Website migration without losing your place
Moving to a new domain, a new host or a new platform is one of the riskiest things a website can go through. Done carelessly, pages vanish from Google and email stops. I plan every step, map every old address to its new one and stay on it until Google has caught up.
Kinds of migration
New domain
A rebrand or a better address. Every page redirected, and Google told through the change of address tool.
New host
Moving to faster or cheaper hosting, with DNS, HTTPS and email checked before and after.
New platform
WordPress to static, a builder to WordPress, one store platform to another, with content and URLs carried across.
How a migration goes
Inventory
Every URL, every DNS record, every form and integration on the old setup.
Map
A spreadsheet pairing each old URL with its new one, checked by hand for the important pages.
Build and test
The new site on a test address, with redirects tested against the map.
Switch
DNS or settings changed in one step, at a quiet time, with HTTPS ready.
Watch
Search Console, analytics and email checked daily at first, then weekly until things settle.
Where migrations usually go wrong
The most common mistake is redirecting every old page to the new home page. Google treats that much like the pages disappearing. The second is forgetting the DNS records that aren't the website, such as email, verification records and subdomains, so mail or tools break after the switch. The third is removing redirects a few months later to tidy up.
I avoid all three: page-by-page redirects, a full copy of DNS before anything changes, and redirects that stay. If the design is changing at the same time, see website redesign; for hosting itself, hosting and domains.
Questions about migrations
Will my email stop working when I move my website?
It shouldn't. Email depends on your domain's MX and related records, which stay as they are unless you're also changing email provider. I copy every DNS record before a move and check email works afterwards.
How long does Google take to catch up after a domain change?
It varies. With redirects in place and the change of address tool used in Search Console, Google usually moves most pages over within weeks, but some traffic fluctuation is normal during that time. Keeping the redirects permanently is essential.
Can my site stay online during the move?
Yes. The new version is built and tested on its own address first, then the switch happens in one step, usually by changing DNS. Visitors see either the old site or the new one, never a broken one.
Planning a move?
Tell me what's changing: domain, host, platform or all three. I'll explain the plan, the risks and the price before anything is touched.