After a site migration or redesign, maintaining SEO rankings requires careful planning and execution. Here's how to preserve your search rankings effectively:

Pre-Migration Steps:

1. Document your current site structure:

• Create a spreadsheet listing all existing URLs
• Map old URLs to planned new URLs
• Track all important metadata and content

2. Preserve your domain name:

• Keep your existing domain if possible
• Transfer the domain to new host if needed
• Use domain mapping if staying with current registrar

Key Implementation Steps:

1. Match URL structure:

• Maintain existing URL slugs where possible
• Create identical page paths (e.g., /about, /contact)
• Document any necessary URL changes

2. Set up proper redirects:

• Implement 301 redirects for all changed URLs
• Ensure redirects point to relevant new content
• Test all redirects before going live

3. Configure technical elements:

• Create a custom 404 error page
• Update internal linking structure
• Maintain existing meta descriptions and titles

Post-Migration Tasks:

1. Use search console tools:

• Submit new sitemap to Google Search Console
• Request site reindexing
• Monitor for crawl errors or issues

2. Monitor performance:

• Track search rankings daily
• Watch for traffic changes
• Address any ranking drops quickly

Ongoing Maintenance:

1. Regular checks:

• Monitor redirect performance
• Check for broken links
• Update sitemaps as needed

2. SEO optimization:

• Continue regular content updates
• Maintain proper meta information
• Monitor site speed and performance

By following these steps systematically, you can minimize ranking drops and potentially improve your search visibility after migration.

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