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Record the current site before changing it
List each URL, title, main content and purpose, including useful images and downloads. If Search Console or analytics data is available, identify pages with search clicks, external links or actual enquiries. Without data, start with navigation, sitemaps and URLs your business regularly shares. Avoid removing content purely from memory.
Give every old URL a clear outcome
| Current page | Proposed handling |
|---|---|
| Still relevant | Keep the URL where practical and improve the content and layout. |
| Replaced by a relevant new page | Permanently redirect to that replacement. |
| Merged with other content | Check that the combined page meets the original needs. |
| Removed without a replacement | Return an appropriate not-found response with helpful navigation. |
If a service page moves, visitors should reach the relevant new service page. Sending every removed URL to the homepage does not necessarily help them find the information they expected.
Prepare a handover table
Suggested columns: old URL, current purpose, retain/update/merge/remove, new URL, content owner and test result. Include language versions and important downloads, and resolve conflicting destinations before launch.
Check the launch essentials
- Back up the old site and assign responsibility for the switch.
- Test pages, images, internal links and the main enquiry journey.
- Use the intended public URLs in canonical tags, language references and the sitemap.
- Handle development indexing restrictions correctly when launching.
- Preserve existing search platform verification and required settings.
- Have the responsible person check whether domain or hosting changes affect email settings.
Google recommends mapping changed URLs, configuring suitable redirects and monitoring the old and new pages. Search performance can fluctuate after a move; redirects do not guarantee unchanged rankings. See Google's site migration guidance.
Check three outcomes after launch
- Can visitors arrive? Test old URLs, bookmarks and commonly shared links for the correct destination.
- Can visitors use the site? Test mobile navigation, images, forms and WhatsApp. Confirm test enquiries are actually received.
- Can search systems process the change? Review indexing and error information in search platforms and record pages needing attention.
Keep the results and assign remaining actions. A shared checklist is more useful than a verbal “looks fine”. If you are planning a redesign, send the current URL, pages you want to retain and essential enquiry functions. Explore our website redesign service and enquiry checklist, then tell us about your existing site.