Website migration without losing traffic
A redesign or a new platform is when most sites lose search traffic. Usually it isn't the new design. It's old URLs that point nowhere, and pages Google can't read anymore.
I'm a developer with an SEO background, so I can plan the migration and build the redirects myself.
I reply within one business day. No obligation.
Where are you right now?
Planning a migration
This is the best time to get in touch. A plan made before launch costs far less than a recovery after it. I work with whoever builds the new site, or I build it myself.
Already migrated, and traffic dropped
Start with an audit. I compare what the old site had with what the new one serves, and find what broke.
Technical SEO auditMost drops come from a short list of causes, and many can be fixed within days of finding them.
How I run a migration
Before launch
Save every URL that matters. I crawl the old site and pull the pages with traffic and links from Search Console.
Record a baseline. Rankings, clicks and indexed pages, so you can see exactly what changed later.
Map old URLs to new ones. Every important page gets a new home. Nothing is left to "we'll redirect it later".
Build the redirects. Permanent 301s, one hop each, with no chains.
Check content matches. Titles, headings, body copy and structured data on key pages carry over.
Keep staging out of Google. With a password, not just a robots rule that sometimes ships to the live site.
Launch day
Redirects go live and get tested in bulk.
Staging blocks like
noindexcome off.The new sitemap goes to Search Console.
If the domain changes, I file a change of address.
Top pages are checked the way Google renders them.
After launch
I watch Search Console for new 404s and redirect errors.
I compare clicks and impressions by page group against the baseline.
Anything that drops gets checked and fixed, with a weekly update for 6 weeks.
Why traffic drops after a migration
Redirects are missing, chained or temporary.
A 302 or a three-hop chain loses value a clean 301 keeps.
Content was cut.
Shorter pages often rank for fewer searches.
A
noindextag shipped from staging.It's more common than anyone admits.
The new site renders in the browser.
Google sees less, and AI crawlers see almost nothing. More on that in AI search readiness.
Internal links still point to old URLs.
Every click goes through a redirect, and crawlers waste time.
URLs changed for no reason.
The best redirect is no redirect.
Moving to Next.js
Most of my work is in Next.js, so I can build that side too.
Next.js developmentOn a Next.js site, I keep URLs the same wherever possible. Redirects live in the Next.js config or middleware, so they ship with the code. Every page gets its own metadata, rendered on the server.
If I'm building your new Next.js site, migration planning is part of the build. This service is for when another team builds the site, or the move has already happened.
Pricing
- Option
- Migration SEO
- Price
- From $1,500
- What it covers
- URL map, redirect plan, launch checks and 6 weeks of monitoring
- Option
- Recovery audit
- Price
- $349, credited toward fixes within 30 days
- What it covers
- Finding what broke after a migration that already happened
- Option
- Fixes
- Price
- $25/hour, or a fixed quote
- What it covers
- Making the changes in your code
Questions about website migrations
Keep URLs the same where you can, and 301-redirect every page that changes. Move the content as it is, block staging from Google, and watch Search Console closely for the first weeks. Most losses come from skipping one of those steps.
Some movement in the first weeks is normal while Google processes the changes. A well-planned migration usually settles back. Nobody can honestly promise zero change, and I won't.
It depends on what broke. Missing redirects can be fixed in days, and traffic often starts returning within weeks. Content that was cut takes longer, because it has to be rebuilt first.
No, but it's the safest choice. If the old URLs are messy, changing them can be worth it. Then every old URL needs a 301 to its closest new page.
Yes. I can write the plan and redirect map for your team, review their work before launch, and monitor after. Or I can do the implementation myself.
Tell me about your migration
Tell me what you're moving from, what you're moving to, and when you plan to launch.
Tell me about your migrationI reply within one business day. No obligation.
Get in Touch
Other ways to reach me
I'm available via email and messaging platforms.
Chat with me
Quick questions or follow-ups
Munim Rahman
Fullstack Developer • Next.js & Nest.js
Dhaka, Bangladesh