How to Migrate a WordPress Site Without Losing SEO

Before You Migrate

• Full Backup First: Full Backup First: Secure your WordPress files, database, and settings with reliable plugins like UpdraftPlus or BlogVault. Backing up your website ensures you don’t lose your core WordPress files.

• SEO Audit: Track important SEO metrics in Google Search Console and Analytics before you migrate your WordPress website. Performing a proper SEO audit helps preserve your SEO value and hard-earned SEO rankings.

• URL & Meta Inventory:Use Screaming Frog to map all important URLs and metadata, including old URLs to new ones, so your SEO remains intact.

• Fast, Reliable Hosting: Make sure your new hosting provider is optimized for WordPress speed, SSL, and security to maintain your SEO performance and user experience.

How to Migrate

• Plugin Method: Ideal for simple sites. Use tools like Duplicator or Migrate Guru to move your WordPress site to a new domain without losing search engine rankings.

• Manual Migration: Best for large or complex websites. It takes more work but gives you full control, ensuring a smooth move and preserving SEO benefits. 

Protect SEO with Redirects

• Keep URLs Same: Avoid changing URLs if possible.

• 301 Redirects: If you must change URLs, implement 301 redirects to pass SEO authority.

• Test Everything: Use online tools to confirm redirects are working with no errors or loops.

Fix Links & On-Page SEO

• Check Internal Links: Use Broken Link Checker to repair broken internal links for better user experience and SEO.

• Optimize Meta Tags: Make sure all titles, descriptions, and headers are intact to preserve your on-page SEO and local SEO signals.

• Schema Check: Double-check that your structured data (schema) is still in place on your new WordPress installation to maintain SEO benefits and SEO elements.

Post-Migration Cleanup

• Speed Up the Site: Optimize images and caching for faster load times, which helps user experience and SEO rankings.

• HTTPS Check: Confirm your SSL is installed and working properly on your new website or new domain without losing SEO rankings.

• Mobile First: Test responsiveness on multiple screen sizes to ensure your SEO and user experience are preserved.

Tell Google You’ve Moved

• Resubmit Sitemap: Upload your sitemap to Google Search Console.

• Check Indexing: Use URL Inspection to confirm crawlability.

• Watch Analytics: Track traffic for any sudden drops and troubleshoot fast.

Avoid SEO Mistakes

• Skipping redirect tests.

• Forgetting to noindex your staging site.

• Missing canonical URL updates.

• Misconfiguring robots.txt.

Conclusion

Moving your website shouldn’t cost you your SEO. Follow these steps for a smooth, SEO-friendly migration. Want expert help with your next migration? Integriti Studio has you covered.

Frequently Asked Questions (How to Migrate a WordPress Site Without Losing SEO)

Does migrating a WordPress site affect SEO?

Yes, SEO can be affected if migration is not handled properly. Using correct 301 redirects, keeping the same URL structure, and preserving metadata helps protect rankings.

What should I do before starting the migration?

Take a full backup, create a list of existing URLs, export SEO settings, and test the migration on a staging environment.

Why are 301 redirects important during migration?

301 redirects permanently point old URLs to new ones, passing link equity and preventing traffic and ranking loss.

How do SEO plugins help during migration?

Plugins like Yoast or Rank Math allow you to export and import SEO data, keeping titles, meta descriptions, and schema intact.