SEO Migration Pre-Launch Checklist: What to Verify Before Go-Live

Redirect mapping verification

Every URL that existed on the old site and has inbound links or organic rankings must redirect to the most relevant URL on the new site with a 301. Test every redirect in the mapping document before go-live using a bulk redirect checker (Screaming Frog, Redirect Path, or a custom script). Verify: the redirect returns a 301 (not 302), the destination URL returns a 200, and the destination URL is the correct page (not the homepage).

• 301 not 302: temporary redirects do not pass link equity
• Destination returns 200: do not redirect to a redirect (redirect chains)
• No redirect to homepage: every URL should redirect to its topical equivalent

Crawl the staging environment

Before go-live, crawl the staging environment with Screaming Frog. Verify: no canonical tags pointing to the old domain, robots.txt on staging blocks all crawlers (preventing Google indexing staging), all meta robots tags are 'index, follow' (not accidentally set to noindex from development), and all internal links use the new site's URL structure.

Google Search Console transfer

If the domain is changing, add the new domain as a property in Google Search Console before go-live. Submit the new sitemap on go-live day. Use the Change of Address tool in GSC (Settings > Change of Address) if migrating between domains — this accelerates Google's acknowledgement of the migration by up to four weeks.

Key takeaways

• Test every redirect before go-live. 302s don't pass equity. Chains add latency and dilute equity.
• Block staging from crawlers in robots.txt. Accidentally indexed staging pages compete with the live site.
• Submit the GSC Change of Address tool on migration day to accelerate Google's processing.

Frequently asked questions

Will an SEO migration cost me rankings?

A migration only costs rankings when it is rushed or unplanned. With a full URL map, clean 301 redirects, preserved on-page signals and careful monitoring, you can move a site and hold or even improve its visibility.

Where is TPR Media based?

TPR Media operates from Level 34, 1 Eagle Street, Brisbane City QLD 4000, serving clients across Brisbane and Australia-wide.

TPR Media's SEO migration pre-launch checklist for Australian businesses: redirect mapping verification (301, no chains, no homepage redirects), staging crawl checks for canonical and noindex errors, and the Google Search Console Change of Address submission that accelerates migration processing.