A Detailed Website Migration Checklist

Moving your site to a new web hosting service might seem scary, but with proper planning, it can be smooth and successful. Whether you’re switching hosting providers, updating your site design, or changing your domain name, a well-structured migration process helps prevent problems like lost data or broken pages.

For businesses in New Zealand looking for the best domain hosting NZ options, website migration often becomes necessary to improve performance or reduce costs.

Website Migration Phase 1: Planning

Set Clear Goals

Before starting your website migration, define exactly what you want to achieve. Are you moving to a faster server? Changing your site design? Or switching to a new content management system like WordPress? Having clear objectives helps you stay focused throughout the process.

Create Backups

Make complete copies of your website files and databases. Think of this like taking photos of your room before moving houses – if anything gets lost, you have proof of how everything should look. Store these backups safely on your computer or external drive.

Check Current Performance

Record important information about your current website, including:

• Page loading speeds
• Number of visitors
• Popular pages
• Search engine rankings

This data helps you compare performance after the migration.

Website Migration Phase 2: Preparation Steps

Review Content

Make a list of all your website pages, images and files. This helps ensure nothing gets left behind during the transfer website to new host process. Pay special attention to your most important pages and ensure they’re prioritised during migration.

Test Environment Setup

Making a test version of your website will let you make changes without affecting the live site is important. This gives you a safe space to fix problems before they impact your visitors.

Technical Checks

• Verify domain settings
• Check SSL certificates
• Review website structure
• Test all website functions

Website Migration Phase 3: Migration Process

WordPress Migration

If you’re using WordPress, the process involves:

1. Exporting your current website content and database.
2. Setting up WordPress on the new host with proper configurations.
3. Importing your content and checking for consistency.
4. Testing all features, plugins and themes.
5. Configuring performance optimisation settings.
6. Setting up security measures.

Content Transfer

Move your website files to the new location carefully, following your website migration checklist. This includes:

• Uploading all files in their correct directory structure.
• Moving databases with proper encoding.
• Checking file permissions and ownership.
• Verifying media files and attachments.
• Ensuring proper configuration of server settings.
• Testing database connections and functionality.

Website Migration Phase 4: Testing Phase

• Check all pages loaded correctly on different browsers.
• Verify contact forms and other interactive elements.
• Test payment systems and checkout processes.
• Ensure all internal links and external links work properly.
• Review mobile responsiveness across devices.
• Test site search functionality.
• Verify social media integration.

Website Migration Checklist: Post-Migration Tasks

Final Checks

• Update DNS settings and propagation.
• Verify SSL certificate installation and security.
• Test website speed and performance.
• Check for broken links and redirect chains.
• Monitor website traffic patterns.
• Review server logs for errors.
• Test backup systems.

Search Engine Updates

• Submit your new sitemap to search engines.
• Update search console settings and ownership.
• Check the website indexing status.
• Monitor search rankings and traffic.
• Update any external business listings.
• Verify analytics tracking.

Conclusion

Remember that website migration requires patience and attention to detail. By following this checklist, you reduce the risk of problems and ensure your website continues to serve your visitors effectively.

While the process might seem complex, taking it step by step makes it manageable and helps prevent overlooking important details.