Website Building Platforms: Migrate Safely in 7 Steps

Everything your website needs

Current site access

Have administrator access to your old WordPress dashboard.

Domain login

Keep the login details for the account managing your domain.

Complete backup

Download your content, media, database and business records.

SEO baseline

Export the last 28 days of search and conversion data.

URL spreadsheet

Prepare a simple list of old and planned page addresses.

Moving an established site between website building platforms can improve performance and simplify management, but careless migration can erase years of SEO progress. Follow this seven-step process to move your old WordPress site without losing rankings, traffic or valuable links. Most small business sites can be prepared in one or two days, followed by several weeks of monitoring.

Step 1: Record your current SEO performance

Create a baseline before changing anything. In your search performance account, set the date range to the last 28 days and export the pages, search queries, clicks and impressions. Record your average organic traffic, contact submissions and online sales so you can identify unusual changes after launch.

Next, make a spreadsheet containing every important page. Start with the URLs in your XML sitemap, then add any landing pages receiving search traffic that are missing from it.

• Current URL and page title
• Monthly organic visits or search clicks
• Main target query
• Number of enquiries or sales
• Priority level: high, medium or low

Mark the 10 to 20 pages responsible for most traffic or revenue. These pages require the closest comparison during migration.

Step 2: Back up the entire WordPress site

Do not rely on the live website as your only copy. In the WordPress dashboard, open Tools > Export, select All content, then download the export file. Also download the media library, important PDF files, logos, product images and original photographs into clearly named folders.

Request a complete backup from your current hosting account. It should include the database and uploaded files, even if you do not expect to restore them. Save copies of information that may not appear in the normal content export:

• Form submissions and email enquiries
• Customer, order and product records
• Discount codes, tax settings and delivery rules
• User accounts and membership details
• Custom scripts or verification codes

Keep this backup offline until at least 30 days after the new site launches.

Step 3: Build a page-by-page URL map

Preserving URLs is the safest option. If the old contact page uses /contact/, give the new page the same address. Match lowercase letters, words, hyphens and trailing slashes wherever the new system allows it.

Create two spreadsheet columns named Old URL and New URL. Add one row for every existing page. When a URL must change, specify a permanent 301 redirect from the old address to the closest relevant replacement. Never send every deleted page to the homepage.

• Redirect an old service page to the matching new service page.
• Redirect a discontinued product to its replacement or category.
• Keep a useful article at its existing URL whenever possible.
• Return a genuine not-found response for content with no suitable replacement.

This map becomes the migration checklist and redirect plan. It is especially important when comparing website building platforms because each platform may handle page paths differently.

Step 4: Rebuild the site in a private workspace

Build the replacement without changing the live domain. The private version must be hidden from search engines so unfinished pages do not enter search results. Keep the old WordPress site available to customers while you review the new one.

With Selspy, you can explain the migration in a chat and provide the old site address, business details, preferred design and URL map. Ask Selspy to recreate the structure, retain important copy, generate the required pages and prepare redirects. Plans start from 20 euros per month and include hosting, so you do not need to configure a separate server.

Rebuild my business website using the attached URL map. Preserve existing page paths, headings, titles, descriptions, internal links and calls to action. Prepare permanent redirects for every changed URL.

Automation removes much of the manual setup, but review every high-priority page against the original before approving it.

Step 5: Transfer every important SEO signal

Copy the elements that explain each page to visitors and search engines. Keep the main topic, useful text and heading structure of pages that already rank. A redesign is not a reason to replace proven service copy with a few generic sentences.

• Use one clear main heading that describes the page.
• Transfer the SEO title and meta description.
• Copy descriptive alternative text for meaningful images.
• Preserve internal links between related services and articles.
• Set the preferred canonical address to the final live URL.
• Recreate relevant business, product, article or FAQ data.

Check menus, breadcrumbs and footer links manually. Replace links that still point to private preview addresses. Keep business names, telephone numbers, opening hours and addresses consistent across the entire site.

Step 6: Test the replacement before changing the domain

Test on a phone and a computer. Open every menu item, submit each contact form, complete a test purchase if applicable and confirm that confirmation messages arrive. Check buttons, downloadable files, telephone links, policy pages and checkout calculations.

Use your URL spreadsheet to inspect every high-priority page and a sample of at least 20 other pages. Confirm the following:

• The page loads and displays the intended content.
• The title, description and main heading are correct.
• Images are sharp, compressed and not missing.
• Internal links open the correct final address.
• Planned redirects do not create chains or loops.
• The XML sitemap contains only live, preferred URLs.

Prepare the search visibility setting for launch, but do not remove the private-site restriction early. If you manage domain settings, reduce the DNS time to live to 300 seconds about 24 hours before launch. Otherwise, ask your domain support team to prepare the change.

Step 7: Connect the domain and verify the live site

Launch during a quiet business period, not immediately before a promotion. Connect the existing domain to the replacement site, enable its secure certificate and activate the 301 redirects. Selspy can handle the hosting and technical publication steps after you approve the site in chat.

As soon as the domain resolves, remove the instruction that kept the private site out of search results. Open five old URLs that changed and confirm each reaches the correct new page in one redirect. Then check the homepage, top landing pages, forms and checkout again.

1. Confirm both domain versions resolve to one preferred version.
2. Submit the new XML sitemap through your search account.
3. Request indexing for the homepage and top 10 pages.
4. Check that important pages are not marked as noindex.
5. Keep the old backup and account available for 30 days.

Most common migration mistakes and how to avoid them

The most damaging mistake is changing the design, copy, URLs and navigation simultaneously. Preserve proven content and addresses first, then improve them after search performance stabilizes. Other frequent problems include forgetting redirects, blocking the live site from indexing, publishing duplicate preview pages and removing internal links.

• Missing pages: compare the live sitemap with your original URL list.
• Redirecting everything home: choose the closest page for each old URL.
• Lost metadata: compare titles and descriptions before launch.
• Broken images: verify files were imported rather than loaded from the old server.
• Early cancellation: retain the old account and backup until the migration is stable.

Do not judge the migration from rankings alone during the first few days. Search results can fluctuate while changed pages are revisited.

What to do after finishing the migration

Check traffic, indexing, conversions and not-found errors after 48 hours, seven days, 14 days and 30 days. Compare the numbers with your original 28-day baseline. Investigate any important page that loses clicks, disappears from search or receives fewer enquiries.

Fix broken links and redirect errors immediately, but avoid repeatedly rewriting pages during the monitoring period. Once performance is stable, improve speed, add useful content and update weak calls to action. If you use Selspy, ask in the project chat to check specific pages, adjust content or create new sections without rebuilding the site yourself.

How Selspy works

1

Describe your business

Tell Selspy what you do and what you offer.

2

AI builds your site

Design, copy and images ready in minutes.

3

Publish and grow

Live on your own domain the same day.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a WordPress migration usually take?

A small business site can often be prepared in one or two days. Larger stores, membership sites and content-heavy websites may require one to three weeks for mapping, testing and data checks.

Will my search rankings drop after the migration?

Minor fluctuations are normal while search engines revisit the site. Preserving URLs, content, internal links and metadata while using correct 301 redirects greatly reduces the risk of a lasting decline.

Can I migrate my WordPress site without technical skills?

Yes. Selspy lets you describe the project and request the migration in a chat, while hosting and publication are handled within the platform. You should still review priority pages, redirects and forms before launch.

How much does it cost to migrate with Selspy?

Selspy is a paid service with plans starting from 20 euros per month, including hosting. The final effort depends on the number of pages, products and special features that must be transferred.

Should I change page URLs during the redesign?

Keep existing URLs whenever possible, especially for pages with traffic or external links. When a change is unavoidable, create a permanent 301 redirect to the closest relevant new page.

How long should I keep my old website backup?

Keep a complete offline backup and access to the old account for at least 30 days after launch. Stores or membership sites should consider retaining records longer for accounting and customer support needs.

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