Website Migration: Move Your Site Without Losing Your Way
Moving a website to a new platform, a new design, a new domain or a new host is easy to get wrong. We plan the move, carry over your content, set up redirects from the old addresses and check the result before and after launch.
The moves we help with
Every move is different, so we start by finding out exactly what changes and what stays the same.
To a new platform
Moving off Wix, Squarespace, Joomla, Drupal, Weebly or an older store platform to WordPress, WooCommerce, Shopify or a hand-built site.
To a new design or theme
Putting your existing content into a new look without losing pages, titles or links people already use.
To a new host
Moving the same website to faster or more reliable hosting, with the old copy kept running until the new one is checked.
To a new domain
Changing your web address, with every old page sending visitors and search engines to the right new page.
Stores and products
Moving products, categories, variations and images between store platforms or into WooCommerce from a spreadsheet.
Blogs and content
Moving posts, pages, categories, tags and images from one site to another.
What goes wrong when websites move
These are the mistakes that cost businesses visitors after a move. A careful migration is mostly about not making them.
- Old addresses that now show an error page
- Many old pages all redirected to the home page
- A test copy left blocked from search engines after launch
- Page titles and descriptions lost along the way
- A different mobile version from the desktop one
- Redirects switched off after a few weeks
How we plan a website move
- 01
List every page
We gather the addresses on your current site and decide where each one should go.
- 02
Build and test
We build the new site on a private test copy, kept hidden from search engines, and check it on phones and computers.
- 03
Launch with redirects
We switch over and send each old address to its new page with permanent server-side redirects.
- 04
Check afterwards
We update your sitemap, make sure the test-copy blocks are gone and watch for broken links and errors.
Move first, redesign second
If you are changing several things, the order matters.
One change at a time
Google’s own site-move guidance is to plan changes one after the other rather than all at once. Move the site first, then change the layout as a separate step, so if something shifts you know why.
What to expect afterwards
Rankings can move around for a while after a move, and nobody can promise exactly how it will go. Keeping the same page structure where possible helps search engines recognise your pages. See also our website redesign page.
We will tell you plainly what we think a move will and won’t change.
Website migration questions, answered
Will I lose my Google rankings if I move my website?
Nobody can promise that. Google says to expect some temporary fluctuation during a move. What helps is a complete map of old addresses to new ones, permanent server-side redirects, an updated sitemap and not changing everything at once.
How long do the redirects need to stay in place?
As long as possible. Google’s site-move guidance says to keep them for at least a year, and from your visitors’ point of view it is worth keeping them indefinitely so old links and bookmarks keep working.
Can you move my content from WordPress to WordPress?
Yes. WordPress has a built-in export and import for posts, pages, categories, tags, comments and authors. Images can be brought across too, and very large sites may need to be moved in parts.
Can you move my products into WooCommerce?
Yes. WooCommerce can import products from a spreadsheet file, including categories, attributes and variations, as long as the images are online or uploaded first. See WooCommerce help.
What if my website is on Wix or Squarespace?
Some platforms limit how much you can take with you, so we check what can be exported before we promise anything. See Wix and Squarespace.
Do you move email and hosting too?
We can move the website to new hosting. Email depends on where it is hosted today, and changes to a domain or hosting can affect it, so we find out where yours lives before we change anything.
How much does it cost?
It depends on the platform, the size of the site and what needs doing. Ask for a free quote and we’ll explain the options in plain language.
What our clients say
Rated Excellent by clients on Google
Great experience with Surrey Web Guru! Professional, responsive, and they did an excellent job on my website. Highly recommended!
Surrey Web Guru provided excellent service by creating a modern, professional website at a reasonable price. His expertise, attention to detail, and ongoing support made the entire process smooth and stress-free. Highly recommended!
Surrey Web Guru Excellent service provided for webpage design. He got me at the cheapest price. And recommended me good and affordable social media marketing platforms as well. Highly recommend.
They built a professional website for our company and understood exactly what we needed. Communication was clear, and the whole process went smoothly. The final website looks great and works well for our business. Highly recommend their services!
Great experience working with Sameer on our NuBite Denture Clinic website. He's professional, responsive, and really took the time to understand our vision. Very happy with the process and would definitely recommend him!
Excellent service provided for webpage design. The team was professional, responsive, and delivered a website that met my expectation.
I can't recommend Sameer highly enough! From the initial setup of my website to the ongoing support, he has been fantastic. He's always available to answer my calls, makes edits quickly and efficiently. The quality of his work is top-notch, and his dedication to customer satisfaction is evident in the work he does. If you're looking for a reliable, skilled, and customer-focused website developer, look no further!
Great support by Sameer. Always available when needed.
Excellent experience with Surrey web guru because he is very knowledgeable and experienced. He created very professional website according to my needs. His work is modern and very clean however the price is very reasonable as compared to other websites designer in surrey. Moreover, he is always available for any queries. The entire experience with Surrey Web Guru was smooth and hassle free. Working with him has been a pleasure, and I highly recommend their services.
Thank you so much for creating such a good website along with fixing our google business profile suspension issue.
“Surrey Web Guru Created an amazing website for my Cleaning Company. Vancourver-Pro Cleaning Contracting Services . The design looks professional, modern, and works perfectly on mobile. Since launching the site, we’ve received more enquiries and new clients. Highly recommended for anyone wanting a quality business website!” Thank you GURU!!
so helpful and so knowledgable with creating our website! couldn’t have done it without him!! super grateful
Thank you for running our google ads and fixing our old website. business is doing good now. Highly recommended for anyone looking to grow their business online.
More ways we can help
- Website maintenance for any platformWordPress, WooCommerce, Shopify, HTML and Drupal
- eCommerce website designOnline stores that sell on WooCommerce or Shopify
- Shopify web designShopify store setup, theme work and support
- HTML website designFast, secure, hand-built websites
- New website for businessStarting fresh or replacing an old site
- Web design and developmentCustom WordPress websites built for local SEO
- Fix or move your websiteWix, Squarespace, Joomla, Drupal, Magento and more
- Website redesignRefresh an outdated or underperforming website
Talk to our Team.
Tell us about your website and we’ll point you in the right direction.