How to build a redirect map before a website migration

The worst time to build a redirect map is launch day. By then, page structure, navigation, copy, and CMS routing have usually been decided. Any missing URL becomes a last-minute judgment call.

A redirect map should be part of redesign planning. It connects old URLs to new destinations, explains which pages are being merged or removed, and gives developers a testable source of truth before launch.

Do not rely on the current sitemap alone. Sitemaps often miss old landing pages, campaign URLs, parameterized paths, orphaned pages, and URLs that still have backlinks. Build the source list from multiple exports, then deduplicate it.

Useful sources include the XML sitemap, a site crawl, analytics landing pages, Search Console pages, paid campaign URLs, CMS exports, backlink tools, and server logs if available.

• Sitemap URLs show what the site currently declares.
• Crawl data shows what internal links can find.
• Analytics and Search Console show what users and search engines still reach.
• Paid and email campaign URLs show paths that may not appear in navigation.

Every old URL should get a status. Keep means the URL remains the same. Redirect means it changes or merges into another page. Remove means there is no useful replacement and the page should intentionally return 404 or 410. Review means the team needs a business decision.

This classification makes the migration easier to discuss. Instead of asking whether hundreds of URLs matter, the team can focus on the uncertain ones.

A good redirect sends users to the closest equivalent intent. If an old service page is removed, redirect it to the new version of that service, not automatically to the homepage. If a product category is merged, choose the collection or guide that best answers the original query.

Homepage redirects are tempting because they are easy. They are also weak. They tell search engines and users that the old page no longer has a meaningful equivalent.

Your redirect map should not only contain old URL and new URL. Add page type, status, owner, priority, traffic signal, backlink signal, and notes. That makes review faster and helps developers understand why a redirect exists.

For high-value URLs, include the reason. For example: old article ranking for Shopify migration, redirect to updated migration checklist. That note is useful when somebody questions the redirect six months later.