Trace a real visitor journey
Walk through an enquiry, download, newsletter request or purchase from the visitor’s first click to the business’s receipt. Record the services and people involved. Navigation and screenshots rarely reveal all of these dependencies. Include error states and notifications, because a form that looks complete may still fail to reach the intended team.
Collect the material that survives the move
Export or inventory page content, media, downloadable documents and meaningful metadata. Check which images can be reused and which documents are current. Classify content before transferring it into the new structure. Keeping everything by default carries old errors forward; deleting everything outside the main menu can remove useful search landing pages.
Define evidence for a safe handover
Write down the old-to-new URL treatment, enquiry checks, content sign-off and update procedure. Agree a recovery option before changing production. The checklist should include who verifies each item and what counts as a pass. A completed design preview proves the presentation can be reviewed; it does not prove the operational migration has happened.
A practical next step
What to prepare.
- Feature register
Capture active forms, plugins with business functions and connected services.
- Content decisions
Mark pages and files as retain, revise, combine or retire.
- Release acceptance
Specify URL, enquiry, backup and post-launch monitoring checks.
Questions worth asking.
Is an export enough?
No. An export helps recover content but does not document every business integration or delivery behaviour.
Should we remove plugins first?
Do not alter the working site merely to simplify the inventory. Assess dependencies before authorising changes.
Can this checklist guarantee migration success?
It organises the work; each item still needs evidence from the actual project and release.