Website migration: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What website migration is

A specialist moves your website to a new host, platform or domain, copying the content, redirects and settings while protecting your search visibility and keeping downtime short. You need it when you are changing hosts, rebuilding on a new platform or changing your domain name.

Signs you need it

  • You are leaving a host or a platform that no longer meets your needs
  • You are rebuilding the site on a new system and must keep the old pages working
  • You are changing the domain name for the business
  • Your current host is closing or raising its prices
  • The site is slow, insecure or hard to update, and a move would fix that

What the pro does

  • Makes a full copy of the site, the content, the files and the database
  • Maps the old pages to the new pages and sets up the redirects
  • Moves the site to the new host or platform and tests it before going live
  • Checks the search settings, the forms, the email and the analytics after the move
  • Switches the domain at the agreed time and monitors the site for problems

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • The number of pages, files and the size of the database
  • Whether the new platform needs a redesign or a rebuild
  • The number of redirects and the complexity of the URL map
  • Whether the email must move with the site
  • The number of forms, integrations and tracking tools to reconnect
  • Whether downtime must be kept to a minimum at a set time

What a written quote should spell out

  • The full copy, the new site and the test steps
  • The redirect map and how it is checked
  • The email, the forms and the analytics included
  • The switch time and the monitoring period
  • Support after the move and how problems are handled

Questions to ask before you hire

  • How do you keep my search visibility after the move?
  • Will you send me a list of redirects to check?
  • How will you test the new site before the switch?
  • What happens if something breaks after the move?
  • Who owns the new host and the domain accounts?
  • Can I keep my email working during the move?

Red flags

  • Moves the site without making a full backup first
  • Does not plan redirects for the old pages
  • Switches the domain without testing the new site
  • Keeps the old host access and the domain accounts under its own name

What you can do yourself

Make a full backup of your site, export your content and email, and list your important pages and the links from other sites that point to them. Keep the old host running until the move is confirmed. Hire a specialist to do the copy, the redirects and the switch.

Licenses and permits

A license is usually not required for website migration. Check with your state or local licensing agency about any business registration that applies, and ask the specialist how it handles your data and its contract terms.

Website migration questions

Will my search ranking drop after a move?

It can, if redirects are missed or pages are removed. A careful move with redirects and checks keeps most of the visibility, but no one can promise the exact result.

How long does a move take?

It depends on the size of the site and the number of redirects. Ask for a schedule with the testing and switch steps listed.

Can the site stay online during the move?

Usually yes, since the new site is built and tested before the switch. Ask the specialist to plan the switch for a quiet time.

Pro reviewers

Pros who offer website migration remotely can improve this guide, like Wikipedia. We check every edit before it goes live. Every approved edit is credited in the edit history and on the pro's profile.

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