{
  "id": 16034152,
  "title": "Google Says Site Migrations Can Take 4+ Months. Here Is the Migration Checklist I Would Run First",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/google-says-site-migrations-can-take-4-months-here-is-the-migration",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-22T11:16:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dev.to",
    "slug": "dev-to",
    "url": "https://dev.to/shanzysaleem/google-says-site-migrations-can-take-4-months-here-is-the-migration-checklist-i-would-run-first-3fd"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Site migrations can take more than four months to complete, according to Google's John Mueller. The length depends on factors like site size, URL changes, and technical implementation. Google does not have a magic reindex button, but the difference between a quick migration and a long one often comes down to preparation. To minimize delays, follow a comprehensive checklist before launching the new site. Start with a pre-migration audit, crawl the old site and export all URLs with their status codes, titles, meta descriptions, headings, and word counts. This ground truth will help identify any traffic loss later. Map every old URL to its closest new equivalent using 1:1 301 redirects, keeping URL slugs clean and avoiding stuffing keywords. Document Search Console data and monitor indexing daily during the first two weeks after launch. Avoid redesigning the entire site at once and stagger big changes instead. Keep the old domain and its redirects live for at least a year to preserve link equity. Keep in mind that a temporary traffic dip after migration is not necessarily a penalty, as rankings require reprocessing of new signals.",
  "summary": "Site migrations are one of those things every developer and SEO has to survive at least once. A rebrand, a move from WordPress to Next.js, a new domain, a URL structure cleanup. Whatever the reason, the pattern is always the same: you launch, traffic dips, and then everyone asks the same panicked question. How long until Google catches up? This month, Google's John Mueller gave an honest answer.…",
  "key_points": [
    "Migrations can exceed 4 months, depending on site size and technical implementation",
    "Pre-migration audit and URL mapping crucial for minimizing delays",
    "Keep old domain and redirects live for at least a year to preserve link equity"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Meticulous pre-migration audits and disciplined redirect mapping transform a potentially chaotic transition into a controlled process that protects search visibility and preserves essential link equity during the reindexing period.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}