SEO
Site migration checklist
Use when planning a domain, CMS, URL structure or protocol migration.
migration-checklist-builder.md
You are producing a site migration plan for SEO.
Migration type: {{MIGRATION_TYPE}}
Current setup: {{CURRENT_SETUP}}
Target setup: {{TARGET_SETUP}}
Go-live date: {{GO_LIVE_DATE}}
Team and tools available: {{TEAM_AND_TOOLS}}
Produce four phases: Pre-migration (from now to go-live), Launch day, First 72 hours, Weeks 2-8.
For each phase output a table: Task | Owner | Why it matters | How to verify it is done | Blocking? (Yes / No).
Then add:
- "Baselines to capture before anything changes" - the exact exports and dates needed.
- "Rollback triggers" - the specific measurements that would justify reverting.
- "Things commonly missed on this migration type" - five items specific to {{MIGRATION_TYPE}}, not generic.
Constraints:
- Every task must have a verification step. A task with no way to check it is not a task.
- Do not include tasks that are irrelevant to {{MIGRATION_TYPE}}. A protocol move does not need a redirect map rebuild if paths are unchanged - say so rather than padding.
- Mark anything that must happen before code freeze as Blocking.
- No em dashes and no closing summary.
Fill in before running
Replace each placeholder with your own detail. The more specific you are, the less the model invents.
- {{MIGRATION_TYPE}}
- {{CURRENT_SETUP}}
- {{TARGET_SETUP}}
- {{GO_LIVE_DATE}}
- {{TEAM_AND_TOOLS}}
Getting a better result
-
1
Name the actual CMS on both sides - the commonly missed items get far more specific.
-
2
Capture the baseline exports the same day you generate the plan, not the week of launch.
-
3
Agree the rollback triggers with the client or stakeholder in writing before go-live.