Copy this structure into your project notes and give each item an owner. The checklist is deliberately operational: a migration is complete when people can publish, visitors can use the site, and the launch decisions are documented.
Before
- Record current URLs, titles, descriptions, canonicals, and important internal links.
- Inventory pages, posts, media, templates, taxonomies, and custom post types.
- List forms, analytics, CRM, search, email, embeds, and third-party services.
- Document who edits, reviews, approves, and owns each content workflow.
- Flag commerce, memberships, LMS, multilingual, and application-like behavior.
During
- Define the destination content model and publishing path.
- Map every changed URL and mark redirects, consolidation, or retirement decisions.
- Rebuild forms with validation, spam protection, delivery, and error states.
- Carry over metadata, structured data, analytics, and meaningful alt text.
- Test representative pages at desktop, mobile, keyboard, and reduced motion.
After
- Verify redirects, canonicals, sitemap, robots, internal links, and crawl behavior.
- Submit the new sitemap and watch Search Console for coverage or redirect issues.
- Test analytics events, forms, search, media, and editor publishing in production.
- Keep the old site available only as long as the agreed rollback and archive plan requires.
- Record ownership, hosting, support, monitoring, and the next review point.
Do not skip the uncomfortable items
Most launch surprises come from content owners, forms, redirects, or integrations—not from the headline technology. Pair this checklist with the migration planning guide and the slow-site diagnostic when performance is part of the reason for moving.
SEO note: A checklist can reduce omissions, but it cannot guarantee unchanged rankings. Monitor real behavior after launch and make the next decision from evidence.