Redesign SEO Checklist: 21 Checks + an Old-to-New URL Map Template

1. Before you touch anything: take a snapshot (checks 1-6)

• Export every URL on the current site

  Google's site move guide says to pull old URLs from your sitemaps, server logs or analytics, the Links report in Search Console and your CMS. A free crawl with Screaming Frog (up to 500 URLs) catches the rest. Don't forget images and PDFs.

• Export the last 16 months of Search Console Performance data by page

  This tells you which URLs bring clicks. Those pages need a home on the new site, no exceptions.

• Export top landing pages and conversions from analytics

  Some pages get few Google clicks but bring most of your leads. Protect those too.

• Export Search Console's Links report (Top linked pages)

  Pages other sites link to carry trust. If they 404 after launch, you lose those links' value.

• Save a copy of the title, meta description, H1 and body text of your top 20 pages

  So you can check the new pages still say what the old ones said.

• Write down baseline numbers: weekly clicks, indexed pages, weekly leads, AI impressions

  Without a baseline you can't tell a normal post-launch wobble from a real loss. Search Console's Generative AI performance report gives the AI number, if your site has enough impressions to show it.

2. The old-to-new URL map (copy this)

One row per old URL. Every row gets one of three actions: keep, redirect or remove.

old_url	clicks_16mo	backlinks	leads	new_url	action	redirect_type	status_after_launch	notes
https://example.com/services/plumbing.html	1240	8	31	https://example.com/plumbing/	redirect	301		
https://example.com/about-us	210	3	0	https://example.com/about/	redirect	301		
https://example.com/blog/2019-promo	0	0	0	—	remove	410		no equivalent page
https://example.com/contact	95	1	40	https://example.com/contact	keep	—		same URL

keep      = same URL on the new site (best option, no redirect needed)
redirect  = URL changes -> 301 to the closest matching new page
remove    = no equivalent page -> let it return 404 or 410
merge     = several old pages now covered by one new page -> 301 all of them to it (fine, says Google)
Never     = redirect many unrelated old pages to the homepage
Never     = chain redirects (old -> older -> new); point straight at the final URL

Apache (.htaccess):
Redirect 301 /services/plumbing.html https://example.com/plumbing/

Nginx:
location = /services/plumbing.html { return 301 https://example.com/plumbing/; }

WordPress: a redirect plugin, or your host's redirect tool
Shopify: Online Store > Navigation > URL Redirects (or import a CSV)
Cloudflare: Rules > Redirect Rules or Bulk Redirects

3. While the new site is being built (checks 7-12)

• Keep URLs the same wherever you can

  No URL change means no redirect and no move for Google to process. Practical advice: this is the single biggest risk reducer.

• Keep the text that ranks on each money page

  Pretty but thin pages are a classic redesign mistake. If the old page answered the question, the new one must too.

• Keep titles, H1s and internal links to your important pages

  Internal links tell Google which pages matter. New navigation often drops links to old money pages.

• Block the staging site from Google (password protection is best)

  A public staging copy can get indexed as a duplicate of your site. Google lists password protection as a reliable way to keep pages out.

• Carry over structured data, canonical tags and hreflang if you had them

  These are easy to lose when templates change. Point canonicals at the new URLs, not the old ones.

• Test the new site on a phone and in PageSpeed Insights before launch

  Google mainly indexes the mobile version. A slower new template can cost you. Aim for LCP 2.5 s or less, INP 200 ms or less, CLS 0.1 or less.

4. Launch day (checks 13-18)

• Put server-side 301 (or 308) redirects live for every 'redirect' row

  Google recommends permanent server-side redirects for site moves. JavaScript or meta refresh redirects are weaker fallbacks.

• Remove the staging password and noindex from the live site

  The most common launch-day disaster: the live site ships with noindex or 'Disallow: /'.

• Crawl the old URL list and confirm each returns 301 to the right page, then 200

  Screaming Frog's List mode lets you paste the old URLs and see where each lands. Fill in the status_after_launch column.

• Submit the new sitemap in Search Console

  Google suggests submitting the new-URL sitemap and says redirect warnings on the old one during a move are expected. Remove the old sitemap once the new one is in use.

• If the domain changed: verify both sites and use the Change of Address tool

  Change of Address is only for domain or subdomain moves, not for path changes or http to https.

• Spot-check 10 top pages with URL Inspection

  Confirms Google can fetch the new page and sees no noindex.

5. After launch: the step agencies skip (checks 19-21)

• Daily for a week: Pages report, 404s in the not-indexed list, and form submissions

  Fix any missed redirect the same day. Leads are the real number. Rankings are just one cause.

• Weekly for 3 months: compare clicks and leads with your baseline

  Google says rankings can fluctuate for a few weeks or more on medium sites. A steady decline after that means something is wrong.

• Keep redirects for at least one year (longer is better)

  Google's guidance is generally at least 1 year, and it says users may benefit from keeping them indefinitely. Practical advice: keep them as long as old links still point at old URLs.

Launch timeline at a glance

Copy-paste: handoff email to your agency or developer

Subject: SEO requirements for the new site launch

Hi [name],

Before we go live, these are non-negotiable:
1. Every URL in the attached URL map has its action done. 'redirect' rows = server-side 301 to the new_url column, no chains.
2. Staging stays password-protected until launch. On launch, no noindex and no 'Disallow: /' on the live site.
3. The top 20 pages keep their main text, title and H1 (copy attached), unless we agreed a change.
4. Canonical tags point at the new URLs. Structured data from the old site is carried over.
5. The contact form is tested on launch day and leads arrive at [address].
6. Redirects stay in place for at least 12 months.

After launch I'll crawl the old URLs and send you any that don't land correctly. Please fix those within 24 hours during launch week.

Thanks,
[you]

Common redesign mistakes

• Changing URLs just because the new platform suggests a different pattern

  Most platforms let you keep the old paths. Every change is a redirect to maintain.

• Cutting copy for a cleaner design

  The words were why the page ranked.

• Redirecting everything to the homepage

  Can be treated as a soft 404. Map each URL to its closest match.

• Launching on a Friday

  Practical advice: launch early in the week so someone can fix redirects during the first few days.

• Only watching rankings after launch

  Check form submissions and calls too. A site can rank fine and still lose leads.

• Deleting the redirects a few months later during 'cleanup'

  Old links and bookmarks still point at old URLs.