WordPress Migration Checklist: The 15 Steps You Can't Skip

Don't Migrate Blind

Website migrations are where SEO goes to die. Google's own documentation warns that migrations can cause temporary (or permanent) ranking drops if done incorrectly.

But it doesn't have to be that way. With the right checklist, you can migrate from WordPress to a modern platform without losing a single ranking — and often improve them.

Here are the 15 steps you absolutely cannot skip.

Pre-Migration (Before You Touch Anything)

1. Export Your Full Sitemap

Download your current sitemap.xml and save it. This is your master list of every URL that needs to exist on the new site.

2. Crawl Your Current Site

Use Screaming Frog, Sitebulb, or a similar crawler to capture:

This becomes your migration reference document.

3. Document Your Top-Performing Pages

Check Google Search Console and Google Analytics for:

These are your VIP pages — they get extra attention during migration.

4. Screenshot Every Page

Take full-page screenshots of every page on your current site. These are your visual reference for quality checking the new build.

Tools: GoFullPage (Chrome extension), or Screaming Frog's screenshot feature.

5. Backup Everything

Even though you're leaving WordPress, take a full backup:

Store this somewhere safe. You'll never need it — until you do.

During Migration

6. Match URL Structure Exactly

Your new site should use the same URLs as your old site. If your WordPress post was at /blog/my-great-post, the new site should serve the same URL.

If URLs must change, create 301 redirects for every single one. No exceptions.

7. Migrate All Meta Tags

For every page, transfer:

Don't let your new framework generate default meta tags — use the exact ones that are currently ranking.

8. Preserve All Internal Links

Every internal link on your current site should work on the new site. This includes:

Broken internal links confuse both Google and your visitors.

9. Migrate Images with Alt Text

Every image needs to be:

Don't let images fall through the cracks — they carry SEO value.

10. Implement Schema Markup

Your new site should have at least the same schema markup as the old one — ideally better. Key schema types:

11. Create Your Redirect Map

Build a spreadsheet mapping every old URL to its new URL:

Every URL that changes needs a 301 redirect. Every URL that's being removed needs to redirect to the most relevant existing page.

Post-Migration

12. Test Every Page

After deploying the new site:

13. Submit New Sitemap to Google

14. Monitor Search Console for 30 Days

Watch for:

Address any issues immediately. The first 30 days are critical.

15. Update External Links Where Possible

If you have control over any external links pointing to your site (Google Business Profile, social media profiles, directory listings), update them to the new URLs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the single most important step in a WordPress migration?

Preserving URLs and setting up 301 redirects for any that change. More migrations fail from broken URL structures than any other cause, and Google treats a site with broken URL mapping as a new site — which kills your rankings.

How do I avoid losing SEO rankings when migrating from WordPress?

Crawl the site first to capture every URL, meta tag, and schema marker, then match them exactly on the new site. Keep the URL structure identical where possible, 301-redirect anything that changes, and submit an updated sitemap to Google Search Console on launch day. CloneMySite follows this checklist on every migration.

Do I need to back up WordPress before migrating?

Yes, always. Export the database, the wp-content folder, and the .htaccess file before starting. You'll almost certainly never need the backup, but it's essential insurance in case something needs to be referenced post-launch.

How long should I monitor Google Search Console after migrating?

At least 30 days, though 60-90 is safer. Watch for crawl errors, coverage issues, and impression drops, and fix any 404s or schema errors immediately. Most ranking turbulence settles within the first 30 days if the migration was clean.

Can I migrate WordPress myself, or do I need a service?

You can DIY if you're comfortable with Next.js, DNS, and SEO fundamentals — but it's typically a 40-80 hour project for a small business site. CloneMySite handles all 15 checklist steps in 24-72 hours, with redirects, schema, and post-launch monitoring included.

What if my old WordPress URLs don't fit my new site structure?

Map every old URL to the best-matching new URL in a redirect spreadsheet, then implement 301 redirects in Next.js middleware or via Vercel's redirects config. Never let an old URL return a 404 if it had any ranking, backlinks, or traffic.

Should I keep my WordPress site running after migrating?

Keep it live for 30 days as a safety net, then shut it down. This gives you a fallback if any redirect or content issue appears, and it's long enough for Google to fully re-index the new version.

The CloneMySite Advantage

When CloneMySite handles your migration, all 15 steps are included. We don't just clone your design — we execute a proper technical migration with redirects, meta tags, schema, and post-launch monitoring.

Start your migration →