A redirect map preserves useful paths during a website migration, but only when each old URL has a relevant destination and a tested rule. A spreadsheet of guesses can create chains, loops, and soft losses.
Inventory the old paths
Collect pages, images, feeds, documents, query variants, backlinks, search impressions, internal links, and campaign URLs. Record status, intent, owner, traffic, conversions, and whether the old page has a direct successor.
Choose the destination
Map one old intent to the closest useful new page. The redirect mapping checklist helps distinguish a direct replacement from a category, homepage, or intentional retirement.
Test rule behavior
Check protocol, host, path, case, trailing slash, query parameters, encoded characters, language, mobile, and destination status. Avoid redirect chains and loops, and keep sensitive query values out of logs or analytics when they are not needed.
Monitor after launch
Review crawl errors, redirect hits, destination engagement, missing pages, backlinks, canonical signals, and server logs. Preserve the map, owner, test evidence, and retirement date so future changes do not erase useful context.