How can you reduce the risk of problems during a website migration?

The first step in reducing website migration risks is to define the scope: are you changing your content management system (CMS), moving data, or also changing the domain and URL structure? Different scopes require different checks; setting up redirects alone does not mean the job is done. According to the supplied material, preparation should include a content inventory and backups, along with checks of functionality and data. If URLs are changing, also map old pages to new ones, update internal links and sitemaps, and record a pre-migration performance baseline. These measures can reduce risk, but they cannot guarantee that rankings or traffic will remain completely stable.

Define what is moving, then list the functionality you cannot afford to lose

Semrush’s CMS migration guide identifies common risks including lost data or functionality, layout problems, and SEO issues. A migration plan should therefore include more than a launch date: it should document the migration steps, existing content, and functionality the new platform must support.

• Changing the CMS: first confirm support for essential features, such as the editor and multilingual capabilities.
• Moving data: confirm the scope of backups for content, user data, and settings.
• Changing the domain or URL structure: also map old URLs to their corresponding new pages.

Platform differences can also affect appearance. Fixes may be as simple as changing a font, or they may require a developer to rebuild the mobile layout. Confirming that the text has been moved is not enough to consider the migration complete.

Beyond backups, verify that the data is usable

The migration guide on Neil Patel’s website advises choosing tools based on the nature of the website and the scope of the migration. Database migration, content migration, and code version control each serve different purposes. Consider data transformation tools or custom scripts only if the data needs to be reorganized.

Having tools does not mean success has been verified. Before deploying to production, test data integrity, spot-check content, and conduct user acceptance testing. For example, when moving pages and media files between CMS platforms, check not only that the data exists but also that it works properly after the move. If there are dependencies between data, address them during planning.

If URLs change, check redirects and links page by page

In its 2020 article on brand website migration, awoo recommends using a checklist to manage page-to-page 301 redirects rather than handling only the homepage. This is the article’s migration advice, not a guarantee that setting up redirects will preserve all rankings.

A 2026 Search Engine Journal article lists details that are easy to overlook:

• Whether registrar-level redirects preserve the original URL path.
• Whether HTTPS forwarding fails when the old domain lacks an SSL certificate.
• Whether there are redirect chains, or redirects stop working after changes to the new site’s navigation structure.
• Whether navigation, footers, and body content still contain hard-coded references to the old domain, and whether XML sitemaps have been updated to list the correct new URLs.

Establish a baseline so you know what to investigate after launch

Semrush’s material recommends establishing a baseline two to four weeks before migration, covering rankings, indexing, traffic, and conversions. Conversion tracking can capture key actions such as form submissions or purchases, rather than focusing only on page views. This time frame is the article’s recommendation, not a mandatory platform requirement. Its purpose is to provide data for post-migration comparisons and help identify issues to investigate, not to attribute every decline in metrics directly to the migration.