SEO Website Migration Risk Checker

Protect your SEO before and after a website migration.

Our free Website Migration Risk Checker captures your existing website's URLs, metadata, headings, canonical tags, structured data and internal links. Identify high-impact pages, download a pre-migration snapshot and compare what changed after launch.

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Audit current organic performance.

Map out exactly where your opportunity is.

"Our work with Growthack was about much more than just SEO. It was about truly understanding our buyers and bringing our brand to life in a way that resonated with them. The results speak for themselves: a significant increase in qualified leads, stronger brand authority and a website that actively supports our growth ambitions."

Joseph Alexander - Official Framer Partner

Victoria Beaven

Head of Marketing, elementsuite

No pitch decks, no pressure. Tell us where you are and we'll share how we can help.

60+

Partnerships over 5 years

98%

Satisfaction Rate.

Let's find your next lever for growth .

Book a Discovery Call.

Audit current organic performance.

Map out exactly where your opportunity is.

Victoria Beaven

Head of Marketing, elementsuite

No pitch decks, no pressure. Tell us where you are and we'll share how we can help.

60+

Partnerships over 5 years

98%

Satisfaction Rate.

Let's find your next lever for growth .

Book a Discovery Call.

Audit current organic performance.

Map out exactly where your opportunity is.

Victoria Beaven

Head of Marketing, elementsuite

No pitch decks, no pressure. Tell us where you are and we'll share how we can help.

60+

Partnerships over 5 years

98%

Satisfaction Rate.

About the Migration Risk Checker

Our tool helps identify risks before a website migration and detect changes after launch.

The tool captures a snapshot of your existing website, including URLs, metadata, headings, canonical tags, structured data, content and internal links. It then prioritises pages based on their potential SEO impact, helping you identify what needs protecting during a redesign, replatforming or domain migration.

After launch, upload your original snapshot to compare the old website against the new one and identify missing pages, broken redirects, content changes and technical SEO issues.

What does the Website Migration Risk Checker actually do?

1. Pre-migration SEO snapshot

Capture your website's existing SEO elements before making changes. The tool records status codes, redirect hops, page titles, meta descriptions, H1 headings, canonical tags, robots directives, structured data types, word counts and inbound internal links.

Download the results as a CSV to preserve a record of your website before migration.

2. Page-level SEO risk scoring

Not every page carries the same potential SEO impact. Our checker prioritises URLs using signals such as internal linking, site depth, structured data and content depth.

Each page receives an explainable score to help identify which URLs deserve closer attention during migration planning.

The score reflects structural SEO importance, not organic revenue or the probability of a page breaking. Combine it with Google Search Console, analytics and conversion data when determining your commercial priorities.

3. Domain and redirect checks

The tool checks HTTP, HTTPS, www and non-www variations to identify inconsistent redirects and unnecessary redirect hops.

This helps highlight domain configuration issues that could create additional problems during a website migration.

4. Existing technical SEO issues

Identify problems already present on your website, including:

Broken URLs and unexpected status codes
Redirect chains
Missing or duplicate page titles and H1 headings
Canonical tags pointing to alternative URLs
Thin or missing page content
Potential JavaScript rendering limitations
Pages with unexpected indexation directives

Understanding these issues before migration helps prevent existing problems from being carried into the new website.

5. Post-migration SEO comparison

Once your new website is live, upload the original snapshot to check how existing URLs and their destinations have changed.

The checker identifies:

Legacy URLs that no longer resolve correctly
Temporary redirects and unnecessary redirect chains
Missing or changed page titles and H1 headings
Changes to meta descriptions and canonical tags
Significant reductions in page content
Missing structured data types
Pages accidentally marked as noindex

This gives you a practical starting point for investigating migration-related SEO issues without relying on memory or incomplete historical records.

6. Website migration checklist

The checker also includes a 52-step SEO migration checklist covering preparation, launch and post-launch monitoring.

Tasks are grouped according to whether they can be completed by the tool, require external data or need manual review by your team.

Download the checklist as a tracker to coordinate migration responsibilities with developers, designers and other stakeholders.

When should you use the Migration Risk Checker?

Before a website migration

Create a baseline of your existing website before changing platforms, domains, URLs or content. Identify priority pages and technical issues while the original website is still available.

Before a website redesign

Even when URLs remain unchanged, redesigns can affect headings, content, navigation, structured data and internal linking. Capture these elements before development to reduce the risk of accidental SEO losses.

After launching a new website

Compare your saved snapshot against the live website to identify missing URLs, incorrect redirects and unexpected content changes.

When migrating to Shopify

Moving from Magento, WooCommerce or another ecommerce platform to Shopify often changes URL structures, collections, products and technical SEO behaviour.

Use the checker to establish a pre-migration baseline and support your Shopify launch QA.

Learn more about our Shopify SEO migration services.

When planning a migration with developers

Export your website snapshot and migration checklist to establish a shared record of existing SEO requirements and outstanding tasks.

How to use the Website Migration Risk Checker

Step 1: Enter your website URL

Enter the address of your existing website. The tool discovers URLs through your XML sitemap and analyses up to 300 pages per run.

Step 2: Review your SEO risk report

Review the prioritised pages, technical issues and domain configuration checks. Use the findings to identify areas that need attention before migration.

Step 3: Download your website snapshot

Export the CSV containing your existing URLs and SEO elements. Keep this file safe, as it provides the baseline for your post-launch comparison.

Step 4: Download the migration checklist

Use the 52-step checklist to coordinate preparation, technical implementation, launch checks and monitoring.

Step 5: Compare your website after launch

Once the new website is live, select the post-migration comparison option, enter the new website address and upload your original snapshot.

Step 6: Investigate migration issues

Prioritise missing URLs, incorrect redirects and indexation problems before reviewing metadata, content and structured data changes.

Frequently asked questions

What is a website migration risk checker?

A website migration risk checker identifies potential SEO issues before and after a website migration. Growthack's free tool captures a pre-migration snapshot, prioritises important URLs and compares technical SEO elements after launch.

Can I check my website before migrating?

Yes. Enter your current website URL to analyse its existing SEO elements and download a snapshot. This creates a baseline for identifying changes after your new website launches.

How many URLs can the tool analyse?

The checker analyses up to 300 pages per run, using URLs discovered from your sitemap. For larger websites, it selects a sample and indicates when the analysis does not cover every URL.

What does the SEO risk score mean?

The score estimates the potential structural SEO impact of losing a page, using signals such as internal links, site depth, structured data and content depth.

It does not measure organic revenue, search traffic or the likelihood of a migration failure. For commercial prioritisation, combine the results with analytics and Search Console data.

Can I check a staging website before launch?

Only if the staging website is publicly accessible. Password-protected environments cannot be analysed by the tool.

For this reason, the checker focuses on capturing the existing website before migration and comparing it with the live website after launch.

Why not just use a website crawler?

Website crawlers are valuable for identifying technical SEO issues. The Migration Risk Checker adds page prioritisation, a downloadable baseline and a post-launch comparison workflow designed specifically for website migrations.

Does the checker identify missing redirects?

Yes. After launch, the tool checks legacy URLs and their redirect destinations to identify unresolved URLs, temporary redirects and unnecessary redirect hops.

For planning redirects before launch, use our free URL Redirect Mapper.

Does it check JavaScript-rendered websites?

The checker analyses the HTML returned by the server rather than executing JavaScript. Pages that rely heavily on client-side rendering may therefore require additional testing.

The tool flags pages where important content cannot be reliably identified.

Why might the word count differ from other SEO tools?

The checker removes duplicate paragraph content commonly found in page builders such as Framer and Webflow.

This helps make content comparisons more consistent when migrating between platforms with different HTML structures.

Does the tool measure Core Web Vitals?

No. Core Web Vitals are not included in the migration snapshot. Website performance should be benchmarked separately before and after launch.

Is my migration data stored?

The initial snapshot is generated from publicly accessible website pages. During post-launch comparison, the uploaded snapshot file is processed in your browser rather than uploaded to Growthack's servers.

Is the Website Migration Risk Checker free?

Yes. The tool is free to use, and you do not need to create an account to view your results.

Does the checker replace a professional SEO migration audit?

No. The checker provides a technical baseline and identifies potential risks, but it cannot determine which pages generate revenue, which content should be consolidated or how a new website should be structured.

Complex migrations require additional analysis of organic performance, backlinks, search demand, commercial priorities and technical architecture.

Planning a migration?

A successful website migration is not simply about preserving every URL or maintaining traffic levels.

It is about protecting the pages, rankings and customer journeys that generate commercial value while creating better foundations for future growth.

Growthack specialises in high-risk website migrations, combining technical SEO, information architecture, redirect planning, launch QA and post-migration monitoring.

Explore our Website Migration Services or contact Growthack to discuss your project.

Testimonials

"Repton School has worked with Growthack for the past year and the impact has been outstanding. We have seen a significant increase in organic traffic to our website, much stronger Google rankings across key search terms, and a clear rise in enquiries to the school as a direct result of their work."

The team are knowledgeable, proactive and an absolute pleasure to work with. We would highly recommend Growthack to any organisation looking to strengthen its digital presence.

Repton School

Marketing Team

The team are knowledgeable, proactive and an absolute pleasure to work with. We would highly recommend Growthack to any organisation looking to strengthen its digital presence.

Repton School

Marketing Team

5

/ 5

Based on 30+ Google reviews.

"Working with Growthack over the past 12 months has been transformative for PassMeFast's organic performance. From the outset, the team took the time to understand our business model, customer intent, and technical challenges — especially following a complex CMS migration that had a significant impact on traffic and leads."

Albena Dimitrova

Head of Digital, PassMeFast

"Kevin and his team provide not only expertise in organic search optimisation, but great communication and care for our business. We recently relaunched our website, and their advice and attention to detail played a significant contribution to a seamless migration with immediate positive results in organic visit activity."

Matt Ward

Head of Retail, Manage At Home

"I've found Growthack easy to work with and communication has been consistently good. They explain things clearly and make SEO straightforward for us to understand and implement. The team brings a broad range of expertise, with everyone contributing their own perspective and ideas. We'd happily recommend them to other companies looking for a practical and knowledgeable SEO partner."

Adam Dickens

Marketing Executive, SIS Pitches

Albena Dimitrova

Head of Digital, PassMeFast

Matt Ward

Head of Retail, Manage At Home

Adam Dickens

Marketing Executive, SIS Pitches

Albena Dimitrova

Head of Digital, PassMeFast

Matt Ward

Head of Retail, Manage At Home

Adam Dickens

Marketing Executive, SIS Pitches

Average organic growth within 12 months post-migration

Annual revenue attributed to organic each year

Client retention rate after year one

Brands helped with our organic growth systems

We're in the business of making things actually happen for our clients.

I've personally led 60+ growth engagements. Let me show you what's possible for yours.

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Founder & Director

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FAQs

AI Search

Migrations

General

Beyond SEO®

Pricing

Process

How do you actually measure AI visibility?

We start by defining a representative set of commercially relevant prompts and buyer queries around your products, services and market. These become the benchmark for ongoing AI visibility tracking, reported in a live dashboard alongside your traditional organic performance instead of a one-off audit.

The dashboard tracks AI Overview Presence (how often Google's AI Overview cites you across that keyword set), AI Brand Mentions (how often ChatGPT names you directly), and AI Search Opportunity (keywords you already rank for but aren't yet cited on –– the fastest-moving target).

Underneath that sits your actual citation footprint: which of your pages AI systems are pulling from, broken down by content type, with real example answers showing exactly what was asked and what got cited.

Every keyword is checked head-to-head against named competitors, so it's clear not just whether you're showing up, but whether a rival is showing up instead. Because generated answers can change considerably over time, we focus on trends across a consistent query set rather than individual responses.

You can see a live example, with sample data, at reports.growthack.io/demo/

What does an AI Search Visibility engagement actually include?

We begin by establishing a baseline of your existing AI visibility and identifying the topics, prompts and competitors that matter commercially.

From there, we assess and audit the signals influencing that visibility across technical architecture, entities, structured data, content and third-party authority. Recommendations are prioritised according to the gaps identified rather than applying a generic GEO checklist.

For ongoing engagements, we then monitor the same query set over time, compare your visibility against competitors and report AI performance alongside organic search and commercial KPIs.

This creates a repeatable process:

Benchmark → diagnose → prioritise → implement → monitor → improve.

Can I check my own AI visibility before talking to you?

Yes. Our free AI Visibility Checker provides an initial benchmark of how your brand appears within AI-powered search experiences.

You can also use our AI Overviews Share of Voice tool to assess visibility within Google's AI-generated results and compare your presence against competitors.

These tools provide a useful starting point. Client reporting goes further by tracking a defined set of commercially relevant queries consistently over time.

Is AI search reducing organic traffic, and how do you account for that?

AI-generated answers can reduce clicks for some searches because users increasingly receive information without visiting a website. That makes click volume alone an increasingly incomplete measure of organic performance.

Our reporting therefore considers search visibility, AI visibility, qualified traffic and commercial outcomes together. The objective isn't simply to maximise clicks. It's to understand whether your brand is being discovered by the right audiences and whether organic and AI search are contributing to demand, conversions and revenue.

This also means we don't interpret declining informational clicks in isolation if visibility and commercial performance tell a different story.

Do you guarantee AI visibility or citations?

No. No credible agency can guarantee rankings, AI citations or inclusion within a particular generated response.

AI results are dynamic and ultimately controlled by the platforms producing them.

What we do guarantee is clear strategy, honest advice and execution based on evidence. We establish a measurable baseline, identify the areas where your visibility can realistically be improved and monitor performance over time.

What makes a brand more likely to appear in AI search results?

There isn't a single GEO ranking factor.

AI visibility is influenced by a combination of signals including technically accessible content, clear brand and entity information, topical relevance, structured information and credible third-party references.

We therefore look for gaps across your website and wider digital footprint rather than simply optimising individual pages for ChatGPT. Our Technical Architecture and Authority Building systems address two important parts of that wider picture.

Which AI platforms do you track?

We monitor visibility across major AI-powered discovery platforms including ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Perplexity.

Rather than treating every platform equally, reporting focuses on the platforms and query types most relevant to your audience. The monitoring set can also evolve as AI search behaviour changes and new platforms gain meaningful adoption.

How is AI Search Visibility different from traditional SEO?

Traditional SEO primarily measures how webpages perform within search engines through metrics such as rankings, impressions, clicks and organic conversions.

AI Search Visibility adds another layer: whether your brand appears within generated answers, how frequently it appears compared with competitors and which sources AI systems use when forming those answers.

The disciplines overlap heavily. Strong technical SEO, useful content and established brand authority remain important foundations for AI visibility. This is why we treat AI search as part of our Beyond SEO® approach rather than as a replacement for SEO.

What is AI Search Visibility (or GEO)?

AI Search Visibility measures how visible a brand is within AI-powered search experiences such as ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Perplexity.

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) describes the work involved in improving that visibility. Rather than focusing solely on where an individual webpage ranks, we look at whether AI systems understand, mention, cite or recommend your brand for commercially relevant topics and buyer queries.

FAQs

AI Search

Migrations

General

Beyond SEO®

Pricing

Process

How do you actually measure AI visibility?

You can see a live example, with sample data, at reports.growthack.io/demo/

What does an AI Search Visibility engagement actually include?

We begin by establishing a baseline of your existing AI visibility and identifying the topics, prompts and competitors that matter commercially.

For ongoing engagements, we then monitor the same query set over time, compare your visibility against competitors and report AI performance alongside organic search and commercial KPIs.

This creates a repeatable process:

Benchmark → diagnose → prioritise → implement → monitor → improve.

Can I check my own AI visibility before talking to you?

Yes. Our free AI Visibility Checker provides an initial benchmark of how your brand appears within AI-powered search experiences.

You can also use our AI Overviews Share of Voice tool to assess visibility within Google's AI-generated results and compare your presence against competitors.

These tools provide a useful starting point. Client reporting goes further by tracking a defined set of commercially relevant queries consistently over time.

Is AI search reducing organic traffic, and how do you account for that?

This also means we don't interpret declining informational clicks in isolation if visibility and commercial performance tell a different story.

Do you guarantee AI visibility or citations?

No. No credible agency can guarantee rankings, AI citations or inclusion within a particular generated response.

AI results are dynamic and ultimately controlled by the platforms producing them.

What makes a brand more likely to appear in AI search results?

There isn't a single GEO ranking factor.

Which AI platforms do you track?

We monitor visibility across major AI-powered discovery platforms including ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Perplexity.

How is AI Search Visibility different from traditional SEO?

Traditional SEO primarily measures how webpages perform within search engines through metrics such as rankings, impressions, clicks and organic conversions.

What is AI Search Visibility (or GEO)?

AI Search Visibility measures how visible a brand is within AI-powered search experiences such as ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Perplexity.

FAQs

AI Search

Migrations

General

Beyond SEO®

Pricing

Process

How do you actually measure AI visibility?

You can see a live example, with sample data, at reports.growthack.io/demo/

What does an AI Search Visibility engagement actually include?

We begin by establishing a baseline of your existing AI visibility and identifying the topics, prompts and competitors that matter commercially.

For ongoing engagements, we then monitor the same query set over time, compare your visibility against competitors and report AI performance alongside organic search and commercial KPIs.

This creates a repeatable process:

Benchmark → diagnose → prioritise → implement → monitor → improve.

Can I check my own AI visibility before talking to you?

Yes. Our free AI Visibility Checker provides an initial benchmark of how your brand appears within AI-powered search experiences.

You can also use our AI Overviews Share of Voice tool to assess visibility within Google's AI-generated results and compare your presence against competitors.

These tools provide a useful starting point. Client reporting goes further by tracking a defined set of commercially relevant queries consistently over time.

Is AI search reducing organic traffic, and how do you account for that?

This also means we don't interpret declining informational clicks in isolation if visibility and commercial performance tell a different story.

Do you guarantee AI visibility or citations?

No. No credible agency can guarantee rankings, AI citations or inclusion within a particular generated response.

AI results are dynamic and ultimately controlled by the platforms producing them.

What makes a brand more likely to appear in AI search results?

There isn't a single GEO ranking factor.

Which AI platforms do you track?

We monitor visibility across major AI-powered discovery platforms including ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Perplexity.

How is AI Search Visibility different from traditional SEO?

Traditional SEO primarily measures how webpages perform within search engines through metrics such as rankings, impressions, clicks and organic conversions.

What is AI Search Visibility (or GEO)?

AI Search Visibility measures how visible a brand is within AI-powered search experiences such as ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Perplexity.