# How to Map Old URLs to New Pages During a Migration

> Create URL mapping for website migration by matching page purpose, reviewing many-to-one decisions, and getting destinations approved before redirect tests.

Canonical: https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/website-migration-seo/url-mapping-for-website-migration/
Author: Dex SEO, Editorial team
Published: Oct 20, 2026 · Updated: Oct 20, 2026

## Key takeaways

- Start from a reviewed inventory and a real new-page list.
- Match the purpose of the page, not just its words.
- Record reasons, exceptions, and approval for each decision.
- Keep destination choice separate from redirect testing.

URL mapping for website migration means deciding what should happen to each old address when the site moves. Use a checked list of old URLs and a real list of new pages. Match the page’s task, document the reason, and ask the owner to approve the target before anyone builds the redirect rules.

The [website migration SEO guide](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/website-migration-seo/) explains the full project. This guide covers target choices. It does not replace the inventory stage, implement server rules, or prove that a live redirect works.

## Start URL mapping for website migration with two reviewed lists

Use the [existing URL inventory](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/website-migration-seo/website-migration-url-inventory/) as the source list. Keep each row’s ID, evidence, and owner. Do not rebuild it from memory or use only the pages that are easy to find in the new design.

Obtain the planned new-page list from the team building the site. Confirm which pages exist, which are drafts, and which are only planned. A target typed into a spreadsheet is not evidence that someone has built or approved it.

Keep old public URLs separate from test-site addresses. Record the intended public target in its own field. Label any staging reference so it cannot be mistaken for a live target during setup.

## Choose the page that serves the same visitor need

Read the old page before choosing its replacement. Record its main task, audience, and useful content. Then review the planned target. Ask whether a reader following an old link will still reach the answer or action they expected.

A shared word is a clue, not a match. An article about preparing for a service visit is not the same as a sales page offering that service. A category page may be broader than the specific guide a reader wanted.

Google advises mapping old URLs to relevant targets and avoiding unrelated redirects. Use that principle to challenge a convenient default. The new home page should not become the answer for every row that lacks an obvious match.

Record the reason in plain language. “Same service, same customer task, current booking details” is useful. “Looks close” is hard for an editor or developer to verify later.

## Separate retained, moved, and combined pages

Use the [review for pages without a replacement](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/website-migration-seo/removed-pages-website-migration/) when a row needs a content decision before you can choose a target.

If the address and useful page stay the same, mark the item retained. Do not invent a new target just to make the migration feel complete. The setup team still needs to check that the intended page survives behind that address.

For a moved page, pair the old address with its matching new page. Keep the task note and content owner. If key content is missing, leave the choice pending until the editor confirms what the target will contain.

Several old pages may be combined into one useful answer. Review the content from each source and the intent of each visit. Mark what the new page must preserve. Do not call a broad page matching just because it mentions the topic once.

If no relevant replacement exists, flag the row for a keep, create, combine, or remove choice. This guide does not make that content-retirement policy for you. Keep the unresolved case visible instead of silently routing it to an unrelated page.

## Use pattern rules only after checking their meaning

A changed folder can suggest a shared rule. First compare examples across that group. Check whether the old and new pages actually correspond, including languages, renamed pages, and exceptions.

Ask the developer to state what the planned rule will match. A pattern that works for one clean example can also capture pages it should not change. Record those exceptions beside the main group rather than leaving them in a separate chat.

Keep unusual routes explicit when needed. The aim is a reviewable choice, not the shortest possible spreadsheet. An tool-based suggestion can save sorting work while still requiring a human to approve its meaning.

## Build a sign-off sheet that another person can use

Give each row a source address, intended public target, choice type, reason, content owner, and sign-off state. Add any dependency that blocks sign-off, such as a missing section or an unfinished language version.

Keep the choice state separate from the test result. “Approved target” means the team accepts that choice. “Redirect passed” means an implemented route met a test. Combining those states makes it easy to assume work is complete too early.

Save a dated version and name who can approve changes. If a target changes after the map is signed off, update the affected rows and notify the test owner. Use a fixed row ID to link each new choice to the earlier notes.

## Example: map guides without changing their task

Imagine a fictional event catering site with two old coffee guides and a service page. The new site has a complete event-coffee guide and a separate catering service page. No traffic or ranking result is assumed in this example.

| Old page | Candidate | Review choice |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Guide to planning coffee for an event | New event-coffee guide | Approve if the planning answer survives. |
| Checklist for coffee equipment | Same new guide | Pending until the equipment checklist is included. |
| Catering service page | New catering service page | Review service area, offer, and booking path. |

The second row shows why a many-to-one map needs an editorial review. A relevant title does not prove the checklist is present. The owner must review the promised content before approving that target.

The service page stays a separate choice because it serves a different task. Sending every guide to the service offer would make a neat sheet but a poor path for readers looking for advice.

## Check related links and page signals after sign-off

Apply the [CMS content comparison](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/website-migration-seo/cms-migration-content-checklist/) to confirm that the agreed target contains the promised answer and files.

Once the map is agreed, give it to the teams handling internal links, public URL references, and page settings. Google’s guidance includes updating internal links and relevant URL annotations. Use the agreed map as the shared reference rather than letting each team guess.

Keep the scope of each check clear. The [crawling and indexing guide](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/crawling-and-indexing/) explains discovery and indexing. The map records the intended targets; it does not decide what a search engine will index.

Use the [CMS publishing checks](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/cms-publishing/) for page release details. Confirm that the content owner can inspect the real target before a final sign-off.

## Hand the map to setup and testing

Record which version of the map applies if the [release is rolled back](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/website-migration-seo/website-migration-rollback-plan/). The return path must not rely on a guessed set of routes.

Export the agreed version with open cases clearly marked. Name the technical owner and the person who accepts the result. Follow the separate process to [test migration redirects](https://www.getdexseo.com/blog/website-migration-seo/test-redirects-after-website-migration/) once the routes are implemented.

DEX Health can review SEO quality on public target pages, including on the free plan. Use that review alongside the content choice and test record. It does not approve equivalence or install redirects. Finish this stage with an agreed target, a reason, and an owner for each required row.

## FAQ

### Can matching slugs choose all destinations automatically?

No. Similar words are candidate matches. Review whether the new page meets the original need.

### Can several old pages share one new destination?

Review whether the new page preserves the useful coverage and serves those visitors. Record the reasons and approval.

### Does an approved map prove redirects work?

No. The implemented routes still need separate tests before and after release.

## Sources

- [How to move a site](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/site-move-with-url-changes) — Google Search Central