Changing a page address affects more than the menu. Old links may remain in search results, proposals, emails, printed QR codes, and customer bookmarks. A redirect map tells the new website what should happen when someone follows one of those links.
Prepare the map while planning the redesign, before the old pages are unavailable. Start from your content inventory and keep the mapping in a separate, reviewable sheet.
Match the purpose, not just the words
Use columns for old URL, intended new URL, reason for the change, and test result. If a page remains at the same address, mark it as unchanged rather than creating an unnecessary redirect.
Imagine that an old “house-painting” page covered interiors and exteriors. If the new site splits those services, decide which destination most closely preserves the original purpose. A useful painting overview may be a better match than either narrow page. The answer depends on what the old page actually contained.
Do not send every removed URL to the homepage. That forces visitors to start again and may not represent a meaningful replacement. If content has been permanently removed without a relevant replacement, a proper not-found or gone response can be appropriate.
Keep each move direct
For permanent moves, have the developer implement permanent server-side redirects. Where possible, an old URL should go directly to the final destination rather than through several historical addresses. Update internal links so they point to that destination as well.
Check variations that were actually used, including trailing slashes and old campaign links. Avoid writing broad matching rules without reviewing which pages they could capture. A rule intended for one directory can accidentally redirect valid content elsewhere.
Test before and after the switch
Select every important old URL and verify its response and final destination. Confirm that the destination loads successfully, contains the expected information, and does not redirect back to the starting page. A visually correct page is not enough if the server response is wrong.
Then repeat the checks on the live domain. Redirect behavior can differ between a preview server and production. Keep the original mapping so you can investigate reports of broken links after launch.
Keep monitoring the move
Update the sitemap and canonical URLs to the new addresses. Check for unexpected indexing or traffic changes, while remembering that search processing is not instantaneous. Do not remove redirects just because the launch week is over.
Google’s site move documentation explains permanent redirects and recommends retaining them for at least a year. The practical checklist here is a planning aid; your developer should verify the rules against the hosting platform and the site’s actual URL history.