Make a list of existing pages and give each one a destination. Include service pages customers find through search, old articles with backlinks and PDFs people still download. Record which tools power enquiries, payments and bookings. Move those into the launch plan before deciding on a cutover date.
Protect the routes people already use
Keep a URL when it still describes the same page. Where a URL changes, map it directly to the closest replacement and add a permanent redirect. Update internal links and the sitemap to use the new addresses. Save a record of the original DNS settings, particularly records that support business email.
Check the new site with the old links
Open a few old URLs from your spreadsheet and confirm they reach the right content. Send a test enquiry, confirm someone receives it and check your analytics. Leave time for someone to watch these systems after launch. Ask Lumos about planning a move if the site, domain and email are spread across several providers.
Rehearse the launch with a customer task
Pick a business-critical task that touches several systems. For a service business, start with a locally searched service page, follow its estimate link, then send a clearly marked test request. Confirm the new form reaches the expected inbox and the reply reaches the person who filled it in. A working home page tells you very little about any of those steps.
- Before launch, save the existing URL list, DNS records, and a usable content backup.
- Compare important old and new pages in a private preview. Keep a note of forms, bookings, and outside integrations that need separate testing.
- After launch, follow old URLs, verify the live forms and confirm business email still works.
Decide how to reverse a problem
Record which parts can be rolled back independently. Reverting a design change is different from reverting DNS or restoring content that customers have already updated. Decide who can authorize reversal and what event would trigger it. If neither inbox receives test enquiries, treat that as a launch issue even if the site looks good from the outside.
Check again the next business day. Real bookings, unfamiliar customer devices, and older links expose issues a short launch rehearsal may miss.