The short verdict
- Search Console is how you see a site move from Google’s side. Set it up before, not after.
- A small wobble in the first few weeks is normal. A steady slide is not.
- Most real problems show up as 404s, redirect errors or pages dropped from the index.
01Before the move
If you have not used Search Console yet, set it up now with a domain property, which covers every subdomain and protocol. Then take a baseline, because you cannot judge a change without one.
- Export the Performance report. The last three to six months of queries and pages, with clicks and impressions.
- Note your top pages. The 10 to 20 pages that bring most clicks. These need the most care.
- Check the Pages report. How many pages are indexed now, and why others are not.
- List all URLs. From the sitemap and the Performance export. This becomes your redirect map.
02On launch day
- Submit the new sitemap. In Sitemaps, add the new sitemap URL.
- Inspect your top pages. Use URL Inspection on each, check Google can fetch the live page, and request indexing.
- Test the old URLs. Visit a sample of old addresses and confirm each one redirects, in one step, to the right new page.
- Check robots.txt. Make sure the staging block did not come across to the live site.
03The weeks after
Week 1
Watch the Pages report for a rise in “Not found (404)” and “Redirect error”. Each one is a URL you missed or a redirect that loops. Fix them as they appear. Impressions might dip as Google recrawls. That is expected.
Weeks 2 to 4
Compare clicks for your top pages against the baseline. Most should recover to near previous levels. Look at the queries report for the pages that dropped most: did the title change, did the content shrink, did the heading lose a key phrase?
Weeks 4 to 8
By now the picture is usually clear. Look at the Core Web Vitals report too. A faster site often shows up here first.
04Normal, and not normal
| Signal | Usually fine | Needs action |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic | Small dip, recovering within weeks | Steady decline after a month |
| 404s | A few, for pages you meant to remove | Many, or any for top pages |
| Indexed pages | Old count replaced by new | Count falling with no reason given |
| Redirects | Old URLs listed as redirected | Redirect errors or chains |
“A rebuild without a baseline is a rebuild you cannot judge.”
05If the domain is changing too
If you are moving to a new domain, not just a new platform, verify both in Search Console and use the Change of Address tool after the redirects are live. Keep the old domain and its redirects in place for at least a year.
06Questions people ask
How long until Google has picked up the new site?
Important pages are often recrawled within days. A full picture usually takes a few weeks, longer for large sites.
Should I remove old URLs with the Removals tool?
No. That tool hides pages temporarily. Redirect old URLs instead and let Google update naturally.
Do I need a new Search Console property for the new site?
Not if the domain stays the same. Your existing property and its history carry on.
Can you help us plan the SEO side of a move?
Yes, it is part of every Webflow move we do. Send us the link and we will start with the baseline.
