Types of website migration we handle
A website migration is any move that changes where or how your site runs: a new hosting provider, a new platform, a new domain, or a switch from HTTP to HTTPS. Each type carries different risks, and the planning starts by naming exactly which kind of move you’re making.
Hosting moves are the most common. You want to move a website to a new host because the current one is slow, unreliable or expensive. Done well, URLs don’t change and visitors notice nothing. Platform moves such as Wix to WordPress, WordPress to Webflow or WordPress to Next.js change the code and often the URLs, so redirects become critical. Domain moves change every URL at once and need the most care with Search Console and backlinks.
This page covers moving an existing site. If you also want a new design, we plan it with our website redesign service so the two happen in one controlled launch.
How we move a website to a new host or platform
- Inventory and backup Full backups of files, databases and email settings, plus a crawl of every URL and a list of DNS records, cron jobs, forms and third-party scripts.
- Set up the destination New hosting or platform configured in your name, with the right PHP or Node version, SSL, caching and security.
- Copy and rebuild For hosting moves, files and database are copied directly. For platform moves, content is imported by API or CSV and templates are rebuilt.
- Test on a temporary URL Every page type, form, checkout and login is tested before DNS changes, and you review the result.
- Plan the cutover We lower DNS TTL values in advance, schedule the switch for a low-traffic window, and keep MX records untouched so email keeps flowing.
- Switch and redirect DNS is updated, 301 redirects go live for any changed URLs, and for domain moves we file the Change of Address in Search Console.
- Monitor We watch uptime, crawl errors, 404s and rankings, keep the old host available until the move is confirmed, and report every two weeks.
Things that commonly break in migrations, and we check
- Email stops because MX records were overwritten
- Contact forms send to nowhere after SMTP settings change
- Images break because of hard-coded old URLs in the database
- Mixed-content warnings after moving to HTTPS
- Lost tracking because GA4 or Tag Manager wasn’t added to new templates
- Rankings dip because old URLs return 404 instead of redirecting
- Scheduled jobs and backups silently stop on the new server
Common migrations
Shared hosting to managed hosting
Moving a slow WordPress site to Kinsta, WP Engine, Cloudways or similar, often paired with speed work.
Wix or Squarespace to WordPress
For businesses that need more SEO control, plugins or custom features. See WordPress development.
WordPress to Webflow or Next.js
For teams that want visual editing or faster front ends, with blog content and media moved across.
Store re-platforming
Moving products, customers and orders between WooCommerce, Shopify and other platforms with our e-commerce development team.
Questions we get about website migration
Will my site go down during the move?
For hosting moves, downtime is usually avoided by building on the new host first and switching DNS only when everything is tested. Platform moves may need a brief content freeze, which we schedule with you in advance.
Will I lose my Google rankings?
A hosting move with unchanged URLs carries little risk. Platform and domain moves can cause a temporary dip while Google recrawls, which is why we map one-to-one redirects and monitor closely. Nobody can promise zero movement.
What happens to my email?
If your email runs through Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, it’s separate from hosting and we leave its DNS records alone. If email is hosted with your web host, we plan its move separately so nothing is lost.
Can you migrate from a host we no longer have access to?
Often yes, if you still control the domain. We can rebuild from backups, a crawl of the live site or the Wayback Machine where needed, though a missing database makes the job bigger.
How much does a migration cost?
It depends on the type of move, site size and how much rebuilding is involved. We price it after a free audit with a fixed-scope proposal.