Site Migration SEO

Moving platforms without losing the rankings you've already built

A platform migration is one of the highest-risk moments in ecommerce SEO. Done carelessly, it can erase months or years of accumulated ranking value in a single deploy.

Get my free audit

What this actually covers

Full URL mappingEvery existing URL mapped to its new equivalent before the migration happens, not scrambled together afterward.
301 redirect implementationProper redirects for every changed URL, avoiding redirect chains and dead ends.
Pre-migration benchmarkingFull ranking and traffic data captured before the move, so any drop can be diagnosed against a clear baseline.
Post-migration monitoringClose tracking in the weeks after launch, when issues are easiest to catch and fix.
Content and metadata preservationMaking sure optimised titles, descriptions, and content survive the move intact.
Technical parity checksConfirming the new platform handles crawlability, structured data, and site speed at least as well as the old one.

Why most migration damage is entirely avoidable

The majority of SEO damage from a platform migration comes from incomplete URL mapping and missing redirects, not from anything inherent to changing platforms. A properly planned migration, with every URL accounted for before launch, preserves the vast majority of existing ranking value.

The riskiest migrations are the ones treated purely as a development or design project, with SEO brought in only after something's already gone wrong.

FAQs

How much ranking loss is normal during a migration?

With proper planning, minimal, a small, temporary dip is common even with a well-executed migration, but significant, lasting loss usually points to incomplete redirect mapping or other avoidable issues.

When should SEO be involved in a migration project?

From the very start of planning, not after development is finished. URL mapping needs to happen before the new site launches, not as a fix afterward.

How long does it take to recover from a bad migration?

Varies significantly depending on the extent of the damage, but can take months to fully recover lost rankings, which is exactly why proper planning upfront is worth the investment.

Want to know how this applies to your own store? Get a free visibility audit, or browse the full range of services.