Domain migration checklist needed

[passionfruit]

Hi

I'm creating a domain name migration for a very large business. I would like your help in creating a checklist or migration plan ASAP...

please feel free to suggestion some points to add to the checklist.

Here is what i currently have.

New domain is put live
Add domain to Google Webmaster Central
Submit sitemap to Google
Begin 301 redirect of old pages to new
Contact various webmasters to update external inbound links
Continue implementation of redirects

[buckworks]

I agree with everything on your list but I'd change the emphasis for one thing:

Getting the redirects ready is a mission-critical pre-launch task and should be right at the top of the list in my opinion.

The new site should not be considered ready for launch unless the redirects are also ready to go. All needed redirects should be prepared and ready for immediate deployment, the minute the new site goes live.

Use 301's, single-step redirects, no chains of redirects.

Having all redirects in place from the moment of launch is likely the single biggest thing you can do to send a clear signal to the search engines and reduce disruptions in rankings. (Since this is a business site I'm assuming that's a vital issue.)

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Be sure to include your own web team within "contact various webmasters" and remember to update all inbound links within your own control, soon after launch.

Add to the list:

- new link development for the new domain

[HuskyPup]

Is this a direct like-for-like replacement i.e. exactly the same site on a different domain name?