{"id":1016,"date":"2026-09-25T09:45:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T09:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/?p=1016"},"modified":"2026-10-29T06:58:52","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T06:58:52","slug":"website-migration-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/website-migration-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"Website Migration Checklist: Move Platforms Without Losing Traffic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A website migration is any move that changes where or how a site runs: a new platform (for example from Wix to WordPress, or WordPress to Astro), a new host, or a new domain. Each carries a different risk. A host move done well is invisible to visitors and search engines. A platform or domain move changes URLs and code, and needs redirects and careful checks. This website migration checklist covers all three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1138\" src=\"https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/website-migration-checklist-types-1.jpg\" alt=\"Website migration checklist: three kinds of migration and the risk each carries\" class=\"wp-image-3111\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/website-migration-checklist-types-1.jpg 2400w, https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/website-migration-checklist-types-1-300x142.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/website-migration-checklist-types-1-1024x486.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/website-migration-checklist-types-1-768x364.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/website-migration-checklist-types-1-1536x728.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/website-migration-checklist-types-1-2048x971.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2400px) 100vw, 2400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which kind of migration is it?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Move<\/th><th>What changes<\/th><th>Main risks<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>New host<\/td><td>The server<\/td><td>Downtime, email or DNS mistakes, missing files<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>New platform<\/td><td>The code and often URLs<\/td><td>Lost content, broken features, missing redirects, lost SEO settings<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>New domain<\/td><td>Every URL<\/td><td>Rankings reset unless every URL redirects; links and profiles point to the old domain<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Platform and domain together<\/td><td>Everything<\/td><td>All of the above; split them into two moves if you can<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Website migration checklist: before the move<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Back up everything<\/strong>: files, database, and an export from the old platform<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>List every URL<\/strong> from the sitemap, a crawler, or the old CMS<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Export search data<\/strong> from Search Console: pages with clicks over the last 12 months, and top queries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>List pages with outside links<\/strong> from Search Console&#8217;s Links report<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Record SEO settings<\/strong> for each page: title, meta description, H1, canonical, structured data<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>List every feature<\/strong>: forms and where they send, bookings, payments, search, newsletter sign-ups, integrations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>List tracking<\/strong>: analytics, conversion tags, pixels, consent tool<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Check DNS records<\/strong> if the host or domain changes, including email (MX) records<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Measure speed<\/strong> of key pages so you can compare after the move<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lower the DNS TTL<\/strong> a day or two ahead for host moves, so the switch spreads faster<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Moving content<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Import content with the platform&#8217;s tools where possible, then check it by hand<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check formatting: headings, lists, tables, embedded videos<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Move images and files, and update links to them<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep URLs the same where the new platform allows it<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Build a redirect map for every URL that changes, old to new, one row each<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Carry across titles, descriptions and alt text<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our <a href=\"https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/website-redesign-seo-checklist\/\">website redesign SEO checklist<\/a> has a redirect map template you can copy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Testing on staging<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Staging is blocked from search engines<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Every page from the URL list loads, or redirects correctly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Forms send to the right inbox, and confirmations arrive<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bookings, payments and checkout work end to end with test transactions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Analytics and conversion tracking record test visits and events<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cookie consent works and blocks tracking until accepted, where required<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Structured data passes Google&#8217;s Rich Results Test<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pages pass a speed test at least as well as before<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The site works on phones and in Safari, Chrome and Firefox<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Switch day<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Freeze content changes on the old site<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Take a final backup<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Switch DNS or publish the new site<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Remove the staging block and check robots.txt<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Turn on redirects and test a sample, including old links from other sites<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Submit the new sitemap in Search Console<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For a domain move, use Search Console&#8217;s Change of Address tool<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Test email if DNS changed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Place a test order or submit a test enquiry on the live site<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The first four weeks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Check Search Console daily for two weeks for &#8220;Not found (404)&#8221; errors and fix them with redirects<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Compare clicks and impressions weekly with the period before the move<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep the old host running for a few weeks in case anything was missed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For a domain move, update social profiles, directories, email signatures and ask key sites linking to you to update their links<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep redirects in place for at least a year, ideally permanently<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When to get help<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A host move for a small site is manageable with this list. Platform and domain moves are where traffic is usually lost, especially for sites with years of blog posts or a store with product URLs. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/website-redesign\">website redesign service<\/a> covers migrations, including the redirect map and four weeks of checks, and our post on <a href=\"https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/astro-vs-wordpress\/\">Astro vs WordPress<\/a> can help if you are choosing where to move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/crawling-indexing\/site-move-with-url-changes\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Google Search Central, &#8220;Site moves with URL changes&#8221; and &#8220;Change of Address tool&#8221;<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A step-by-step website migration checklist for moving to a new platform, host or domain, covering what to record before, what to test on staging, and what to watch for four weeks after.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2016,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[27,58,25,57],"class_list":["post-1016","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-redesign-and-planning","tag-checklist","tag-platform-change","tag-seo","tag-website-migration"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1016","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1016"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1016\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3180,"href":"https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1016\/revisions\/3180"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2016"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1016"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1016"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kryloweb.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1016"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}