Website redesign and migration checklist
A redesign changes how your website looks. A migration also changes how people reach it. Before publishing, check the pages, links and services your business depends on.
Decide what the new site needs to do
Write down the main visitor action: make an enquiry, book an appointment, view your work or buy something. List the pages that already bring enquiries and the information customers regularly ask for.
Keep a copy of your current site and its important URLs. Include pages linked from emails, adverts, directories and printed material, even if they are not in your main menu.
Review the content and design together
Check names, addresses, opening hours, prices and contact details. Replace claims you cannot support. Use photos you have permission to publish and give important images useful descriptions.
On 102.ai, you start with your existing website, review design directions and request changes before publishing. Check the proposed site on a phone as well as a computer. Make sure a visitor can find the next step without relying on animation.
Map old pages to their replacements
Keep useful URLs where you can. When a URL changes, record the closest matching replacement and use a permanent redirect. For example, an old page about boiler repairs should lead to the new boiler-repair page.
Avoid sending every removed page to the homepage. If there is no relevant replacement, a clear not-found or removed response is more accurate. Check that the new sitemap contains the public pages you want people to discover.
Test forms, links and domain settings
Send a test enquiry and confirm it reaches the right person. Try telephone links, booking links, downloads and any payment journey. Check the error message as well as the successful submission.
Before changing DNS, record the existing settings and separate website records from email records. Changing website hosting should not remove the records your email uses. Confirm HTTPS works on the main address and its www variant.
Check the site after publishing
Open your important old links and follow each redirect. Check page titles, canonical URLs and whether public pages can be indexed. Keep account pages and private previews out of search results.
Compare Search Console coverage, search clicks and actual enquiries with the period before the move. Indexing can take time, and a new design by itself does not guarantee a ranking increase.
Start with your current website
Review how 102.ai works, see the current plans or ask about your migration. If your site has a shop, member accounts or a bespoke integration, explain that before moving it.
For Google's own migration guidance, see moving a site with URL changes.