Website migration checklist: move to a new server without losing rankings
Moving a website to a new server or hosting company is safe when it is done in the right order. Most ranking losses after a move come from avoidable mistakes: broken pages, a blocked site, missing redirects or lost email. This checklist takes you through the move from start to finish.
- Before the move
- Moving day
- After the move
- SEO checks
- Email and DNS
What a server move changes, and what it should not
In a plain host-to-host migration your domain name and page addresses stay exactly the same. Only the machine that serves the pages changes. Google does not need to be told about this kind of move, and if every page still opens at the same address with the same content, rankings normally carry on as before.
Trouble starts when something else changes by accident: addresses gain or lose a trailing slash, the secure version stops working, a test setting blocks search engines, or the new server is much slower. The purpose of a checklist is to make sure the only thing that changes is the server.
If you are also changing the domain name, the design or the page addresses, treat that as a separate project with its own redirect plan. Doing everything on the same day makes it very hard to find the cause if traffic falls.
Stage 1: take stock of the current site
Do this a week or more before the move. You are building a record of how things are today, so you can prove afterwards that nothing was lost.
- List everything on the old hosting account: websites, subdomains, databases, email accounts, forwarders and scheduled tasks (cron jobs)
- Note the software versions in use, such as PHP and the database version, and any special server modules the site depends on
- Crawl the site with a crawler tool, or export the sitemap, and save the full list of page addresses
- Save a copy of robots.txt, the sitemap file and any redirect rules, for example the .htaccess file on Apache servers
- Export the current DNS zone: every A, CNAME, MX and TXT record, including SPF, DKIM and site verification records
- Record current figures from Google Search Console and Analytics so you have a baseline to compare with
- Find out where the domain is registered and make sure you can log in to change DNS
Stage 2: back up and prepare the new server
Take a full backup
Copy all files and export every database. Download the backup to a place that is not on the old or the new server, and check that the archive opens.
Match the environment
Set up the new server with compatible versions of the web server, PHP and database. A newer version is fine if the site has been tested on it.
Copy the site across
Upload the files, import the databases and update configuration files with the new database details. Recreate scheduled tasks and file permissions.
Create email accounts
If email is hosted on the same server, create every mailbox and forwarder on the new one before the switch, and plan how existing mail will be copied.
Install SSL
Have a valid certificate ready on the new server so the secure address works from the first minute.
Stage 3: test before anyone sees it
You can view the site on the new server before changing DNS. The usual way is to edit the hosts file on your own computer so that your domain points to the new server address for you alone. Some hosts also give a temporary preview address.
Go through the site as a visitor would. Open the home page, a few inner pages, images and downloads. Submit every form and confirm the email arrives. Log in to the admin area. If it is a shop, place a test order through to payment.
Then compare with your saved list of addresses. Each one should return a normal page on the new server, not an error and not an unexpected redirect. Check that robots.txt matches the old one. If the copy on the new server was protected with a password or a noindex setting during testing, write down that it must be removed at launch.
Stage 4: moving day
Pick a quiet time for your business, and avoid the day before a holiday in case something needs attention.
Lower the DNS TTL in advance
A day or two before, reduce the time to live on your DNS records so that the change spreads faster. Shorter values mean visitors reach the new server sooner.
Pause changes
Stop editing content and, for a shop or booking site, consider a short maintenance notice so that no orders are written to the old database during the switch.
Run the final sync
Copy across any files and database changes made since the first copy, so the new server holds the latest data.
Switch DNS
Point the A record, and any others that referred to the old server, to the new one. Leave MX and other mail records alone unless email is moving too.
Keep the old server running
Some visitors will still reach the old server until the DNS change has spread everywhere. Leave it online for some days as a fallback, and do not cancel it yet.
Stage 5: checks straight after the switch
- The site opens on both the www and non-www address and on https, with one version redirecting to the other as before
- The SSL certificate is valid and there are no mixed content warnings
- robots.txt is reachable and does not block the whole site
- No page carries a noindex tag left over from testing
- The sitemap opens and lists the right addresses
- Old redirects still work, and a sample of saved addresses returns the correct pages
- Forms, search, login, cart and payment all work
- You can send and receive email, and SPF and DKIM records are in place
- Analytics and other tracking tags are recording visits
- Scheduled tasks and backups are running on the new server
Stage 6: watch Google for the next few weeks
Open Google Search Console and inspect the home page and a couple of important pages to confirm Google can fetch them. Resubmit the sitemap. Over the following weeks, look at the page indexing and crawl stats reports for a rise in errors such as pages not found or server errors.
Check page speed as well. A slower server can hurt both visitors and search performance, so test a few pages with PageSpeed Insights and compare with your notes from before the move.
Small ups and downs in the first days are normal. A steady fall is not, and usually points to one of four things: blocked crawling, missing pages, lost redirects or a much slower site. Your saved list of addresses and baseline figures make the cause quick to find.
Common mistakes to avoid
| Mistake | What happens | How to prevent it |
|---|---|---|
| Testing copy left blocked | Search engines are told not to index the live site | Check robots.txt and noindex settings at launch |
| Mail records overwritten | Email stops arriving | Export the DNS zone first and copy MX and TXT records exactly |
| Old server cancelled too soon | Some visitors see an error, and there is no fallback | Keep it for some days after the switch |
| Redirect rules not copied | Old links and rankings for moved pages are lost | Save and reapply server redirect rules |
| No final data sync | Recent orders or enquiries go missing | Pause changes and sync again just before the switch |
| Everything changed at once | Impossible to tell what caused a drop | Move the server first, redesign later |
Frequently asked questions
Will moving my website to a new host affect my Google rankings?
Not if the move is done cleanly. When the domain, page addresses and content stay the same and the new server is at least as fast and reliable as the old one, Google simply carries on crawling. Rankings are at risk only when pages break, redirects are lost, the site is blocked from indexing or the new server is slow.
How much downtime should I expect during a server migration?
A planned migration can be done with little or no visible downtime, because the new server is fully set up and tested before DNS is switched, and the old one keeps running while the change spreads. Sites that take orders or bookings may need a short maintenance window so that no data is written to the old database.
Do I need to tell Google that I changed hosting?
No. Google has a Change of Address tool in Search Console, but it is for moving to a different domain name. For a change of server or hosting company with the same domain, there is nothing to submit. It is still sensible to resubmit your sitemap and watch the crawl and indexing reports afterwards.
What happens to my email when I move the website?
It depends on where the email is hosted. If you use a separate email service, keep the mail records in DNS unchanged and nothing happens. If mailboxes live on the old server, they must be created on the new one, existing messages copied and the MX, SPF and DKIM records updated as part of the plan.
How long does DNS take to update after the switch?
It varies with the time to live set on your records and with how internet providers cache them. Many visitors reach the new server quickly, while some may be sent to the old one for a day or two. Lowering the time to live before the move shortens this period, and keeping the old server online covers the gap.
Can Garage2Global migrate my website for me?
Yes. Garage2Global handles server and hosting migrations, including files, databases, email, DNS and SSL, and checks the site against this kind of checklist before and after the switch. Contact the office at 434, Transport Nagar, Kota, on +91 88128 00000 or at info@garage2global.com with your current hosting details.
Related
Server migration (shifting)
Server migration services with a step-by-step checklist: move websites, databases and email to a new host with a tested cutover, DNS switch and rollback.
Learn moreServer managementServer management
Server management for Linux VPS and cloud servers: monitoring, security patching, tested backups, hardening, and cPanel, aaPanel and Plesk admin.
Learn moreSearch engine optimisationSEO services
SEO services covering audits, technical SEO, on-page work, content, local SEO and e-commerce SEO, with a plain monthly report on rankings and leads.
Learn moreReady to start?
Tell us what you need and get a clear plan and price within 1 business day.