Website operations
Before redesigning your website, take care of its existing URLs
Collect existing page addresses before building new screens, and plan redirects and checks for after launch.
The list to save before the new design
Consider a hypothetical redesign: the treatment menu has been rebuilt, but a QR code on a previously printed leaflet still points to an old URL. Even if the new website opens correctly, a patient with that leaflet may not reach the information they need.
At the start of the redesign, record existing URLs alongside the purpose of each page. Moving only the menus shown in the design mockup makes it easy to miss addresses linked from older articles or printed materials.
Where to collect the URLs
The operations team can gather existing navigation links, the sitemap, pages that received search traffic, and links distributed by the clinic. Beside each address, note its purpose, such as treatment information, location, or opening hours.
- Current website menus and article indexes
- Existing pages identified in Search Console
- Destinations of map profile links, patient messages, and printed QR codes
Map old addresses to new ones
The following is a hypothetical migration table, not a list of actual URLs. First decide whether a new page serves the same purpose. Google advises against sending unrelated old URLs to a single destination such as the new homepage.[1]
| Example old URL | Example migration plan |
|---|---|
| /treatment/implant | Link to information on the same topic at /care/implants |
| /hours | Link to opening hours at /visit/hours |
| /event/closed | Consider removal if there is no relevant replacement page |
Signal a permanent move as permanent
If an address is changing permanently, ask the developer for a permanent server-side redirect such as a 301 or 308. Google recommends this approach where possible.[2] Supplying the migration table makes each old address's destination clear.
Setting a redirect does not guarantee search rankings. Open the old URL to confirm it reaches relevant new content and does not pass through an unintended page.
Update links within the new website too
Once redirects are in place, check that the new navigation does not still point to old URLs. Repeated links such as the logo, treatment cards, and related links at the end of articles should also be checked.
Update the sitemap with the new preferred URLs you want shown in search.[3] Give the operations team the list of changed addresses so it can update map profiles and organize the links to use in future messages.
Check the old addresses after launch
After checking the new pages, reopen the old URLs in the migration table. Look beyond the homepage and verify the routes to treatment information, location, and opening hours. If you find a problem, record both the old URL and the actual destination.
Google notes that search visibility may fluctuate temporarily during a site move.[1] Recording the design launch date, URL migration date, and subsequent fixes provides context when reviewing changes later.