Protect the pages that generate enquiries by identifying them before the move, giving each a real destination and testing the full lead path after launch. A redirect gets a visitor to a URL. The new page still needs to answer the question that brought them there and let them contact the business.
The most useful migration document is a URL map with a reason and a check beside each important page. Build it while the old site is available. Once the switch happens, reconstructing the old navigation, copy and forms from memory makes it harder to tell what was lost.
Start with the pages that can cost you an enquiry
Export URLs from the current sitemap and collect landing pages from search and analytics reports. Add pages used in ads, email campaigns, proposals and partner links. Those URLs can matter even when they never appear in organic search data. Ask sales which case studies they send and which forms feed their work.
For each important URL, write what a visitor expects to find and what action the business wants them to take. A product page may need to keep a specification and a quote form. A case study may need the client, problem and proof even if the new page lives in a different section. Compare the old and new content against that intent before judging the page by its title alone.
Prioritise the URLs that reliably attract the audience you serve. When attribution is patchy, use several signals together, including recurring enquiries, landing-page visits and real incoming links. The map can give high-priority URLs extra checks without requiring a detailed audit of every retired page.
Choose a destination a returning visitor would recognise
Keep the same address where it serves the same purpose and fits the new site. If the address changes, redirect directly to the closest useful replacement. Several old pages may reasonably point to one new page when it genuinely consolidates the material. When a page was intentionally retired and there is no equivalent, let it return a meaningful missing-page response.
One example from abZ Global’s own migration review was an older Squarespace-era article about the BLAK project. The review identified the live BLAK case study as the destination because it was the project the original article sent readers to. Other old articles were reviewed for whether the new site still answered the same question. A common subject alone was weak evidence of a match.
That distinction matters to the buyer who follows an old link from a proposal or a search result. A visitor looking for the BLAK project can continue from the case study. Sending all old links to a general landing page would leave people to find the relevant material again.
Turn the URL map into launch checks
| What to record | How to verify it |
|---|---|
| Old address and intended destination | Open the original link and verify the final page is the agreed match. |
| Redirect path | Check each response along the way. Remove avoidable intermediate redirects and catch loops. |
| Search settings on the new page | Check the preferred page address, indexing directives and sitemap entry where applicable. |
| Enquiry action and receiving team | Run an agreed test submission or booking, then confirm the receiving system gets the details staff need. |
| Legacy URL with no replacement | Verify the intended missing-page response and check whether internal links still point to it. |
Test the live hostname after the switch. A redirect can pass on a preview host while an old domain, an alternate hostname or a cached response takes a different route. Include the links actually used by customers, including useful campaign parameters where those affect attribution.
Watch the migration from the visitor’s side
During the first review window, compare landing-page traffic and enquiry delivery with the baseline. If enquiries fall, start with checks you can reproduce. Are the old URLs reaching the right pages? Do the new pages have the expected copy and forms? Does a successful form submission reach the right inbox or CRM?
Keep search monitoring separate from the lead-delivery check. A reporting delay or a change in search visibility can take time to understand. A form that stops delivering or a key redirect that sends visitors elsewhere can be tested immediately. Keep the map and results available after launch so the next repair starts with evidence.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a redirect if a URL stays the same?
A page that keeps the same address and remains available needs its normal page response. Verify that its content, search settings and enquiry action still work.
Where should I send several older articles?
Use a shared destination when it genuinely covers the questions those articles answered. Record why the match makes sense for each original page.
What should I check if traffic falls after a move?
Check your most valuable old URLs, the final pages and their search settings. Compare page-level traffic and lead delivery with the baseline before assigning a cause.
How long should I keep the old URL map?
Keep it as part of the site’s operating records. It helps diagnose broken partner links, explain redirect decisions and plan the next redesign.