A migration should preserve useful destinations and provide clear signals about what moved. Prepare the URL map before changing hosting or domain settings.
Inventory and map existing destinations
Collect indexed and internally linked pages, downloads and important image URLs. Map each changed URL to its relevant replacement. Keep translations paired. Avoid mass redirects to unrelated pages; visitors following old links should reach the closest useful content. Record URLs intentionally removed and their expected response.
Coordinate technical cutover
Prepare redirects, canonical settings, sitemaps and internal links for the new location. Preserve email-related DNS when moving the website. Test on staging and keep access to the old domain or server as needed for redirects. Use the appropriate search migration tools when their requirements apply.
Monitor both technical and business results
Check old URLs, new URLs, forms and analytics immediately after launch. Watch crawl errors and search changes over time, allowing for normal reporting delays. Fix mapping mistakes promptly. A migration can involve temporary search fluctuations, so preserve evidence instead of making repeated unplanned structural changes.