Moving an ecommerce shop to a new platform, theme or domain is one of the riskiest moments for organic traffic. A poorly handled migration can wipe out years of rankings in a matter of days. This checklist is for London retailers planning a move and wanting to protect their search visibility.
Pre-migration audit
Before you move anything, export a full list of current URLs, titles, meta descriptions, headings and top landing pages. Identify which pages drive the most organic traffic and which have the strongest backlink profile. This list becomes the baseline you compare against after launch. If you do not know what is working now, you will not know what broke later.
URL mapping and redirects
Every old product, category and content URL that has any value should be mapped to a new URL. Where the URL changes, use a 301 redirect. Do not rely on global redirects or soft 404 pages. Redirects should be tested in bulk before launch and again after. If a product is being removed, redirect it to the most relevant category or a similar product.
Content and metadata
Keep titles, meta descriptions, product descriptions and structured data as close to the original as possible, unless there is a clear SEO reason to change them. A new design often leads to rewritten copy, but wholesale rewrites can confuse search engines. Preserve your top-performing content and improve it gradually after launch.
Technical checks
Crawl the new site before it goes live. Check for broken links, duplicate pages, missing canonical tags, missing alt text and incorrect robots directives. Make sure the new platform generates clean URLs, has a valid XML sitemap and serves a fast mobile experience. Speed is especially important for budget ecommerce website London projects.
Post-launch monitoring
After launch, compare rankings, impressions and clicks against your baseline. Monitor Search Console for coverage errors and 404 spikes. Keep redirects in place for at least a year, and longer if the old URLs still attract links or direct traffic. A careful post-launch review usually catches the issues that matter most.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I keep 301 redirects?
At least twelve months, and indefinitely for URLs that still have backlinks or direct traffic. Removing redirects too early can cause traffic loss.
Will my rankings drop after migration?
A small, temporary fluctuation is normal. A large, sustained drop usually means redirects, content or technical settings were missed. Planning and testing reduce this risk significantly.
Can I change my URL structure during migration?
You can, but every changed URL needs a 301 redirect. Only change structure if there is a clear benefit, because it adds risk and complexity.
What is a soft 404?
A soft 404 is a page that looks like a 404 to a user but does not return a 404 status code to search engines. This confuses crawlers and should be fixed during a migration.
