Website Migration URL Guide
Prepare, test, launch, and verify redirect mappings during a website migration.
1Inventory old and new URLs
Start by recording the intended outcome and the evidence available today. Work from representative URLs before expanding the scope, and keep the same settings for the verification run.
Review status, redirects, final destinations, timing, and supporting signals together. Group repeated findings by template or root cause so the implementation fixes the system rather than one URL at a time.
2Design one-hop permanent mappings
Start by recording the intended outcome and the evidence available today. Work from representative URLs before expanding the scope, and keep the same settings for the verification run.
Review status, redirects, final destinations, timing, and supporting signals together. Group repeated findings by template or root cause so the implementation fixes the system rather than one URL at a time.
3Test mappings before launch
Start by recording the intended outcome and the evidence available today. Work from representative URLs before expanding the scope, and keep the same settings for the verification run.
Review status, redirects, final destinations, timing, and supporting signals together. Group repeated findings by template or root cause so the implementation fixes the system rather than one URL at a time.
4Validate production behavior
Start by recording the intended outcome and the evidence available today. Work from representative URLs before expanding the scope, and keep the same settings for the verification run.
Review status, redirects, final destinations, timing, and supporting signals together. Group repeated findings by template or root cause so the implementation fixes the system rather than one URL at a time.
5Watch errors and unexpected destinations
Start by recording the intended outcome and the evidence available today. Work from representative URLs before expanding the scope, and keep the same settings for the verification run.
Review status, redirects, final destinations, timing, and supporting signals together. Group repeated findings by template or root cause so the implementation fixes the system rather than one URL at a time.
6Recheck after caches and indexes update
Start by recording the intended outcome and the evidence available today. Work from representative URLs before expanding the scope, and keep the same settings for the verification run.
Review status, redirects, final destinations, timing, and supporting signals together. Group repeated findings by template or root cause so the implementation fixes the system rather than one URL at a time.