Keep redirect mappings active for at least one year post-migration.
- Keep redirect mappings active for at least one year post-migration3 cited sources1 category
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Why this matters
Maintaining redirects preserves link equity and ensures incoming traffic from old URLs isn't lost due to broken links or bookmarks.
Hypothetical standard operating procedure
Adapt this example to your site, access, tools, and change process. It is our suggested procedure, informed by the sources below.
- Plan redirect retention for minimum one year post-migration launch.
- Audit redirect logs regularly to confirm continued traffic on old URLs.
- Avoid deleting or altering redirect rules prematurely.
- Communicate redirect retention policy with hosting and dev teams.
- Evaluate redirect usefulness periodically and adjust only if safe.
Watch for
Removing redirects too early leads to loss of rankings and user traffic to 404 pages.
Definition of done
Old URLs permanently redirect to HTTPS pages with no indexing losses for at least 12 months post launch.
Sources & attribution
Original checklist wording and example SOP by Best SEO Checklist, using source-grounded AI assistance. Editorial contact: Ted Kubaitis, @tedkubaitis on Teams. Check current source guidance before implementation.