Pre-migration checklist
Everything to do before any website, email, or platform migration begins — backups, credentials, redirects, timelines, and go/no-go criteria.
Starting a migration without preparation is one of the most common ways things go wrong. This checklist applies to any migration — website platform, hosting provider, or email. Work through it before anything moves.
Quick summary
Before any migration: take a full backup, document all your URLs, gather every login credential needed, plan your redirects, and pick a low-traffic window for the move. Share this checklist with your project lead so we can confirm readiness together.
What you'll need
30–60 minutes All migrationsComplete this checklist before your migration begins. Some items are your responsibility; others are ours. Your project lead will confirm which is which.
Back up everything first
A backup is a complete copy of your current website, data, and settings saved somewhere separate. If anything goes wrong during the migration, a backup is how you recover.
Never skip the backup step
Even if your platform takes automatic backups, create a fresh manual backup on the day before migration begins. Automatic backups may not include everything, and they may be overwritten.
Back up your website files and database. On WordPress, use a plugin like UpdraftPlus or your hosting provider's backup tool. On Squarespace or Wix, export your content using their built-in export feature.
Download a copy to your computer. Don't just keep the backup in the same hosting account — if that account goes away, so does the backup.
Back up your email. If email is hosted on the same platform or server, export or archive messages before anything changes.
Screenshot or document key settings. This includes SEO titles, meta descriptions, any tracking codes (Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel), and form notification email addresses.
Gather credentials and access
Every migration requires access to multiple accounts. Missing one login on migration day causes delays.
Confirm login access to your current platform. Make sure you have admin-level access — not just a standard user account.
Confirm login access to your destination platform. If accounts need to be created, do this now, not on migration day.
Confirm login access to your domain registrar. This is where your domain name (e.g. yourbusiness.com) is registered. You may need to update DNS records (the settings that point your domain at the right server). See what is DNS if you are unsure.
Share access with us. Invite support@chykalophia.com to any accounts we will need to access, unless your project lead has given you a different address. See the giving access guides for platform-by-platform instructions.
Document your current URLs
Your URLs are addresses — every page on your site has one. During a migration, URLs sometimes change. If a page moves to a new address without a redirect, anyone who clicks an old link (from Google, social media, or a bookmark) will land on a "404 not found" error instead.
Export a full list of your current URLs. In WordPress, use a plugin like Screaming Frog (free up to 500 URLs) or export your sitemap. On other platforms, your sitemap at yoursite.com/sitemap.xml lists all public pages.
Note which pages are most important. Your homepage, service pages, and any pages that rank well in Google search results should be given priority attention.
Share the list with your project lead. We use this to plan redirects.
Plan your redirects
A redirect (called a 301 redirect) automatically sends visitors from an old URL to the new one. Setting these up correctly protects both your users and your SEO.
Redirects must be set up before DNS changes
Redirects need to be in place on the new server before you switch your domain over. If you switch DNS first, visitors arrive at the new site with no redirects and get error pages.
| Old URL | New URL | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Every page that changes address | Closest matching new page | High |
| Old blog post slugs | New blog post slugs | High |
| Category / tag archive pages | Equivalent new pages | Medium |
See Don't lose your SEO during a migration for full details on protecting search rankings.
Choose the right migration window
Pick a low-traffic time. Check your Google Analytics to find when traffic is lowest — often a weekday evening or weekend morning. Schedule the migration then.
Avoid peak business periods. Don't migrate during a product launch, campaign period, or holiday season.
Allow buffer time. DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to fully propagate (spread across the internet). Plan for the site to be in flux for up to two days. See DNS propagation for more.
Notify your team. Let anyone who manages the website know that changes are happening and roughly when.
Go / no-go checklist
Before giving the green light, confirm all of these:
- Fresh backup taken and downloaded
- All credentials confirmed and shared with the project team
- Full URL list documented
- Redirect plan created and reviewed
- Migration window agreed on
- Team notified
- Any active campaigns or time-sensitive content identified
Ready to proceed
Once every item above is checked, you're ready to begin. Your project lead will confirm the go-ahead and walk you through what happens next.
Common questions
Related guides
- Don't lose your SEO during a migration
- Migrating between hosting providers
- What is DNS?
- DNS propagation: why changes take time
- Giving Chykalophia access: start here
- How WordPress backups work
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