Use this website migration checklist whenever you move a site from one platform to another: from WordPress to Squarespace, from Wix to a custom build, or from an old host to a new one. Done well, visitors notice nothing except a better site. Done badly, pages disappear, links break and the search traffic you spent years building drops within weeks.
The difference is almost never the platform. It is whether the move was planned page by page. Here are the eight steps, the red flags that suggest a move is being rushed, and the questions to ask if you hire someone to do it. We move sites ourselves through our website migration service, so where we describe how we do it, those are our own terms.
Why a migration needs a checklist
Most of the value in an established website is invisible. It sits in page addresses that other sites link to, in titles and descriptions that search engines have learned to trust, and in old blog posts that still bring in visitors every week. A migration touches all of it at once.
Google's guidance on site moves with URL changes is clear that a move can be done with little lasting impact, as long as old addresses are mapped and redirected to new ones. It also warns site owners to "expect temporary fluctuation in site ranking during the move." The point of a checklist is to keep that fluctuation temporary.
Planning the move
1. A full inventory of your current site
Before anything moves, every page needs to be listed: service pages, blog posts, landing pages, images, downloadable files and anything else with its own address. A good provider pulls this from your sitemap, your analytics and a crawl of the site, because each source misses something the others catch.
Look for: a written list of every URL, with notes on which pages bring in the most visits and enquiries.
2. A redirect map for every old address
Each old URL should point to its closest new equivalent with a permanent (301) redirect. Not to the homepage, and not to an error page. Google's page on redirects and Google Search explains that a redirect tells both visitors and search engines a page has a new location.
Look for: a spreadsheet you can see, with every old address in one column and its new address in the next.
Moving the content
3. Content moved by hand and checked
Automatic import tools save time, but they often bring formatting problems, broken images and lost metadata with them. A good migration moves important pages by hand, or at least checks every imported page against the original.
Look for: a clear answer on how pages are moved and how each one is checked afterwards.
4. Titles, descriptions and headings carried across
The words search engines use to understand a page live in its title tag, meta description and headings. If those are lost or replaced with defaults during the move, a page can drop even when its address is redirected.
Look for: a promise that page titles, descriptions, headings and image alt text move with the content.
Going live safely
5. A switchover with no downtime
Changing where your domain points should be planned for a quiet hour, with the new site ready and tested before it happens. Google's site move guidance suggests moving during a natural dip in traffic if your business is seasonal.
Look for: a planned date and time, and a clear owner for the domain and DNS changes.
6. Forms, booking and tracking reconnected
Contact forms, booking systems, newsletter signups, analytics and advertising tags all need to be set up again on the new site and tested. A migration that moves every page but leaves the contact form sending nowhere is not finished.
Look for: a checklist of every tool connected to your site, and proof each one works after launch.
Proving it worked
7. A sitemap submitted on launch day
Once the new site is live, an updated sitemap should be submitted in Google Search Console, so search engines find the new addresses quickly. The old site's property should be kept, so you can watch the redirects being picked up.
Look for: Search Console access set up for you, and the sitemap submitted on switchover day.
8. Rankings checked before and after
A good provider records your rankings and traffic before the move and checks them again after launch. That turns "your rankings will be fine" into a result you can see. Some movement in the first couple of weeks is normal. A drop that lasts usually means a page or redirect was missed, and a before-and-after check is how you find it.
Look for: a ranking snapshot before work starts and a report after launch.
When to move and when to wait
Not every site needs a new platform. A move makes sense when your current platform is holding you back: it is slow, hard to update, expensive to keep secure, or missing features you need. It is also a good moment when the site needs a redesign anyway, because the redirect work is done once rather than twice.
It is worth waiting if your busiest season is about to start, if nobody has time to review the new site before launch, or if you haven't yet decided what the new site should say. Moving a site with the wrong message to a better platform still leaves you with the wrong message.
Red flags
"We'll just redirect everything to the homepage"
A visitor looking for a specific service or article lands on a page that doesn't answer their question, and leaves. Every page needs its own closest destination.
No mention of your blog
Old posts often bring in more visitors than owners realise. If a quote doesn't say what happens to them, ask.
A fixed launch date with no testing time
The new site needs checking before the domain is switched. A plan that goes straight from build to launch is a plan to find problems in public.
Split responsibility
If one company designs the new site and another moves it, redirects and metadata tend to fall through the gap. One team should own both.
Questions to ask before signing
Will you give me a list of every current URL and where it will go? Are pages moved by hand or imported, and how is each one checked? Will titles, descriptions and headings come across? Who handles the domain and DNS, and when will the switchover happen? Which tools will you reconnect and test? Will you submit the new sitemap and record rankings before and after? What support do I get if something is missed?
The short version
A good migration lists every page, maps every old address to a new one, moves content and metadata carefully, switches over without downtime, reconnects your tools and proves the result with a before-and-after ranking check. Work through those eight steps yourself, or hold any provider to them. If your site also needs a new message or design, it makes sense to move it as part of a redesign, which our guide to website redesign services covers.
FAQ
What does a website migration service do?
It moves your website from one platform or host to another. A good one lists every page, redirects every old address to its new one, carries across titles and descriptions, reconnects forms and tracking, and checks rankings before and after.
Will migrating my website hurt my SEO?
It doesn't have to. Rankings usually move a little for a couple of weeks while Google recrawls. A lasting drop is almost always caused by missing redirects, lost metadata or deleted pages.
How long does a website migration take?
It depends on the size of the site and the platforms involved. Our Launch projects, which include a full move, take four to eight weeks. A large blog archive takes longer than a small brochure site.
How much does a website migration cost?
Prices vary with the number of pages, how they are moved and what else is included. Our Launch projects, which include the build and the move, start from $5,000 with the exact price agreed in writing.
Can I move my site from Wix or WordPress to Squarespace?
Yes. Both are common moves. The pages, images and blog posts need moving and checking, and every old address needs redirecting, because each platform structures its URLs differently.
What is a 301 redirect?
A permanent redirect from an old web address to a new one. It sends visitors to the right page and tells search engines the page has a new home, so they can update their results.
