How to Redesign or Migrate a Website Without Losing Your SEO

Before you launch

• Crawl your current site and list every URL.
• Note which pages bring traffic and links, and protect those first.
• Map each old URL to its closest new page.
• Keep titles, headings and key content on pages that already perform.

Redirects are essential

Use permanent 301 redirects from each old URL to the matching new one. Redirecting everything to the home page confuses search engines and visitors.

At launch

• Publish an updated XML sitemap and submit it in Google Search Console.
• Check robots.txt does not block the new site.
• Make sure canonical tags point to the new, correct addresses.
• Test key pages, forms and tracking.

After launch

Watch Search Console for 404 errors and indexing issues. Old pages that no longer exist will return 404 and drop out of the index over time. That is normal if they have no replacement. Fix redirects for any page that should have moved.

If you change domain

Use Search Console's change-of-address tool where it applies, keep redirects in place for at least a year, and update your profiles and listings to the new address.