SEO Migration Services
A new website, a new platform or a new domain can wipe out years of rankings if the SEO is left until launch day. We plan the move with you so Google can follow your pages to their new home.
Claim your free SEO auditIncludes a three-month roadmap. No obligation.
Why Website Migrations Lose Rankings
A lot of businesses spend good money on a new website that looks better than the old one, then watch their enquiries drop after launch. Usually nothing is wrong with the design. The problem is that the old pages, the ones Google trusted and sent people to, disappeared without a forwarding address.
When URLs change and no redirects are set up, Google finds broken pages where your rankings used to be. Content gets cut, page titles get reset and internal links point nowhere. Each of these is fixable, but it is far easier to get right before launch than to repair afterwards.
SEO should be part of the conversation from the start of a website project, not something added once the new site is built.
Our SEO Migration Process
- 01
Benchmark the old site
We record what you rank for, which pages bring in traffic and enquiries, and every URL on the current site.
- 02
Map every URL
Each old page gets a new home. Where a page is being removed, we choose the closest match so its value is not lost.
- 03
Check the new site before launch
We review the staging site for missing content, titles, headings, internal links and anything that might stop Google crawling it.
- 04
Launch day checks
We test the redirects, the sitemap and indexing settings as soon as the new site goes live.
- 05
Monitor and fix
We watch rankings, traffic and errors in the weeks after launch and fix anything that slips through.
Types of Website Migration We Support
Website redesigns
Same domain, new design and structure. The most common migration, and the one most often done without SEO input.
Platform changes
Moving between WordPress, Shopify, Wix or another platform, where URLs almost always change.
Domain changes
Moving to a new domain name or from .co.uk to .com. Every page needs redirecting.
Merging sites
Combining two websites into one without losing what each had built up.
What Usually Gets Missed in a Website Migration
Redirects for every old URL
Not just the main pages. Old blog posts, images and PDFs can all have links pointing to them.
Page titles and meta descriptions
New templates often reset them to something generic.
Content that quietly disappears
Text cut to make the design look cleaner can take your rankings with it.
The “no index” setting
Staging sites are hidden from Google on purpose. If that setting goes live, the whole site can drop out of search.
Internal links
Links inside your content still pointing at old addresses.
SEO Migration FAQs
Straight answers to the questions we get asked most. Can’t see yours?
Ask us directlyWe’re moving to a new website. Will an SEO migration stop us losing rankings?
An SEO migration keeps the disruption to your rankings as small as possible, though some short-term movement is common. Good planning also helps you recover faster.
Our web designer has already started. When should SEO get involved in a website migration?
SEO should get involved in a website migration as early as possible, ideally before the new structure is decided. It is much easier to plan redirects and keep content than to fix things after launch.
Can SEO migration services work with our web developer?
SEO migration services work alongside your web developer. We give them a clear redirect map and checklist, and review the site before it goes live.
Our developer keeps mentioning 301s. What is a 301 redirect in an SEO migration?
A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect that sends people and search engines from an old URL to a new one, passing on most of the old page’s value.
We’ve already launched and traffic has dropped. Can SEO migration services still help?
SEO migration services can still help after launch. We compare the old and new sites to find missing redirects and lost content, then fix what we can.
Get a Free SEO Audit Before Your Website Migration
Start with a free SEO audit and three-month roadmap, normally £150. We will benchmark your current site so you know exactly what needs protecting.
Claim your free SEO auditPrefer email? hello@spcedigital.co.uk
