Inventory the existing website first
Collect current URLs from the site, its sitemap and available search data. For each page, note the subject, relevant visits or enquiries and known external references. Review pages without recent traffic too: they may contain useful customer information or support the site's navigation. Save a record of the starting position. This helps distinguish a missing entry point from an ordinary change in demand after the redesign.
Make a decision for every address
Keep an existing address when its subject and purpose remain the same unless there is a clear reason to change it. Where a URL changes, identify a relevant replacement and have the permanent redirect tested. Do not send every retired page to the homepage for convenience. Google's migration guidance includes URL mapping and redirect checks when moving a website to different addresses, rather than treating them as an optional finishing step.
Check the journey as well as the design
Review navigation, forms, mobile layouts and important copy on the test site. The technical checks should establish that pages intended to appear in search are indexable after release, internal links use the correct destinations and the sitemap contains the intended pages. Keeping a development site out of search is sensible during construction, but those restrictions should not accidentally remain on the public version when it goes live.
- Old address and intended replacement
- Essential content retained or deliberately revised
- Working enquiry routes from important pages
Assign checks after launch
Name someone to review errors, important landing pages and Search Console trends once the new site is published. Record the launch date and changes so later comparisons have context. Search traffic may fluctuate around a migration; complete stability cannot be promised. Agree in advance who investigates unexpected problems and which records remain available to help correct a mistake. The launch should begin a defined checking period, not end all responsibility.
In brief
Include existing visibility in the build brief. Agree the URL plan, content checks and post-launch responsibilities before the redesigned website is released.
Further reference: Google Search Central: site moves and URL changes