WordPress Website Migration Checklist: What to Protect Before You Move
Most WordPress migrations go wrong in quiet ways. The new site looks fine on launch day, but a contact form stops sending, old links return errors, a booking tool loses its connection, or nobody can find the login for the old host when something needs to be undone.
Quick answer: before you move, write down why you are moving, list everything the current site does, decide what happens to each piece, take a backup you have actually tested, and plan how you would roll back. Then test the real customer journeys on the new setup before you switch the domain, and watch closely for a few weeks after.
1. Be clear about what kind of move this is
A hosting move keeps the same WordPress site on a new server. A redesign changes how the site looks and reads. A platform migration moves the content into a different system altogether. Each one carries different risks, and mixing all three into one launch makes problems much harder to trace.
Write one or two sentences on why the site is moving and what the new setup must do better: easier editing, lower running costs, better speed, fewer plugins or a cleaner handoff. That becomes the test for every later decision.
2. Take an inventory of what the site really does
The visible pages are only part of a WordPress site. Plugins, forms and third-party scripts often handle work that nobody remembers until it stops. Before changing anything, list:
- Pages, posts, custom post types, media files and downloads
- Every form, where it sends, and who receives it
- Integrations: CRM, email marketing, bookings, payments, shipping, webhooks
- User accounts and who needs admin access afterwards
- Current URLs, existing redirects and any links used in ads, emails or print
- Tracking and measurement scripts, and the consent rules around them
3. Decide what moves, what changes and what goes
Not everything needs to come with you. For each item on the inventory, decide whether it moves as it is, changes, redirects somewhere new or is intentionally removed. Old landing pages, unused plugins and duplicate content are often better retired than copied.
Write those decisions down. They become your test list later, and they stop features from quietly disappearing because nobody remembered to rebuild them.
4. Back up, test the backup, and plan the way back
A backup only counts if you have restored it somewhere and confirmed it works. Keep a copy of both the database and the files outside the server you are moving away from, and note who has access to the old hosting, domain and DNS accounts.
Then write a short rollback plan: what you would change to send visitors back to the old site, who can do it, and how long you would keep the old setup running. Keep it until the new site has been stable for a while.
5. Protect your URLs and search signals
Links to your site live in search results, emails, social posts and other websites. If a URL changes, add a permanent (301 or 308) redirect from the old address to the closest new page, and keep any tracking tags on the link when it redirects.
Also check the basics on the new site: each page has a canonical URL, robots rules do not block real pages, the sitemap lists the pages you want found, and any structured data still matches the content. None of this guarantees rankings, but it avoids losing what the site has already earned.
6. Rebuild the workflows, not just the pages
Forms, emails, bookings, payments, CRM syncs and webhooks are the parts of a site that make money or save staff time. Recreate each one on the new setup and test it end to end with clearly labelled test data. A form showing “Thanks” is not proof that the message reached a person.
7. Test like a real visitor
Before switching the domain, go through the site on a phone and a computer. Check the main customer journeys, keyboard navigation, form errors, page speed, deep links to individual pages, and what happens on a missing page. Fix anything that breaks the main path before launch; log the rest.
8. Launch in a controlled order
Pick a quiet time and freeze content changes on the old site shortly before the move, so nothing new is lost. Move the data, switch the domain or DNS, confirm HTTPS works, then run a short smoke test on the real domain: home page, a few deep links, a redirect, the main form and any payment or booking step.
9. Watch closely after launch
For the first few weeks, check for 404 errors and missed redirects, confirm form and email delivery, watch server errors, and keep an eye on indexing in Google Search Console. Compare enquiries and sales with the weeks before the move so a quiet drop does not go unnoticed.
Pre-launch checklist
Before you switch the domain, you should be able to say yes to each of these:
- The reason for the move and the success criteria are written down
- Every page, form, integration and URL is listed with a decision
- A backup has been restored and checked, and the rollback plan has an owner
- Redirects are in place for every changed URL and keep query strings
- Canonical URLs, robots rules and the sitemap are correct on the new site
- Every form and integration has been tested end to end with test data
- Phone, computer and keyboard checks are done on the main journeys
- Someone owns monitoring for the first few weeks after launch
Common questions
Will moving my site hurt my Google rankings? A move can cause a temporary dip, especially if URLs change. Permanent redirects, unchanged content on key pages and a correct sitemap reduce the risk, but no one can promise rankings will stay the same.
Can I move hosts and redesign at the same time? You can, but it is safer to separate them. Move first, confirm everything works, then redesign. If something breaks, you will know which change caused it.
How long should I keep the old site? Keep the old hosting and a full backup until the new site has run without problems for at least a few weeks, and longer if your business has seasonal peaks.
Planning a move?
Share your current site, why you want to move, and the systems that must keep working. I will review it and recommend a practical plan before you commit to a build.
Working on a project like this?
Share the business problem and context. I will review it and reply with a clear recommendation before asking you to commit to a meeting or project.
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