Migrating a Website Without Losing Traffic

Rebuilding or moving a website is exciting, but it is also where hard-won search rankings can vanish overnight if it is handled carelessly. With a little planning, you can launch a new site and keep your traffic. Here is how.

Map your old URLs first

Before anything else, list every page on your current site and where it should point on the new one. Pages that change address need a proper redirect, or the value they have built up in search is lost.

Set up 301 redirects

A 301 redirect tells search engines a page has moved permanently and passes its ranking value to the new address. Getting these right is the single most important part of protecting traffic during a migration.

Keep what already works

Identify your best-performing pages and make sure their content and structure carry over. A redesign is a chance to improve, not to throw away the things already earning you visitors.

Check carefully after launch

Once live, test redirects, check for broken links, and submit an updated sitemap. Watch your search data closely for the first few weeks so any issue is caught early.

We handle migrations carefully so launches are smooth and rankings are protected, with the SEO know-how of the Defyn family behind every move. Planning a rebuild? Let us help you do it safely, or call 02 9834 4119.