Migration Wizard

Auto-match old and new URLs for site migrations

Old URLs (Source)

Paste old URLs, one per line
— OR —
CSV file with old URLs

New URLs (Destination)

Paste new URLs, one per line
— OR —
CSV file with new URLs

Matching Strategy

Minimum similarity score (0-100) for fuzzy matching
JSON object mapping old folders to new: {"old/blog": "new/articles"}

Matching Tips

  • Exact: Matches identical slugs/paths
  • Fuzzy: Finds similar URLs (80%+ similarity)
  • Folder mapping: Remap directory structures
  • Review ambiguous: Always check multi-matches

Important

Always review ambiguous and unmatched URLs manually. Auto-matching is a starting point, not a final solution.

Migration Wizard Tutorial

What This Tool Does:

The Migration Wizard automatically matches old URLs to new URLs using multiple strategies (exact matching, fuzzy similarity, folder remapping). It's essential for creating redirect maps during site migrations, platform changes, or URL restructuring.

How to Use:

  1. Prepare your URL lists:
    • Old URLs: Paste or upload your current site URLs
    • New URLs: Paste or upload your new site URLs
  2. Configure matching strategy:
    • Enable exact matching for identical slugs/paths
    • Enable fuzzy matching for similar but not identical URLs
    • Set fuzzy threshold (80% recommended)
    • Add folder mappings if restructuring directories
  3. Click "Generate Redirect Map"
  4. Review results and download CSV files for implementation

Matching Strategies Explained:

Strategy How It Works Example
Exact Match Matches URLs with identical slugs/paths /about-us → /about-us
Fuzzy Match Finds similar URLs using similarity score (80%+) /blog-post-title → /blog/post-title
Folder Mapping Remaps directory structures with rules /old/blog/post → /new/articles/post
(rule: {"old/blog": "new/articles"})

Understanding Results:

  • Matched URLs: High-confidence matches ready for redirect implementation
  • Ambiguous Matches: Multiple potential matches - requires manual review to select correct destination
  • Unmatched URLs: No good match found - may need manual mapping or redirect to homepage/category page

Folder Mapping Syntax:

Use JSON format to define directory remapping rules:

{
  "old/blog": "new/articles",
  "old/shop": "new/store",
  "old/docs": "new/documentation"
}

This tells the tool to replace /old/blog/ with /new/articles/ in matching URLs.

Best Practices:

  • Start with exact matching: Enable it first to catch all identical paths
  • Use fuzzy cautiously: Set threshold to 80%+ to avoid false matches
  • Review ambiguous: Never auto-redirect ambiguous matches - review each one
  • Handle unmatched URLs: Decide on a strategy (301 to homepage, 301 to category, 410 Gone)
  • Test before deployment: Use HTTP Status Checker to verify redirects work
  • Implement gradually: Deploy redirects in batches, monitor crawl errors in GSC

Common Migration Scenarios:

Scenario Recommended Strategy
Domain Change Only Exact match (URL structure unchanged)
Platform Migration Fuzzy match (URLs similar but not identical)
Site Restructure Folder mapping + fuzzy match
Complete Redesign All strategies + significant manual review
Critical Migration Checklist
  1. Generate redirect map with this tool
  2. Review all ambiguous and unmatched URLs manually
  3. Implement 301 redirects on old site
  4. Test sample redirects with HTTP Status Checker
  5. Launch new site and monitor GSC crawl errors
  6. Update sitemap and submit to GSC
  7. Check for redirect chains and fix them
  8. Monitor rankings and traffic for 30+ days