How to build a redirect map

Start with real old URLs

Use a baseline of the live site, plus sitemaps and any important URLs that are not easily discoverable by links. Preserve the exact path and query string where it matters. Export the list before you change the site so you can check the same addresses again after launch.

Choose keep, redirect or remove

1. Keep: The page remains available at the same URL. Check its content and indexability on the replacement.
2. Redirect: The old URL should permanently lead to a relevant final page. Record the full destination, not merely a section or a guessed path.
3. Remove: The content is intentionally gone and has no suitable replacement. Record why, and choose the expected missing-page response, typically 404 or 410.

Do not redirect every unmatched URL to the homepage. A useful map makes unknowns visible so a reviewer can resolve them.

Review destinations for relevance

A service page should usually lead to its updated service page, not to a generic landing page. If several old URLs point to one destination, double-check that the destination genuinely answers each page's intent. Keep a note for any deliberate consolidation, and approve the mapping before launch.

Test the map in two stages

On staging, verify that the proposed destination paths load and inspect their titles, headings and canonicals. Do not require production redirects to exist on staging. After launch, request each old URL: for planned moves, the first hop should be permanent (301 or 308), the final URL should match the approved destination, and the chain should not loop or add needless hops.

Update internal links to point directly to final URLs instead of relying on redirects. Pair this guide with the post-launch checklist.

Keep decisions auditable

Store reviewer notes and keep a record of changes to the map. When a destination changes after a comparison, recheck it; a previous approval does not establish that the new destination works. In PixelReplica, mappings can be reviewed in the URL Map, imported from CSV and checked against subsequent scans.