What Should You Check After Moving Your Website to a New Hosting Server?

20 Oct What Should You Check After Moving Your Website to a New Hosting Server?

Introduction

Moving a website to a new hosting server can be a critical step to improve performance, security, or scalability. However, after migration, several issues might arise, affecting your website’s functionality and SEO. Ensuring everything runs smoothly post-migration requires thorough checks. This article guides business owners and website administrators on the essential aspects to verify after moving a website to a new hosting environment.

1. Confirm DNS Propagation and Redirects

After changing your hosting server, the domain’s DNS settings must propagate correctly to point to the new server’s IP address.

• DNS Propagation: Use tools like WhatsMyDNS to confirm that DNS records propagate globally.
• TTL Settings: Check whether the TTL (Time to Live) values are reasonable to avoid long caching delays during migration.
• Redirects: Ensure that all previously configured redirects, especially 301 redirects, are functioning correctly to preserve SEO value and users’ access.
• Nameservers: Verify that your domain’s nameservers are correctly updated if necessary.

2. Check Website Functionality and Performance

Website functionality should mirror the original hosting environment to avoid user experience issues and loss of conversions.

• Page Loading: Navigate through the key pages to ensure they load quickly and correctly.
• Forms and Contact Methods: Test all forms, including contact forms or booking forms, to make sure submissions are received.
• Database Connectivity: Confirm that the website can successfully connect to its database, particularly for dynamic sites like WordPress or WooCommerce stores.
• Performance Metrics: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to compare performance before and after migration.
• Plugin and Theme Compatibility: In case of CMS platforms, verify that all plugins, themes, and custom scripts work as expected on the new server environment.

3. Validate SSL and Security Configurations

Security is vital, especially if your website collects user data or processes payments.

• SSL Certificate: Confirm the SSL certificate is installed and active, showing HTTPS without errors or warnings.
• Mixed Content Issues: Check pages for mixed content warnings where HTTP resources load on secure HTTPS pages.
• Firewall and Security Settings: Review firewall rules and any security plugins or server-level security software configurations.

4. Verify Email Functionality

Email systems can often break after migration due to changes in server settings.

• Transactional Emails: Test emails triggered by the website, such as order confirmations or password resets, to ensure delivery.
• SMTP Settings: Verify that SMTP configurations align with the new server requirements.
• SPF, DKIM, DMARC Records: Review DNS records related to email authentication to reduce the risk of emails being marked as spam.

5. Review SEO Elements and Analytics

Maintaining SEO rankings and traffic after migration is critical to business continuity.

• Robots.txt and .htaccess: Check these files to confirm no accidental blocking of search engines.
• XML Sitemap Accessibility: Ensure your sitemap is accessible and updated with the correct URLs.
• Canonical Tags: Verify canonical tags point to the proper URLs to avoid duplicate content issues.
• Google Search Console and Analytics: Confirm that tracking codes are intact, and verify the site ownership if necessary.
• Broken Links and 404 Errors: Use tools to detect any new broken links that may have resulted from the migration.

6. Backup and Monitoring Plans

Having a sound backup and monitoring strategy after migration prevents data loss and identifies problems early.

• Backup Verification: Confirm that backups are running correctly on the new server environment.
• Monitoring Tools: Set up uptime and error monitoring tools to get alerts if the site encounters issues.

7. Common Mistakes to Avoid During Post-Migration Checks

• Not waiting long enough for DNS propagation before making further changes.
• Failing to test the website on different devices and browsers.
• Overlooking email testing, leading to missed communications.
• Ignoring SEO-related configuration, risking ranking drops.
• Skipping backups on the new server, risking irreversible data loss.

FAQs

Q1: Why is my website showing an old version after migration?

This usually happens due to DNS propagation delays or browser caching. Waiting up to 48 hours for DNS changes or clearing your browser cache typically resolves this.

Q2: What should I do if the website works on the new server but emails don’t send?

Check SMTP settings and verify email authentication records like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Sometimes email services require configuration updates on the new server.

Q3: Can a migration cause SEO ranking drops?

Yes, if redirects are not properly configured or robots.txt and sitemap files are misconfigured. Careful verification and monitoring are essential to minimise risks.

Q4: How soon should I test the website after migration?

Testing should begin immediately after DNS propagation is confirmed but expect some delays. Continuous monitoring in the first 72 hours helps catch issues early.

Q5: Is it necessary to inform Google about my website migration?

You don’t have to notify Google directly, but updating your sitemap and monitoring Google Search Console for indexing issues is important.

Conclusion

Moving your website to a new hosting server requires careful and thorough checks to ensure all aspects from DNS to SEO work seamlessly. Systematic testing of functionality, email, security, SEO signals, and backups can prevent major disruptions and maintain your website’s effectiveness in supporting your business goals. For a smoother migration experience, consider professional assistance that understands the technical nuances of hosting and website management.

If you need help assessing your website after a server move or want a detailed website audit, Dezibel Media offers comprehensive support tailored to WordPress and online stores.

Company: Dezibel Media
Address: Bucuresti
Phone: +40722 501 939
Email: office@dezibelmedia.ro
Website: https://dezibelmedia.ro/