CMS migrations: preserving URLs and avoiding redirect chains

Short answer: URL stability protects rankings and bookmarks—map old paths to new ones with single-hop301s and update internal links to the final destination.

CMS migrations between WordPress, Shopify, or custom stacks are where NZ SMEs lose years of link equity through chains and soft404s.

Before migration

• Crawl current site; export top landing URLs from analytics.
• Decide what merges, what redirects, and what returns410/404 intentionally.

During migration

Test redirects on staging; avoid A→B→C chains by pointing A→C when possible.

After migration

Monitor Search Console coverage; fix unexpected exclusions quickly.

Frequently asked questions