaningful headings and internal links. Check alt text, titles, descriptions, and canonical URLs against the new pages. Structured data should describe what is actually visible. Do not copy outdated business details simply because they were in the old theme.
Use a clear launch checklist
Review the new site on a phone and a laptop. Submit test inquiries to the agreed test destination, check navigation and downloads, and review the old-to-new URL map. Confirm that production pages are crawlable and that preview restrictions have not followed the site onto the live domain.
After the domain change or deployment, inspect the live URLs again. Verify important redirects, refresh the sitemap, and compare search landing pages with the saved baseline over time. Keep a rollback route available during the transition. A local preview is not proof that the public site is correct.
How we scope a migration
We review the existing site, agree the retained content and functionality, and put the migration work in writing. The website planner helps size a new build; redirect mapping, content cleanup, commerce, and special integrations are reviewed separately when needed. You can begin with the website review and bring your current address.
No migration can promise unchanged rankings. A careful process reduces avoidable mistakes and gives both of us a way to distinguish a technical problem from normal search variation. The goal is to improve the site while preserving the work that is already useful.