[ Website migration · Full playbook ]
// 20 / 20The buyer's playbook.
The working reference behind Website Migration SEO Checklist & Buyer Guide 2026: what to ask, what to watch and how to run the first 90 days.
← Back to the guide[ RFP questions ]// 01
Questions that reveal real capability.
Ask for a relevant example, the decision made, the result or learning, and the person who would own the work.
- 01What types of change are occurring simultaneously?
- 02Which pages generate qualified demand, links or conversions?
- 03How will every legacy URL receive a destination decision?
- 04Who validates redirects, canonicals, robots and sitemaps?
- 05How are structured data and internal links migrated?
- 06What pre-launch crawl and rendering tests are required?
- 07Which launch metrics trigger investigation or rollback?
- 08How long will redirects and legacy-domain controls remain?
[ Risk ]// 02
Make failure visible before signature.
| Risk | Early warning | Control |
|---|---|---|
| Incomplete inventory | URLs discovered after launch | Multiple crawl and data sources |
| Redirect chains | Old maps reused | Direct one-hop mapping |
| Content consolidation loss | Intent removed | Query and backlink review |
| Tracking break | Conversions disappear | Event QA before launch |
| Slow response | No monitoring owner | Launch command centre |
[ Value case ]// 03
Measure outcomes—not activity.
01Redirect coverage and errorsBaseline ________
90-day target ________
90-day target ________
02Valid indexed pagesBaseline ________
90-day target ________
90-day target ________
03Organic traffic by page groupBaseline ________
90-day target ________
90-day target ________
04Priority query visibilityBaseline ________
90-day target ________
90-day target ________
05Conversion event continuityBaseline ________
90-day target ________
90-day target ________
06Crawl and Core Web Vital healthBaseline ________
90-day target ________
90-day target ________
[ First 90 days ]// 04
Move from evidence to operating rhythm.
01
Days 1–30
Inventory, baselines, content decisions and migration rules
Exit evidenceBaseline, owners, approved requirements and risks
02
Days 31–60
Build mapping, implement, crawl staging and rehearse analytics
Exit evidenceWorking outputs, evidence and decision record
03
Days 61–90
Launch monitoring, issue triage, index validation and recovery backlog
Exit evidenceMeasured result, operating owner and next backlog
[ Reference desk ]// 05
Speak the same language.
| Term | Plain-language meaning |
|---|---|
| 301 redirect | Permanent instruction from an old URL to a new one. |
| Canonical | Preferred URL for duplicate or similar content. |
| Noindex | Instruction not to include a page in search results. |
| XML sitemap | Machine-readable list of preferred URLs. |
| Redirect chain | Multiple redirects between origin and destination. |
| Rollback | Controlled return to the prior release. |
[ Playbook in hand? ]