Episode
How to Migrate a Website Without Losing SEO Traffic (CMS & Domain Changes)
- Podcast
- The Edward Show
- Published
- May 20, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2190
- Processing state
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Summary
E1052: We break down how to migrate a website without losing SEO traffic. Whether you are switching from WordPress to Squarespace or Webflow, changing to another CMS, restructuring your URLs, or moving to a new domain entirely, this conversation covers what actually happens inside Google during a migration - and how to minimize risk. We discuss real-world scenarios, including accidental migrations, domain changes, slug updates, and situations where rankings unexpectedly dropped. The goal is simple: protect your traffic and avoid unnecessary volatility. What we cover: - What happens when you change CMS but keep URLs and content the same - Why HTML structure changes can still trigger re-indexing - How low-authority pages can suddenly impact rankings during a migration - The difference between crawl, refresh, and discovery modes - How cannibalization can appear after a migration - Why you should freeze structural changes before migrating - When to noindex pages before changing slugs - How to properly handle 301 redirects for slug updates - What to expect when changing root domains - How to use Google Search Console's domain migration tool - Why XML sitemaps do not "force" indexing - Why HTML sitemaps can be more effective - The risks of changing site architecture during a migration - How to warm up a new domain before moving - How to smooth traffic volatility with strategic content republishing We also answer a listener question about whether submitting a new sitemap after changing site architecture can cause traffic drops - and what to do instead. If you are planning a website migration, CMS switch, URL restructure, or domain move, this episode walks through the technical considerations that can make the difference between a smooth transition and a traffic decline. If yo…