The website rebuild checklist for business owners

Before you brief anyone

A rebuild done casually can erase years of search history and break things you forgot existed. A rebuild done with this checklist is routine. Work through the four phases in order; each is a short working session, not a project.

Phase 1: protect what exists

• Export a full backup of the current site and its media, and store it somewhere you control.
• List every URL on the site. Your sitemap.xml is the starting point; your analytics' most-visited pages fill the gaps.
• Note which pages actually earn traffic or rank. Those URLs must be preserved or individually redirected, never dumped to the homepage.
• Inventory every connected service: forms, booking, payments, email, analytics, pixels. Each needs a home in the new site.
• Confirm you control your own domain registrar login. If an old vendor holds it, fix that first.

Phase 2: decide what the new site is for

One primary action per page, and one for the site overall. Write down the three customer questions each key page must answer. If the old site has twenty pages and four matter, the new site needs four good pages and honest redirects for the rest.

• Who edits the site after launch, and how comfortable are they?
• What must visitors be able to do in one click from the homepage?
• Which proof do you have the rights to show: reviews, logos, results with attribution?

Phase 3: gather the inputs that cause delays

Rebuilds don't stall on development; they stall waiting for inputs. Collect these before kickoff and a small standard site can realistically be planned for roughly three to six weeks after complete inputs.

• Final copy, or a decision to have it written professionally.
• Brand assets: logo files, colors, fonts, photography you own.
• Access invitations: hosting, domain DNS, analytics, and any platform accounts. Never send passwords through a form or email.
• The person who approves each milestone, named in advance.

Phase 4: launch without losing your search history

Expect some ranking fluctuation while Google processes the change; that's normal. What's not normal is traffic falling off a cliff, and the redirect work above is what prevents it. Use your browser's Print or Save as PDF on this page and bring it to whoever builds your site. A good builder will be glad you did.

• Every old URL either stays live or gets a one-to-one 301 redirect. No blanket redirect to the homepage.
• Titles and descriptions set per page, not one shared template.
• Analytics and conversion tracking re-tested after launch, not assumed.
• Forms tested end to end: submit, store, notify, reply.
• The old site's backup kept until the new site has proven itself for a few weeks.

Sources

• Google guidance on site moves with URL changes