Audit before you touch the design
Search Console's Performance report shows clicks, impressions, click-through rate and average position, and the default view covers the past three months. Use the Pages tab to sort by clicks and the export button to save the table; the newest data can be preliminary and change within hours, so export after a full day. [3]
| Audit item | Where to get it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Every live URL | Your sitemap or the builder's page list | Each one needs to survive or redirect |
| Top pages by clicks | Search Console Performance, Pages tab, export | These are the URLs you cannot afford to break |
| Inbound links to deep pages | Pages others link to, profile links, ads | Google suggests asking sites and updating profile and ad links after a move |
| Form recipients | Each form's settings | A rebuilt form often defaults to the account email |
| Tracking and verification codes | Head code, analytics settings | Missing codes break reports silently |
| Titles and meta descriptions | Page settings | Copy them across rather than letting templates reset them |
Map every old URL to a new one
Google's site-move guide says to map each old URL to its new equivalent, use server-side permanent redirects (301 or 308), and avoid sending many old URLs to one unrelated page such as the new home page. Consolidated content can redirect to one new page. Googlebot follows up to 10 hops, but Google advises redirecting straight to the final URL and keeping chains ideally no more than 3. [1]
Temporary redirects (302, 303, 307) keep the original URL in results, so use them only when the old page will return. Google says to use JavaScript redirects only when server-side or meta refresh redirects are not possible, because rendering can fail and the redirect may never be seen. [2]
| Old URL | New URL | Type | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| /services-and-pricing | /services | 301 | Page renamed |
| /pricing | /services | 301 | Content merged into services |
| /blog/2023-tax-tips | /blog/tax-tips | 301 | Slug cleaned up; same article |
| /team | /about | 301 | Content merged |
| /old-promo | Leave as 404, or redirect only if a close replacement exists | None | Do not dump unrelated URLs on the home page |
Staging and redirects by builder
Framer: the pricing page lists staging and redirects on Pro ($30 a month as listed). Redirects live in Site Settings, Hosting, Redirects; a * wildcard matches path segments and :1, :2 insert them into the new URL, and :slug matches one segment. Framer notes that redirect rules do not update automatically if you change a sub-path later, and whole-domain redirects must be set at the old domain's host. [4][5]
Carrd: redirects require Pro Plus ($49 a year) and are all handled as 301s. Each goes on its own line as /request=destination, wildcards such as /products/*=#products are supported, and the site must be published to a .carrd.co URL, custom domain or subdomain. [6][7] Carrd can also clone a site into an entirely separate, standalone copy that occupies one of your account's site slots, so you can build the redesign in the copy. [9]
| Builder | Where redirects live | Plan listed | Redirect behaviour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Framer | Site Settings, Hosting, Redirects | Pro lists redirects and staging | Wildcards and named placeholders; sub-path changes need manual rule updates |
| Carrd | Site settings, one rule per line | Pro Plus | All 301; slash URLs can point to sections or external URLs |
Forms, tracking and integrations
Rebuilt forms are where redesigns most often lose leads. On Carrd, contact form submissions go to the account email by default unless you list up to five recipients, and notifications come from @mail.carrd.site. [8] Record the old recipients during the audit and re-enter them, then send a real test from the live domain.
Carrd lists analytics on Pro Standard and Pro Plus. [7] Whatever you use, confirm the new pages report a visit on launch day.
Launch day
- Publish redirects with the new site, not afterwards
- Give each new page a self-referencing canonical tag if your builder exposes it, and update internal links to new URLs rather than relying on redirects [1]
- Submit the new sitemap in Search Console; warnings about old URLs redirecting are normal [1]
- Use Change of Address in Search Console only if the domain or subdomain changes [1]
- Update profile links, email signatures and ad destinations [1]
- Submit every form once and confirm delivery
The 14-day post-launch check
Google says to expect temporary ranking fluctuation, and that on medium sites it can take a few weeks or more for new URLs to replace old ones in results. Keep redirects for as long as possible, generally at least one year. [1]
| Day | Check |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open every top-20 old URL; each should land on its mapped page in one hop |
| 1 | Test every form and confirm the right inbox receives it |
| 2 to 3 | Search Console: sitemap processed; no surge in not-found pages |
| 3 to 7 | Compare clicks on top pages with the pre-launch export (expect some movement) |
| 7 | Analytics: visits recorded on new URLs; conversion events still firing |
| 14 | Second Performance export; investigate any top page with a sharp, sustained drop |
| 14 | Remove the old staging copy only after the redirects and forms are confirmed |
Questions before you decide
How long should I keep redirects after a redesign?
Google recommends keeping them for as long as possible, generally at least one year, and says permanent redirects do not cause a loss in PageRank.
Should I redirect every old page to the home page?
No. Google advises against redirecting many old URLs to one unrelated page such as the home page. Map each URL to its closest equivalent, or consolidate related content into one page.
Can Carrd do 301 redirects?
Yes, on Pro Plus or higher. Carrd says all its redirects are handled as 301 redirects and supports wildcard rules such as /products/*=#products.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Google Search Central: site moves with URL changes Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Google Search Central: redirects and Google Search Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Search Console Help: Performance report Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Framer pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Framer Help: how to set up redirects Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Carrd docs: setting up redirects Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Carrd Pro plans Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Carrd docs: setting up a contact form Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Carrd docs: cloning a site Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.