Website Migration Redirect Maps: The Work Before Launch
A strong SEO migration starts with URL inventories, intent-matched redirects and staged validation—not a blanket redirect to the homepage.
The short answer
A strong SEO migration starts with URL inventories, intent-matched redirects and staged validation—not a blanket redirect to the homepage.
When a website rebuild looks right but organic performance drops, the cause is often not the new design. It can be a missing redirect, broken internal link or changed page intent that was not caught before launch.
Build a complete URL inventory
Combine crawlable URLs, XML sitemaps, analytics landing pages, Search Console pages and server logs where available. Include URLs that still receive valuable traffic even if they are not linked in the current navigation.
Tag each URL by type, status, organic value, backlinks and intended fate. A spreadsheet of only the primary navigation is not a migration map.
Redirect by destination intent
Map each retired URL to the most equivalent useful destination. When an individual product or project page has a direct replacement, do not send it to a generic category unless that is genuinely the best remaining destination.
Use 301 for permanent moves, keep mappings one hop when practical, and protect query-string behavior where the application depends on it.
Validate the new environment
Before launch, crawl the staging site for internal links, canonical tags, meta robots, structured data and response codes. Check whether the new homepage actually reaches WordPress rather than a leftover static index file.
Confirm that robots rules, authentication and server configuration do not accidentally block the production site. Staging restrictions should not migrate blindly.
Create a post-launch watchlist
Monitor old URLs, new URLs, 404s, indexing and organic landing-page performance. Prioritize high-value pages and unexpected status changes.
Keep the redirect map accessible after launch; it is documentation for future content and platform teams, not a disposable go-live artifact.
Practical next steps
- Aggregate historical URLs from multiple sources
- Assign one relevant destination per retired URL
- Check for chains and redirect loops
- Crawl staging and production after launch
- Monitor key page groups for several weeks
Related perspective: Our migration launch checklist covers the adjacent question in more depth.
Further reading: Official documentation and guidance. The recommendations above are an independent practical interpretation; platform features and policies may change.
Frequently asked questions
Should all old URLs redirect to the homepage?
No. Redirect to the closest relevant replacement whenever possible. Unrelated redirects can confuse visitors and waste search equity.
Is a 301 or 308 better for an SEO migration?
Both represent permanent redirects, but 301 is widely understood and commonly used for website migrations. Choose based on method semantics and platform requirements.
Can a static index.html override a WordPress homepage?
Yes. Server DirectoryIndex priority can serve a static file before WordPress index.php; verify document-root behavior during migration testing.