If you’re planning to rebuild or move your website, read this first. It’s a real-world guide from experience on how to protect your SEO, preserve domain authority, and launch a compliant, high-performing site that’s ready to grow.
Every business reaches a point when the website that once looked great now feels outdated or difficult to manage. It happens to everyone. Design trends change, platforms evolve, and technology keeps moving. Before you decide to rebuild or jump to a new platform, you need a plan that protects the most valuable asset your website already owns: its domain authority.
The goal of this guide is to walk you through a real-life, practical website rebuild and SEO redirect checklist, the same process we follow at Gogo Marketing. You’ll also learn why accessibility and ADA compliance for websites under WCAG 2.1 standards are now essential parts of every modern rebuild.
Why Redirects and Domain Authority Matter
Imagine a motorsport company that launched its first site back in 2004. It was hand-coded and still ranks number one in search for its niche. Recently, they considered moving everything to a new Shopify store. Sounds simple, right? Just point the old domain to the new site and go live.
That single shortcut would have eraced over 20 years of domain authority overnight. Every indexed URL would vanish from Google’s memory. Every backlink from outside sites gone in an instant! Without proper 301 redirect mapping, all that equity disappears and the business has to start from zero.
Redirects tell search engines, “Hey, this page moved, follow me here!” When done right, Google passes the link authority from the old URL to the new one. When done wrong or ignored, it’s like tearing up your business card after twenty years of networking.
Real-World Example: A Major Rebuild in Progress
Right now, our team is rebuilding a large site for a packaing manufacturer. For purposes of this writing, the staging version lives at staging.com, while the live production site still runs at production.com. The new build includes more than a hundred pages, product filters, and a quote builder that will automate custom pricing for customers.
The existing production site holds years of backlinks and search credibility, but almost no SEO structure. As we prepare to cut over to the new platform, every single URL from the live site is being mapped to its replacement. That mapping protects search rank and ensures Google sees the transition as an update, not a deletion.
This project will soon become a formal case study for Gogo Marketing because it demonstrates how strategic planning prevents major losses and creates immediate SEO gains.
The new build includes more than a hundred pages, product filters, and a quote builder that will automate custom pricing for customers.
The 2025 Website Rebuild and SEO Redirect Checklist
Below is a 20-point practical checklist you can use before any redesign or migration.
1. Benchmark Current Performance
Document current traffic, conversions, and keyword rankings using Google Analytics and Google Search Console. Production.com had not previously been connected to search console and did not have an analytics tag. We monitored the site for 3 months before making any decisions.
Business tip: What you think you know is not always what is. You’d be surprised more by what pages don’t rank than the pages that do rank. Remember, Google is designed by engineers, and they do not take into account your perception of the the current economic state in your chosen industry or niche of expertise.
2. Crawl the Existing Site
Use Screaming Frog or a similar tool to export all URLs. This becomese your master redirect list.
Business tip: Frogs do in fact scream.
3. Audit Domain Authority
Check your site’s authority score by using Ahrefs or Moz to establish a baseline.
Business tip: Ahrefs Domain Rating (DR) is based on backlinks and is relative to other sites. The higher the better, but “higher than what?” is the question. Comparable sites is the answer. DR is relative, not absolute.
4. Identify Top-Performing Pages
These pages drive the most traffic or backlinks. Protect them first.
Business tip: It’s likely that even on a site with hundreds of pages (I’m not talking blog posts), only a small percentage serve as an entry to the website. Think Pareto Principle in many cases.
5. Create a Redirect Map
Pair every old URL with its new location. Each should use a 301 redirect, not 302.
Business tip: We currently use Rank Math Pro’s function for 301 redirects. This is not a requirement by any means. It works for us because this we also use to help clients understand SEO fundamentals when their teams add blog content to their own websites.
6. Maintain Folder Structure
If possible, keep the same directory logic so both users and search engines recognize familiar paths.
Business tip: The operative here is “if possible.” Some use-cases warrant enhanced parent-child relationships. It’s okay to change the structure, but if the page is super important it won’t hurt to wait until after the cut over.
7. Update Internal Links
After migration, make sure all internal references point to the new URLs.
Business tip: Start with the most important pages and work through the entire site. Every internal link needs to be checked. While you’re on the page, go ahead and take a look at mobile responsiveness. Did we mention these types of projects are tedious?
8. Update Sitemap and Robots.txt
Generate a new XML sitemap and submit it Search Console. Verify robots.txt isn’t blocking any key pages.
Business tip: In the event a staging.com is build in a live environment, the site might have been set to noindex and nofollow. Robots.txt needs to be checked. As well, the settings can be toggled from page and post screens in WordPress and from Rank Math.
9. Check for Canonical Tags
Avoid duplicate-content issues by using canonical URLs consistently.
Business tip: This means making sure your 301 redirects are mapped to the correct URL structure. For example, if your preferred pages are at https://www.—.com/ – then use that format for your canonicals. Don’t redirect to www.—.com withouth the https:// and without the ending backslash.
Bonus business tip: Mies van der Rohe said, “God is in the details.”
10. Review Metadata
Carry over SEO titles, descriptions, and keywords from high-performing pages and improve where possible.
Business tip: If SEO titles and descriptions never existed, add them.
11. Optimize Images
Add descriptive alt text, titles, and captions (using Rank Math SEO optimization guidelines).
Business tip: Use of plugins like Rank Math and Yoast are optional. SEO plugins are used at Gogo Marketing so we can support our clients efforts to ahere to SEO fundamentals.
12. Test Forms and Tracking
Ensure contact forms, event tracking, and conversion goals work correctly in GA4.
Business tip: Basic conversion tracking is already part of GA4; however, ability to track phone number or other event clicks must be manually configured. Simple, but not easy. Everything we do only takes 5 minutes, but there’s hundreds of moving parts. As we sing in Gen-X circles, Don’t You (Forget About Me).
13. Verify Mobile Responsiveness
Run Google’s Mobile-Friendly test to confirm modern responsiveness.
Business tip: Google prioritizes website that look great (and work) on phones. Run the Google Mobile-Friendly Test to check whether your site is easy to use on mobile. The test looks for readable text, clickable buttons, and layout adjustments depending on browser or device. If your website fails, Google will rank it lower.
Bonus business tip: Did you know Google indexing is based on the mobile version of your website. It doesn’t matter if more of your customers use desktop. With Google’s mobile-first approach and the rise of AI-powered search, delivering an exceptional mobile UI/UX is now critical to visibility and performance.
With Google’s mobile-first approach and the rise of AI-powered search, delivering an exceptional mobile UI/UX is now critical to visibility and performance.
14. Improve Core Web Vitals
Measure load time, interactivity, and layout shift; optimize caching and compression.
Business tip: Faster mobile sites rank better and convert better. Every second shaved off of load time has a direct impact on leads and sales.
15. Check Accessibility Standards
Implement WCAG 2.1 Level AA practices: Proper color contrast, keyboard navigation, image alt text, and readable structure.
Business tip: All websites should be compliant. This is more than a screen reader plugin. Keep reading!
16. Add ADA Compliance Statement
Include a link in your footer describing your accessibility commitment.
Business tip: That little “Accessibility Commitment” link in your footer isn’t just legal armor, t’s good business. It shows you care about all visitors, builds trust with Google and humans alike, and can even help you win contracts with larger organizations that require ADA-compliant partners.
17. Test 404 Pages
Custom 404s should guide users back to main content instead of dead-ending.
Business tip: Rule #1: Don’t cause customers to hit a 404 (page not found). Monitor and repair internal links and redirect external inbound links. Customize your 404 pages to include links or a search field to keep the user engaged. Rule #2. See Rule #1.
18. Verify Structured Data
Validate schema markup for articles, products, and organization information.
Business tip: Schema markup tells Google what your page is about (articles, product, business) to help your site show-up in search and improve CTR.
19. Re-Index the New Site
Request indexing through Search Console once redirects are live.
Business tip: Don’t start over unless you have to. Google Search Console data is like your credit score. Keep the history, fix what’s broken, and show Google the clean redirects inside the same account. That’s how you keep your SEO “credit” intact.
20. Monitor After Launch
Check analytics weekly for traffic drops or crawl erros, adjusting redirects as needed.
Why ADA Compliance and WCAG 2.1 Matter
Accessibility is no longer optional. The American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance for websites movement stems from Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1), which define how digital experience must accommodate users with disabilities.
Complying with these standars protects your business legally and ethically. In 2024 alone, thousands of small businesses face lawsuits over inaccessible sites. A few key requirements include:
- Alt Text: Every image must describe its purpose, not just its content.
- Captions and Transcrips: Videos need captions; audio files need transcripts.
- Contrast Rations: Text and backgrounds must meet readability contrast thresholds.
- Keyboard Navigation: All functions should be usable without a mouse.
- ARIA Labels: Screen readers rely on these cues for interactive elements.
Many people think adding an overlay widget solves accessibility. It doesn’t. Compliance involves design, content, and code. Agencies like Gogo Marketing audit and reconfigure websites to ensure compliance is built-in.
Common SEO and Compliance Mistakes During Rebuilds
- Skipping Redirects: Leads to lost rankings and broken backlinks.
- Changing Domains Without Planning: Resets trust signals built over time.
- Forgetting Analytics Tags: Breaks conversion tracking after launch.
- Copying Old Content Without Optimizations: Carries foward outdated SEO.
- Ignoring Image Metadata: Misses both accessibility and search value.
- Failing to Test on Mobile: Alienates half your audience instantly.
- Relying on AI Generators Alone: Produces generic, unoptimized contents.
- Neglecting Accessibility: Creates risk of legal exposure.
- Underestimating Content Volume: Large sites require phased launches.
- Skipping Quality Assurance: One overlooked 404 can trigger ranking loss.
SEO Migration Strategy in Action
When we prepare a site migration, we follow a SEO migration strategy that blends technology with common sense. It starts with data, moves into structure, and ends with testing.
For the motorport client, preserving legacy URLs maintained years of backlinks from enthusiast forums and media outlets.For our packaging project between staging.com and production.com, redirect mapping ensures every old catalog page points to its new dynamic equivalent.
That process takes patience and precision. It’s far cheaper that recovering from lost rankings.
ADA Compliance as a Competitive Advantage
Being inclusive isn’t only about avoiding lawsuits; it’s good business. Search engines reward accessible design because it creates better user experience. when your website meets WCAG 2.1 website standars, it loads cleaner, reads easiers, and ranks higher.
Gogo Marketing bakes accessibility into every build. We review all alt attributes and descriptive captions, test keyboard navigation, and verify screen reader performance. The result is a site that reaches a larger audience while demonstrating brand responsibility.
Estimating the Real Costs of Rebuilds and SEO
Business owners often ask what rebuild or SEO campaign costs. Industry averages tell part of the story:
- Monthly SEO retainers: $1,500-$3,500
- Full rebuilds with custom functionality: $10,000-$30,000
These numbers depend on scope, size, and technical requirements such as accessibility and integrations. A rebuild that incldues a proper site migration checklist, ADA compliance, and structured data usually pays for itself by preserving rankings and increasing conversions.
Hiring an agency isn’t a luxury. It’s a partnership that saves time, reduces risks, and compounds the results.
The Long-Term Nature of SEO and Maintenance
Search results evolve slowly. After a rebuid, allow three weeks to six months for rankings to stabilize and start climbing again. SEO is cumulative. The more you maintain it, the more you it buids authority.
Check Google Analytics and Search Console montly, not daily. Look for patterns over time: which pages attract clicks, which queries grow, and how long visitors stay. Treat analyticss as a compass, not a stopwatch.
Consistent effort matters more than comfortable search.
Accessibility, SEO, and Strategy Working Together
Your website is more than a digital brochure, its’ the hub of your marketing system. A rebuild should modernize design while strengthening SEO, accessibility, and performance.
When all three align, technical SEO, content strategy, and accessibility, you create a site that serves people and search engines equally well.
That’s the foundation of the Website Rebuild and SEO Redirect Checklist approach. It ensures that when you invest in a rebuild, you protect what yo’ve earned, comply with standards, and position your business for sustainable growth.
What else?
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