The verdict in three sentences
A successful migration rests on three pillars: an exhaustive 301 redirect plan, preservation of URLs and internal linking, and tight post-cutover traffic monitoring. In 2026, a traffic drop under 10 % in the first month is normal; beyond 20 %, it signals a redirect flaw. Full recovery usually takes 4 to 8 weeks if the method is rigorous.
Budget and risk by migration type in 2026
Not all migrations carry equal SEO risk. Changing CMS without touching URLs is benign; changing both domain AND structure is the most dangerous scenario.
| Migration type | Budget 2026 (Amsterdam) | SEO risk | Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redesign, URLs unchanged | 3,000-5,500 EUR | Low | 1-3 wks |
| CMS change | 4,500-8,000 EUR | Medium | 3-6 wks |
| New URL structure | 6,000-10,000 EUR | High | 4-8 wks |
| Domain change | 7,000-11,000 EUR | High | 6-10 wks |
| HTTP to HTTPS migration | 2,500-4,000 EUR | Low | 1-2 wks |
| Merging several sites | 8,000-12,000 EUR | Very high | 8-12 wks |
Costed pre- and post-migration checklist
Migration is won before cutover. A full crawl of the old site and a URL-by-URL mapping table are non-negotiable.
| Step | Timing | Deliverable | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full crawl of old site | D-30 | URL + traffic inventory | 2-3 d |
| 301 mapping table | D-20 | Old→new mapping | 3-5 d |
| Preserve title/meta tags | D-15 | Metadata export/import | 2-3 d |
| Redirect QA (0 loops) | D-3 | Test report | 1-2 d |
| Cutover + sitemap + GSC | Day 0 | Sitemap submitted | 1 d |
| Daily traffic monitoring | D+1 to D+30 | Dashboard | ongoing |
| Fix residual 404s | D+7 | Redirects added | 1-2 d |
Mini case study
Bram, digital lead of a B2B distributor in Amsterdam, rebuilds his site (12,000 indexed URLs, 45,000 organic visits/month) with a URL-structure change. SEO migration quote: 8,000 EUR. Without a redirect plan, a 30 % traffic loss would cost 13,500 visits/month, roughly 15,000 EUR in lost monthly revenue at the usual conversion rate. With the method (full 301 mapping, QA, daily monitoring), the drop is limited to 8 % in the first month and traffic fully recovers in 6 weeks. The migration budget pays back in under a month of preserved traffic.
FAQ
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Does a rebuild always hurt SEO?
No, if URLs and internal linking are preserved, impact can be near zero. Drops almost always come from an incomplete redirect plan or lost tags.
How long to recover traffic?
From 1 to 3 weeks for a simple redesign, up to 8 to 12 weeks for a site merge or a domain change with new structure.
Should I use 301 or 302 redirects?
Always 301 (permanent) to pass SEO authority. A 302 (temporary) does not transfer link equity and drops rankings.
What about URLs that no longer exist?
Redirect them with a 301 to the most relevant equivalent page, never en masse to the homepage, which Google treats as a soft 404.
When should I submit the new sitemap?
On cutover day, via Google Search Console, keeping the old sitemap reachable for a few days to speed up discovery of the redirects.
Let's scope your project. Tell us the migration type, URL volume and current organic traffic, and we will price a zero-loss SEO migration. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
