The Ultimate Website Migration Checklist for a Safe and SEO-Friendly Site Transfer 

Key highlights 

• Follow the website migration checklist to ensure a smooth, successful site transfer with minimal downtime.
• Backup your website thoroughly to prevent data loss during the migration process.
• Secure your site by setting up a staging environment and testing all changes before going live.
• Select the best migration method from options such as manual migration, cPanel or Bluehost’s free WordPress migration tool.
• Monitor your site’s functionality post-migration by checking for broken links, mobile responsiveness and fast load times.
• Implement 301 redirects to preserve your SEO value and prevent traffic loss from outdated URLs.
• Update your SEO elements, including meta tags, sitemaps and robots.txt, to ensure search engines properly index your new site.
• Use Bluehost’s migration services and tools for a seamless and secure transition backed by expert support.
• Track your site’s performance and security after migration to quickly identify and resolve any issues.

Ever upgraded your phone? You back up all your data, make sure your apps and contacts transfer correctly and double-check that nothing’s missing before switching off the old device. Website migration is a lot like that. Only instead of photos and apps, you’re moving URLs, files and your entire digital identity. 

But here’s the catch: if your website migration process isn’t planned properly, things can easily fall through the cracks. From broken links and lost search engine rankings to downtime and missing content, the risks are real. One wrong move and you greet site visitors with error pages instead of your content – not exactly the best user experience.

That’s why having a comprehensive website migration checklist is essential. Whatever the reason for migration, this guide outlines every step you need to take to protect your SEO, traffic and site functionality.

In this WordPress migration guide, you’ll find: 

• A clear, step-by-step site transfer checklist
• Pre and post-migration tips to safeguard your SEO
• Best practices to maintain website functionality during the move
• Tools and resources (including Bluehost features) to support a smooth transition

Let’s get started and make your site migration seamless, secure and search engine–friendly.

What is website migration and why it matters? 

Website migration is the process of moving your entire website or parts of it to a new domain, server, platform or structure. This includes changes like switching hosting providers, redesigning your site or moving to a different content management system (CMS).

A successful migration ensures your website stays accessible, maintains or improves search engine rankings and continues to deliver a smooth user experience. Without proper planning, migration can cause SEO ranking drops, broken links, data loss and downtime, which can seriously hurt your website traffic and business.

Common website migration scenarios 

• Moving to a new domain: For example, you need to rebrand or change your website URL. Changing it from www.[oldbrand].com to www.[newbrand].com requires you to migrate all pages carefully to preserve SEO value.
• Switching hosting providers: Moving your site from one hosting company to another (for example, migrating to Bluehost) to improve site speed, security or scalability without disrupting visitor access.
• Rebranding or redesigning your site: When updating your website’s design or changing the site structure, URLs might change, requiring migration to avoid losing search engine rankings.
• Migrating from one CMS to another: For example, moving from Joomla to WordPress requires transferring all content and media while maintaining SEO settings and URL consistency.

Risks involved without a proper plan 

• SEO ranking drops: Search engines may not immediately recognize your new URLs. This can result in a loss of organic traffic and lower rankings if redirects are missing or misconfigured.
• Broken links: Visitors clicking on outdated URLs can encounter 404 errors, damaging user experience and site credibility.
• Data loss: Without full backups, important content, images or user data could be permanently lost during migration.
• Downtime: Poorly managed migrations can result in your website being offline, leading to lost visitors and revenue during the transition.

Understanding what website migration involves and the risk of skipping proper planning sets the foundation for a successful move.

Quick website migration checklist: 13 key steps

Having a checklist in front of you is always a good idea to ensure that you don’t miss out on any important steps while migrating. A single mistake often leads to a lot of hassle and hard work from scratch, which can even lead to the loss of data. 

Here is a quick website move checklist you can have handy when you start your website migration journey.

Migration stage	Stie transfer checklist
Pre-migration planning	1. Define migration purpose and scope
	2. Choose the right hosting provider
	3. Benchmark current site performance
	4. Communicate with stakeholders
Pre-execution stage	5. Backup website (files and database)
	6. Set up a staging environment
Final execution stage	7. Choose the right migration method
	8. Update DNS and domain setting
	9. Configuring website settings and SSL certificate
Post-migration optimization	10. Verify site functionality
	11. Implement 301 redirects
	12. Update SEO elements
	13. Monitor performance and security

Next, let’s walk through the essential pre-site migration steps to prepare your site and avoid the above common pitfalls.

Pre-website move checklist: Planning for success 

Before we get into the technical stuff, let’s set the stage for an easy migration. A bit of planning helps avoid data loss and keeps downtime low. This step is about making a plan and collecting the tools needed for a successful website move.

1. Define the purpose and scope of migration 

Start by clearly defining why you are migrating to your website. Know if you want to upgrade to a better hosting provider, want a new domain or move to a different content management system (CMS). Defining your goals will help create a detailed website migration plan. 

Key considerations include:

• Maintaining website functionality and SEO rankings throughout the site migration process.
• Ensuring minimal downtime and a seamless user experience during the website move.
• Identifying potential risks and preparing a contingency plan to address issues promptly.

2. Choose the right hosting platform 

The next step involves selecting a reliable hosting provider, which is critical for a smooth migration. A good host ensures faster performance, better security and reliable customer support.

Key features to look for:

• Speed and performance – Choose a hosting provider with SSD storage, CDN and optimized servers.
• Security – Look for built-in malware protection, SSL certificates and firewalls.
• Scalability – Ensure the plan you choose can grow with your website’s needs.
• 24/7 support – A knowledgeable support team can make migration easier.

To ensure you get the best of the hosting package, Bluehost stands out as a reliable option. Our migrate WordPress Website solution offers free site migration, automatic backups and top-notch security. Whether you need VPS, shared hosting or dedicated servers, our flexible plans cater to all your business needs.

Click to start your digital journey with Bluehost today. 

Begin by submitting a migration request form and our cloud specialists will handle the entire process for you. Once done, use the Bluehost Website Migration Tool to make your migration process seamless and efficient. 

3. Benchmark your current website 

Before migrating, it’s important to record your website’s current performance and SEO status. This benchmark acts as a baseline to compare your site’s health before and after migration, helping you spot issues early.

Use tools like:

• Google Analytics to monitor traffic and user behavior.
• Google Search Console to track search rankings, crawl errors and indexing.
• Lighthouse to evaluate site speed, accessibility and SEO performance.

Document your current site structure, URL performance, keyword rankings and overall site speed to ensure your migration maintains or improves these metrics.

4. Communicate with stakeholders 

Communicate your migration plan clearly with your team, clients and users. Although a well-executed migration should minimize downtime, it’s important to set expectations to avoid surprises. Notify users through email, social media or a site pop-up with messages like:

“We’ll be migrating our website on [date and time]. You may experience brief downtime, but we’ll be back shortly with an improved experience.”

Schedule the migration during low-traffic periods and activate a maintenance mode page to keep visitors informed during the transition.

With these critical preparations in place, you’re ready to move into the technical execution phase of your website migration.

Pre-execution phase: Securing your website

Once you clear the pre-website migration checklist box, it’s time for the next step. This phase ensures that your data is protected and gives you a safe space to test your new setup without impacting your live site.

5. Full site backup 

Before initiating the migration, create a complete backup of your website files and databases. This step safeguards your data in case anything goes wrong during the migration process, especially if you’re using a CMS like WordPress.

How to back up your site:

• Use CodeGuard for automated, secure backups.
• Manually download files through cPanel or FTP.
• Export your database using phpMyAdmin.

Storing your backup in a separate location, away from your hosting environment, adds an extra layer of security.

Read more: Handy Guide to Backing Up Your WordPress Website

6. Set up a staging environment 

A staging environment is a clone of your live website where you can safely test changes without impacting your visitors. This allows you to identify and fix issues before launching the migrated site.

Many hosting platforms offer a one-click staging tool that simplifies this process, enabling you to preview your new website setup and ensure everything works perfectly before going live.

Read more: How to Create a Staging WordPress Site

Now that your site is secure and ready for testing, let’s dive into the website migration execution phase. Here you’ll perform the actual site transfer using the best methods and tools available.

Website migration checklist: Execution phase 

With your site backed up and your staging environment set, it’s time to move your website to the new hosting platform or domain. This execution phase is critical for a smooth and successful website migration, ensuring minimal downtime and preserving your SEO performance.

7. Choose the right migration method with Bluehost

Selecting the best migration method depends on your website’s platform, complexity and resources. Bluehost provides migration products that help simplify your website transfer. You can use:  

• Bluehost free WordPress migration for effortless WordPress site transfers.
• cPanel migration for non-WordPress sites.
• Manual migration for full control over the transfer process.

To ensure a seamless transition, follow these site migration steps:

1. Prepare your site for migration: Optimize your database, remove outdated plugins and check file integrity before initiating the move.
2. Use Bluehost migration services: If you’re using WordPress, take the benefit of the Bluehost one-click migration plugin for a fast and hassle-free transfer.
3. Manually migrate if needed: For custom-built websites, download your files via FTP and import your database using phpMyAdmin.
4. Check website files and database: After completing the transfer, ensure all files and database configurations are intact. Fix any broken links or missing files. 
5. Adjust file permissions: Set the correct file and folder permissions to prevent access issues.

Learn more with a clear step by step video to migrate to Bluehost:

8. Update DNS and domain settings 

Once your site files and databases are moved, the next step is updating your DNS settings to point your domain to the new host.

Steps to update DNS:

1. Log in to your domain registrar account.
2. Update the nameservers to Bluehost’s DNS (these are provided in your Bluehost hosting dashboard).
3. Allow 24–48 hours for DNS propagation globally.
4. Use tools like DNS Checker to confirm your domain points correctly to the new host.

Proper DNS updates ensure your visitors reach your new site without interruption.

9. Configuring website settings and SSL certificate  

After migration, check all your website settings to confirm everything works correctly.

• Permalinks and URL structure: Verify that your site’s URLs are consistent and follow your planned structure to avoid SEO issues.
• SSL certificate: Bluehost includes free SSL certificates with every hosting plan. Activate SSL to secure your site, protect user data and improve search engine rankings.
• SSL/TLS settings: Double-check these settings to avoid errors like “not secure” warnings or mixed content issues.
• SEO considerations: Update any site URL mappings and ensure redirects are properly configured to maintain SEO equity.

Careful configuration at this stage prevents downtime and preserves your site’s search engine rankings.

Now that your website is successfully migrated and configured, it’s essential to optimize your site post-migration. The next phase focuses on verifying functionality, setting up redirects and monitoring your SEO performance to ensure a seamless user experience and maintain your search rankings.

Post-migration optimization: Ensuring performance and SEO integrity 

Completing your website migration is just the beginning. Post-migration optimization is critical to maintaining your site’s performance, protecting your SEO rankings and ensuring a seamless user experience on your new platform. Without this, even the best migration can fall short, leading to traffic loss, ranking drops and frustrated visitors.

10. Verify site functionality 

After migration, rigorously test your website to confirm that all elements function correctly:

• Broken links and missing files: Use tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs or Google Search Console to crawl your entire site. Identify and fix any broken links, missing images or 404 errors immediately to avoid hurting your SEO and user experience.
• Navigation and interactive features: Test menus, forms, search bars, shopping carts and checkout processes to ensure they work flawlessly. Any malfunction here can lead to lost customers and reduced conversions.
• Mobile responsiveness and load times: Verify your site loads quickly across all devices. Slow site speed can negatively impact SEO rankings and increase bounce rates. Use Google PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse audits for detailed insights.

11. Implement 301 redirects 

Preserving your SEO equity is essential during a site migration. Improper handling of URLs can cause significant drops in search engine rankings:

• Permanent 301 redirects: Redirect all old URLs to their new counterparts to maintain link juice and avoid 404 errors. This ensures search engines know your pages have moved permanently.
• Redirect mapping: Before migration, create a comprehensive URL redirect map to track all old URLs and their new destinations.
• Monitor redirect chains: Avoid redirect loops or chains, which slow down crawling and negatively affect SEO. Tools like Screaming Frog or Semrush can help detect these issues.
• Update internal links: Make sure all internal links point directly to the new URLs to avoid unnecessary redirects.

12. Update SEO elements 

To maintain and improve your search visibility, update all SEO-related elements:

• Meta titles and descriptions: Review and refresh meta tags to align with your new URLs and content. Optimized meta tags improve click-through rates from search results.
• XML sitemaps: Generate and submit new XML sitemaps to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools. This helps search engines discover your updated site structure quickly.
• Robots.txt and crawl settings: Verify your robots.txt file is correctly configured to allow search engine crawlers access to all important pages and block any staging or duplicate content.
• Schema markup: Ensure structured data (schema) is implemented correctly on the new site to enhance your search listings with rich snippets, improving visibility and CTR.
• Monitor crawl errors: Use Google Search Console regularly to track any crawl errors or indexing issues and address them immediately.

13. Monitor performance and security 

The migration process can sometimes cause temporary issues that require ongoing attention:

• Traffic and ranking monitoring: Use Google Analytics, Google Search Console and Bluehost’s analytics tools to track organic traffic, user behavior, bounce rates and keyword rankings. Watch closely for any unexpected drops or anomalies in the weeks following migration. 
• Site speed and uptime: Maintain fast loading times with caching, CDN and optimized hosting infrastructure. Bluehost’s performance monitoring tools can alert you to downtime or slow pages.
• Security audits: Post-migration is an excellent time to scan your site for malware, broken SSL certificates or vulnerabilities. Bluehost’s security tools, like CodeGuard and SiteLock, offer automated protection and monitoring.
• User feedback: Encourage visitors and team members to report any issues or bugs they encounter after migration. Real user insights can uncover problems automated tools might miss.

Pro tip: Maintain a post-migration checklist and schedule follow-ups

Keep a detailed site transfer checklist of all post-migration tasks and schedule follow-ups at regular intervals (1 week, 1 month, 3 months). This ensures any delayed SEO or performance issues are identified and fixed quickly to safeguard your website’s long-term success.

While you have the checklist in place, facing some technical errors can be common. Knowing how to troubleshoot the issues can keep you updated with your migrated website. 

Troubleshooting common website migration issues

Even with a comprehensive website migration checklist, issues can pop up. Here’s how to identify and resolve the most common problems after a website move:

1. Broken links and missing pages

Issue: Users land on 404 pages after migration.

Fix:

• Run a site crawl using Screaming Frog or Ahrefs.
• Implement 301 redirects for all old URLs.
• Use Google Search Console to track crawl errors.

2. Drop in search engine rankings

Issue: Sudden decline in SEO performance or keyword rankings.

Fix:

• Ensure 301 redirects are properly configured.
• Resubmit your updated XML sitemap.
• Monitor site performance in Google Analytics and Bing Webmaster Tools.

3. SSL or HTTPS errors

Issue: The site shows a “Not Secure” warning or SSL doesn’t activate.

Fix:

• Activate the free SSL certificate from your hosting provider (like Bluehost).
• Update internal links to use HTTPS.
• Verify HTTPS settings in your CMS.

4. Website not accessible or showing outdated content

Issue: Your live site still shows old content or doesn’t load.

Fix:

• Check DNS propagation using tools like DNS Checker.
• Clear your browser and server cache.
• Confirm file permissions and database connection in the new environment.

5. Tracking and analytics not working

Issue: Google Analytics isn’t capturing traffic data.

Fix:

• Reinstall or update the GA tracking code on the new site.
• Verify property ID and integration in your CMS or theme settings.
• Use Google Tag Assistant to troubleshoot implementation.

By addressing these common issues early, you can safeguard your website’s performance, SEO rankings and user experience post-migration, setting the stage for long-term success.

Final thoughts 

Migrating your website can be a simple and straightforward process. With careful planning, you can make the migration process smooth and stress-free. By following the steps outlined in this website migration checklist, you can minimize any negative impact on your organic search rankings. You can also ensure a good user experience while you transition. 

Bluehost helps streamline the migration process, so you don’t have to worry about missing any points from the checklist mentioned above. Our hosting service provides the best tools and features that together will ensure your lasting digital success. 

Boost your online presence and reach your business goals today with Bluehost.

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