Website migration guide

Improve, redesign or rebuild—without treating the current website as disposable.

A visual refresh is only one part of a redesign. Existing URLs, useful content, links, forms, analytics, customer journeys and third-party connections are business assets that need an explicit keep, change, redirect or retire decision.

Compare the optionsDiscuss a migration

Three different jobs

Choose the smallest change that solves the real constraint.

Option 01

Improve the current site

Good fit when

The platform is stable and the main problem is content, navigation, mobile usability or conversion clarity.

Watch for

Avoid piling new sections onto an architecture that no longer supports the customer journey.

Option 02

Redesign on the same platform

Good fit when

The underlying system works, but page patterns, visual hierarchy and interactions need a coherent update.

Watch for

Existing templates, apps and technical limitations may constrain the result more than expected.

Option 03

Rebuild or migrate

Good fit when

The platform blocks essential functions, ownership, maintainability, performance or the required store and content structure.

Watch for

URLs, redirects, data, integrations, forms, analytics and launch ownership need a documented migration plan.

Before design begins

Inventory what the current site is already doing.

Evidence makes the redesign safer. Export what you can and record ownership before accounts, URLs or platform access change.

  • Current URLs, titles, canonicals and indexability
  • Pages with meaningful traffic, links, enquiries or sales
  • Forms, bookings, payments and third-party integrations
  • Analytics properties, events and Search Console access
  • Content, images, product data and downloadable files
  • Domain, DNS, hosting, platform and account ownership

Migration logic

Protect the customer path and the crawl path together.

Map every important URL

Give each old page a keep, improve, merge, redirect or remove decision. Avoid redirecting everything to the homepage.

Keep metadata aligned

New canonicals, titles, headings, internal links and sitemap entries must reflect the final route structure.

Retest business actions

Forms, calls, bookings, checkout links, email delivery and analytics events need explicit post-launch tests.

Monitor after launch

Review crawl errors, redirect chains, index coverage, conversions and priority pages while search engines process the change.

Redesign FAQ

The risk questions first.

Will a website redesign automatically improve Google rankings?

No. A redesign can improve usability and technical foundations, but results depend on content quality, competition, authority, links, migration quality and many external signals.

Should every old URL be kept?

Not necessarily. Useful, linked or intent-matching URLs should usually be preserved or redirected to the closest relevant replacement. Obsolete pages can be consolidated when the decision is documented.

Can an existing ecommerce store be migrated?

Often, yes, but products, orders, customer data, URLs, redirects, apps, payment settings and platform export limits must be reviewed before scope and risk can be confirmed.

What should be checked immediately after launch?

Priority URLs, redirects, canonicals, robots directives, sitemap output, forms, analytics events, mobile navigation, checkout paths and server errors should all be reviewed.

Continue planning

Check costs, ecommerce scope or your market page.

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