Website Migration SEO Service 2027 for Domain, Platform and URL Changes
site moves, planned and monitoredWelcome, my friend. My website migration SEO service covers the search side of a site move: a full URL inventory, a redirect map, staging checks, a launch-day checklist and monitoring afterwards. The aim is that Google and your visitors find every important page at its new address, and that nothing valuable is left behind.
- every URL accounted for
- Google’s own guidance
- no ranking promises
| old URL | new URL | status |
|---|---|---|
| /shop/boots-42 | /boots/trail-42/ | 301 |
| /about-us.html | /about/ | 301 |
| /blog/?p=118 | /guides/fit/ | 301 |
| /promo-2019 | none | 410 |
- Every old URL listed
- Redirects tested on staging
- Sitemap and robots.txt checked
- Search Console watch after launch
// example data for a made-up store move. Green rows redirect, the crossed-out one is retired on purpose. Not a client result.
What a Clean Migration Looks Like in Code
Most migration damage comes from one place: old URLs that no longer lead anywhere useful. This is the shape of a correct rule set.
// example rules and output for illustration. Your real map comes from your own crawl.
Every Old URL Tested Before Launch
A redirect map is only useful if each line works. I test them in bulk and on three server types.
for old, new in csv.reader(open('redirects.csv')):
r = requests.get(old, allow_redirects=True, timeout=10)
hops = len(r.history)
ok = r.url == new and r.status_code == 200 and hops == 1
print('OK ' if ok else 'FIX', old, hops, r.status_code)
return 301 https://new-site.com/services/;
}
RewriteRule ^old-services/?$ https://new-site.com/services/ [R=301,L]
// examples for illustration. One hop, a 301, and a 200 at the end is the target for every row.
What a Website Migration SEO Service Covers
A website migration is any change that alters where your pages live or how they are built: a new domain, a new platform, a redesign or a new URL structure. The SEO work makes sure search engines can follow the change, page by page.
Google's documentation describes a site move with URL changes in five steps: know what to expect, prepare the new site, prepare a URL mapping, start the move by redirecting old URLs to new ones, and monitor traffic. My service follows the same order. The four kinds of move below need different amounts of that work.
| Do URLs change? | Redirects needed | Change of Address tool | |
|---|---|---|---|
| New domain | Yes, all of them | Every old URL to its new one | Yes, for domain or subdomain moves |
| New platform | Often, for example new paths or endings | Wherever a path changes | No, the domain stays |
| Redesign | Sometimes, when pages are merged or renamed | For merged, renamed and removed pages | No |
| New URL structure | Yes, within the same domain | Every changed path | No, redirects and sitemaps only |
| HTTP to HTTPS | Protocol only | Yes | No, Google says it works this out itself |
| New hosting only | No | None | No, a hosting move has its own guide |
// the last column follows Google's Change of Address tool help page, fetched 11 Nov 2026. The other columns describe typical cases; your move is checked individually.
One piece of Google's advice shapes the whole plan: change only one thing at a time. The Change of Address help page adds that combining a move with a redesign of content or URL structure may cause traffic loss. So if you plan a new domain and a new design, I will recommend doing them as two steps where the business allows it. When it doesn't, the inventory and the redirect map simply have to be stricter.
The Migration Timeline From Inventory to Sign-Off
A migration has five phases: inventory, mapping, staging checks, launch day and monitoring. Most of the work happens before launch, and that is where problems are cheapest to fix.
before the build is finished
Crawl and URL Inventory
I record every URL that exists today, with its traffic, links and current status. This list is the reference for everything that follows.
while the new site is built
Redirect Map
Each old URL gets one destination: its new address, a close replacement, or a deliberate 404 or 410 when the content is gone.
the week before launch
Staging Checks
I crawl the new site on its test address and compare it with the inventory: titles, content, canonicals, internal links, structured data and speed.
launch day
Launch Checklist
Redirects go live, test blocks come off, the new sitemap is submitted, and for a domain move the Change of Address request is filed.
the following weeks and months
Monitoring and Sign-Off
I watch indexing, errors and traffic on the old and new URLs, repair what the reports show, and hand over a closing report.
// my working order, based on the steps in Google's site move documentation. Dates depend on your build schedule, so the phases are tied to events, not to calendar weeks.
How I Do the Pre-Migration Crawl and URL Inventory
I begin by listing every URL your current site has, because a page that isn't on the list can't be redirected. A crawl is an automated visit to each page, following links the way a search engine does.
A crawl alone is not enough, though. It only finds pages that are linked today. So I combine four sources: the crawl, your XML sitemaps, the pages Search Console reports as indexed or receiving clicks, and the URLs other websites link to. Old campaign pages and PDFs often appear only in the last two, and they can carry real traffic.
For each URL I record the status code, title, canonical tag, clicks and whether it has external links. Google's guide also recommends making a list of the sites that link to your old URLs before the move, so that list is part of the inventory. Finally, I save a benchmark of current rankings and traffic. Without a "before", nobody can judge the "after".
what_i_do
- Full crawl of the live site
- Merge sitemap, Search Console and link data
- Flag pages with traffic or backlinks
- Save a traffic and ranking benchmark
what_you_get
- One spreadsheet with every known URL
- A priority mark on the pages that matter most
- The benchmark used to judge the move
// example data for a mid-sized shop. It shows the format of the inventory, not a client result.
How I Build the Redirect Map
The redirect map is a table that gives every old URL exactly one new destination. A 301 redirect is a server instruction that says "this page has moved permanently", and it sends both visitors and search engines to the new address.
Google's documentation recommends permanent server-side redirects for a site move and names 301 and 308 as examples. It also states that 301 and other permanent redirects don't cause a loss in PageRank. Temporary redirects such as 302 are treated differently: Google's redirect guide says the source page tends to stay in the results. So the redirect type is something I verify, never assume.
The Rules I Apply to Every Row
First, each old URL points straight to its final destination. Googlebot can follow up to 10 hops, but Google advises redirecting directly, and where a chain can't be avoided, keeping it ideally to no more than 3 and fewer than 5. Second, the destination must match the old page's topic. Google warns against sending many old URLs to one unrelated page such as the new home page, because it confuses users and may be treated as a soft 404. Third, content that is truly gone, with no replacement, returns a 404 or 410.
what_i_do
- Map each old URL to one new URL
- Write pattern rules for large groups
- Decide merge, replace or remove per page
- Test the full map before launch
what_you_get
- The redirect map as a spreadsheet
- Ready-to-use rules for your server or plugin
- A test report: every row, expected and actual
| old URL | new URL | type | note |
|---|---|---|---|
| /shop/red-kettle.html | /products/red-kettle/ | 301 | same product |
| /blog/2019/kettle-care | /guides/kettle-care/ | 301 | has backlinks |
| /kettles-sale-2021 | /kettles/ | 301 | merged into category |
| /old-press-release.pdf | none | 410 | removed on purpose |
| /about-us.html to home page | rejected | fix | must go to /about/ |
// example data. Green rows are approved redirects; the crossed-out rows are a deliberate removal and a mapping I would correct.
How I Do the Staging Checks
Before launch I crawl the new site on its staging address and compare it with the inventory, line by line. Staging is the private test copy of the new site, where mistakes cost nothing.
The comparison answers simple questions. Does every important page still exist? Did the title, the main heading and the body text survive the new template? Google asks for a self-referencing canonical tag on each new URL, updated hreflang annotations on multilingual sites, and internal links that point to the new URLs. I check each of those, along with structured data, image alt text and page speed on the new templates.
Staging sites are usually hidden from search engines with a robots.txt block or noindex rules. That is correct during the build. Google's troubleshooting notes list leftover blocks among the things to remove when the move starts, so the block is written on the launch checklist in capital letters.
what_i_do
- Crawl staging and compare with the inventory
- Check titles, headings, content and canonicals
- Verify internal links and hreflang
- Run the redirect map against staging
what_you_get
- A fix list for your developer, sorted by impact
- A pass or fail per template
- A written go or no-go before launch
If the new build is on WordPress, I can make these fixes myself. See my WordPress SEO services and the wider technical SEO page.
// example data. It shows how the staging report reads, not a client result.
How I Run Launch Day
On launch day I work through a written checklist in a fixed order, and I test each item on the live site as soon as it is done. Nothing on the list is new by then; it has all been rehearsed on staging.
Timing matters as well. Google suggests moving during a quieter period if you can, so we pick a day when traffic is normally low and when your developer is available for the hours after launch. For small and medium sites, Google recommends moving all URLs at once. Larger sites may move one section at a time.
If only the hosting changes and the URLs stay the same, the checklist is shorter. Google's hosting guide advises lowering the DNS TTL, the setting that controls how long providers cache your address, to a low value at least a week before the move. It also says a temporary drop in Googlebot's crawl rate right after launch is normal.
what_i_do
- Switch on and test the redirects
- Remove staging blocks and noindex rules
- Submit the new sitemap in Search Console
- Spot-check priority pages by hand
what_you_get
- The completed checklist with times
- A same-day note on anything that failed
- Me on WhatsApp during the launch window
- Backup of the old site and its database confirmed
- Redirect rules live; the full map re-tested
- robots.txt on the new site allows crawling
- No leftover noindex on live templates
- Canonical tags point to the new URLs
- New XML sitemap submitted in Search Console
- Change of Address filed (domain moves only)
- Analytics and Search Console tracking verified
- Priority pages opened and checked by hand
// my launch checklist in short form. The items on redirects, robots.txt, noindex, canonicals, sitemaps and Change of Address follow Google's site move documentation.
How I Use the Change of Address Tool
For a move to a new domain or subdomain, I file a Change of Address request in Search Console after the redirects are live. The tool tells Google about the move so it can shift its search results from the old site to the new one.
Google's help page is specific about when to use it. It is for domain and subdomain moves. It is not needed for HTTP to HTTPS, for switching between www and non-www, or for moving pages within the same site. You must be a verified owner of both the old and the new property, in the same Google account. Before the request goes through, the tool runs checks, including a 301 redirect from the old home page to the new one, and critical failures must be fixed first.
Once accepted, Google says its actions continue for 180 days: it prioritizes crawling the new site and forwards signals from the old one. The same page advises keeping redirects for at least 180 days, and longer if Google still sends traffic to the old URLs. The site move guide goes further and says to keep redirects as long as possible, generally at least 1 year. I plan for the longer period, and I ask you to keep paying for the old domain.
what_i_do
- Verify both properties in one account
- Include every verified variant of the old domain
- File the request and clear the pre-move checks
- Note the 180-day window in your calendar
what_you_get
- Confirmation that the request was accepted
- A dated reminder for the redirect period
- Advice against chaining a second move
// source: Search Console Help, "Change of Address tool", and Google Search Central, "How to move a site", both fetched 11 Nov 2026.
How I Monitor After Launch
After launch I check Search Console, the server and your analytics on a set schedule until the new URLs have replaced the old ones. Google says to expect temporary fluctuation in rankings during a move, so monitoring is how we tell normal movement from a real fault.
Here is what a healthy move looks like, according to Google's guide. In the Page indexing report, indexed URLs fall on the old site and rise on the new one. The sitemap of old URLs shows redirect warnings, which can be ignored. In server logs and analytics, traffic drops on the old URLs and grows on the new ones. Google also notes that crawling of the new site is temporarily heavier than usual, so the hosting needs enough capacity.
How long does it take? Google's wording is that for a medium-sized site it can take a few weeks or more before the new URLs show, and that larger sites take longer. I can't shorten that, and I won't pretend to. What I can do is find errors early: a 404 on a page that should redirect, a canonical pointing to the old domain, or a section missing from the sitemap. I also contact the most valuable linking sites and ask them to update their links, as Google recommends.
what_i_do
- Daily checks in the first week, then weekly
- Compare traffic with the benchmark
- Fix new 404s and redirect errors
- Ask key linking sites to update links
what_you_get
- Short status notes in plain English
- A list of every post-launch fix
- A closing report against the benchmark
// example data, to show the report format. Real moves vary, and Google gives no fixed schedule.
What a Migration Can and Cannot Promise
A careful migration removes the avoidable causes of lost traffic. It cannot promise that rankings stay exactly where they were, because Google itself says to expect temporary fluctuation during a move.
The Work
Every known URL inventoried, every redirect tested, every staging issue reported, and the launch checklist completed and logged.
Expect Movement
Rankings fluctuate while Google recrawls and reindexes the site, and they settle down over time. A medium-sized site can take a few weeks or more.
The Outcome
If the new site has less content, weaker pages or a slower template than the old one, redirects alone will not carry the old performance across.
// the middle card summarizes Google's site move documentation. The third card is my professional opinion.
Common Migration Mistakes and Their Fixes
Most traffic lost in a migration comes from a short list of avoidable errors. Each one below has a specific check in my process.
Redirecting Everything to the Home Page
It is quick to set up, and Google may treat it as a soft 404. Fix: a one-to-one redirect map, with a relevant destination for every old URL.
Launching With the Staging Block On
A leftover noindex rule or robots.txt block tells search engines to stay away from the new site. Fix: two launch-day checks, and a re-check the next morning.
Using Temporary Redirects
A 302 signals a short-term change, and Google handles it differently from a permanent one. Fix: test the status code of every rule, and correct it to 301 or 308.
Dropping Redirects Too Early
The old domain expires or the rules are deleted after a few months. Fix: keep the domain and the redirects for at least a year, in line with Google's advice.
Losing Content in the Redesign
Text is shortened or pages are merged without checking what they ranked for. Fix: the staging comparison, with priority pages reviewed by hand.
Calling the SEO Person After Launch
By then the inventory has to be rebuilt from reports and archives. Fix: still possible, as a post-migration SEO audit service, but earlier is cheaper.
What the Website Migration SEO Service Costs: Three Plans, One Rate
A migration is billed at my hourly rate of €25, or handled inside a monthly plan from €475. The hours depend on the number of URLs and the kind of move, and I quote them before I start.
A small site with a few dozen pages needs far fewer hours than a shop with thousands of products, so I don't publish a fixed migration price. Send me the current URL and a description of the planned change, and you get a written estimate. If you already work with me on a monthly plan, the migration work comes out of that month's hours. For ongoing work after the move, the plans are below, and my homepage explains the wider cheap SEO services I offer.
Starter
For a small local site that needs steady, careful work.
€475/month
- On-page, technical, local and off-page
- 1 to 2 guest post links a month
- Links from blogs with real traffic
- Monthly plain-English report
Growth
For a business with competitors who already do SEO.
€875/month
- On-page, technical, local and off-page
- 2 to 3 guest post links a month
- Links from blogs with real traffic
- More pages and fixes handled each month
Full Campaign
The full SEO campaign, sized for a low-volume site.
€1,275/month
- On-page, technical, local and off-page
- 5 or more guest post links a month
- Links from blogs with real traffic
- The most work per month of the three
Set Your Own Budget
Have a fixed amount for the move? Tell me the budget and I'll tell you honestly what it covers. With a small budget, the inventory and the redirect map come first.
// prices are mine and current. Need the new site built as well? I also offer WordPress web design services, and store owners can read about ecommerce SEO services.
Website Migration SEO Questions, Answered
Direct answers to what owners and developers ask before a site move.
What is a website migration SEO service?
A website migration SEO service is the search-side management of a site move. It covers the URL inventory, the redirect map, staging checks, the launch-day checklist, the Change of Address request for domain moves, and monitoring after launch.
Will my rankings drop after a website migration?
Some movement is normal, and nobody can promise there will be none. Google's documentation says to expect temporary fluctuation in site ranking during a move and that rankings settle down over time. Careful preparation removes the avoidable causes of a lasting drop.
How long does Google take to process a site move?
Google says that for a medium-sized site it can take a few weeks or more, and that larger sites take longer. Googlebot has to visit the old and new URLs before the change is fully reflected, so there is no fixed date.
Do 301 redirects lose link value?
According to Google, no. Its site move documentation states that 301 and other permanent redirects don't cause a loss in PageRank. The redirect still has to point to a relevant page, not to an unrelated one.
How long should I keep the redirects and the old domain?
Keep them for at least a year, and longer if you can. Google's site move guide says to keep redirects as long as possible, generally at least 1 year, and the Change of Address help page gives 180 days as the minimum.
Do I need the Change of Address tool?
Only when you move to a different domain or subdomain. Google says the tool is not needed for HTTP to HTTPS moves, for www and non-www changes on the same domain, or for moving pages within the same site.
Can I change my domain and redesign the site at the same time?
You can, but it carries more risk. Google advises changing only one thing at a time, and its Change of Address page says combining a move with a redesign of content or URL structure may cause traffic loss. Where possible, I split the project into two steps.
What does a website migration SEO service cost?
I charge €25 an hour, and the number of hours depends on the size of the site and the type of move. You get a written estimate before I start. Clients on a monthly plan, from €475, can use their plan hours for the migration.
My site has already migrated and traffic fell. Can you still help?
Yes. I rebuild the old URL list from Search Console, backlink data and web archives, then check redirects, canonicals, blocked pages and missing content. I can find and fix errors. I can't promise the earlier traffic returns.
Tell Me About the Move Before It Happens
Message me on WhatsApp with your current URL, the planned change and the launch date if you have one. I'll reply with the steps your move needs and an estimate of the hours.
// or email [email protected]. The earlier in the project, the better.
Sources and Last Check
- Google Search Central: How to move a site (site moves with URL changes) (the steps, redirects, chains, timing, fluctuation, keeping redirects)
- Search Console Help: Change of Address tool (when to use it, requirements, the 180-day period)
- Google Search Central: Redirects and Google Search (permanent and temporary redirects)
- Google Search Central: Changing your web hosting (site moves without URL changes) (DNS TTL, crawl rate after the move)
- Google Search Central: Debugging drops in Google Search traffic (site moves as a cause of fluctuation)
// last checked 11 Nov 2026. Prices and plan contents are my own. Opinions are marked as opinions, and every panel with numbers is example data unless it names a Google source.