Before design sign-off: inventory what exists
Record the existing site before replacing it. Start with public sitemaps and internal links, then add Search Console landing pages, externally linked URLs and hosting logs where available. Include useful articles, downloads and images as well as the main menu. A public crawl cannot establish every historical URL or tell you which page generates a valuable customer.
- Save the current URL inventory and page titles.
- Identify pages receiving search clicks and external links using the available accounts.
- Record important downloads, images and verification files.
- List existing services or articles missing from the proposed structure.
Map each old address to a deliberate outcome
Keep useful addresses where the page’s job remains the same. For a genuinely moved page, use a permanent server redirect to the relevant replacement. A page with no replacement needs a content decision; do not quietly send every missing address to the homepage. Map aliases to the final destination to avoid unnecessary redirect chains.
| Example from the WOTS rebuild | Live handling | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| /web-design/ | Address retained for the rebuilt page. | The web-design service still has a dedicated page. |
| /web-development/ | 301 redirect to /custom-development/. | Bespoke development has a relevant replacement. |
| /seo-sydney/ | 301 redirect to /search-engine-optimisation/. | Directs visitors to the current search engine optimisation service page. |
These are live examples from the WOTS website rebuild. After launch, check each redirect and its destination on the production site, then monitor search traffic and missing-page requests.
During the build: preserve useful meaning
Carry forward the information that helps a visitor understand the offer: service scope, locations, relevant product detail and genuine evidence. Check titles, main headings, canonical addresses and contextual links against the intended page role. A redesign can improve the presentation while accidentally removing the specific explanation that made an old page useful.
- Check one clear main heading and a descriptive search title on each important page.
- Confirm internal links point to the final URLs.
- Check that client work is described with accurate roles and attribution.
- Keep important information available as text as well as images.
Before launch: test the destination, not just the button
Check an old URL’s first response and its final destination. A moved address should reach the intended page; an unrelated page should not return a false success response. Test the production enquiry setup separately: validation, delivery, notifications and any CRM handover. A form that looks finished or opens an email draft is not proof of direct message delivery.
| Acceptance check | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Retained page | Returns 200 and contains the intended service information. |
| Moved page | Returns the agreed permanent redirect to a relevant page that returns 200. |
| Removed page with no equivalent | Returns a genuine not-found or gone response after a deliberate content decision. |
| Enquiry | Reaches the intended recipient and follow-up process in the actual production setup. |
| Tracking | Records the intended action without confusing a visit with a completed enquiry. |
At launch: check the public version
Development and production need different indexing controls. Keep the preview protected while checking that the released pages allow the intended search access. Confirm the public hostname, HTTPS behaviour, sitemap and canonical URLs on the real hosting. A successful local build does not prove the production server is configured correctly.
- Remove staging-only noindex from the pages intended for public search.
- Verify public robots rules and hosting access.
- Check HTTPS and the preferred hostname while preserving page paths.
- Confirm the sitemap lists final, working URLs.
- Preserve the verification method used by the actual search accounts.
After launch: watch the pages that matter
Inspect the key pages in the available webmaster accounts and monitor missing-page requests, indexing and landing-page performance. Compare relevant periods with context for seasonality and other business changes. Keep redirects in place while old links remain useful. Investigate unexpected losses at the page and query level before assuming a design change caused them.