How to Migrate WordPress to Next.js Without Losing Rankings: The SEO-Safe Checklist

Every year, thousands of WordPress sites migrate to Next.js for better performance, modern architecture, and improved Core Web Vitals. But the migration itself is where rankings die — not because Next.js is bad for SEO, but because the migration process breaks the signals Google relies on.

The problem is predictable: redirects get missed, metadata gets wiped, canonical tags point to dead URLs, and structured data vanishes overnight. By the time you notice in Search Console, you've already lost weeks of organic traffic.

This checklist gives you the exact 10-step process we use at SEOParity to migrate WordPress sites to Next.js with zero ranking loss. Follow it in order. Skip nothing.

Quick Checklist

Run a full crawl export of your WordPress site (Screaming Frog or Sitebulb)
Build a 1:1 permanent 301 redirect map — no chains, no temporary redirects
Export all title tags, meta descriptions, and canonical URLs into a spreadsheet
Inventory all JSON-LD structured data blocks and map them to Next.js templates
Audit internal links — ensure no orphaned pages post-migration
Validate canonical tags point to correct new URLs (not old WordPress URLs)
Generate and submit an updated XML sitemap immediately after launch
Verify robots.txt allows crawling of all intended pages
Run a pre-launch crawl diff comparing WordPress vs Next.js staging
Monitor Google Search Console daily for 30 days post-launch

Why WordPress-to-Next.js Migrations Break Rankings

Most migrations fail not because of the technology, but because of what gets left behind. Google doesn't care whether you're running WordPress or Next.js — it cares about continuity. When you change your site, Google needs to see that every URL, every piece of metadata, and every schema block is accounted for.

The Redirect Gap

The single most common cause of ranking loss is incomplete redirect coverage. If you have 500 indexed URLs on WordPress and your redirect map only covers 400, those 100 orphaned URLs become 404s. Google deindexes them within days.

Metadata Wipeout

WordPress plugins like Yoast and RankMath store title tags, meta descriptions, and canonical URLs in the database. When you rebuild in Next.js, none of that comes with you automatically. Every page needs its metadata explicitly set in the new codebase.

Schema Disappearance

Rich results — FAQ snippets, review stars, breadcrumbs — depend on structured data. WordPress plugins generate this automatically. In Next.js, you need to implement JSON-LD manually for every template. Miss one, and your rich results vanish from search.

The 10-Step SEO Parity Checklist

Step 1 — Full Crawl Inventory

Before touching any code, crawl your entire WordPress site. Export every URL with its status code, title tag, meta description, canonical URL, and any structured data. This is your baseline. Everything you do from here gets compared against this export.

Step 2 — Build the 301 Redirect Map

Map every WordPress URL to its exact Next.js equivalent. No wildcards. No assumptions. Every redirect must be a permanent 301 — never a 302 or a temporary redirect. Test for chains: if URL A redirects to B which redirects to C, that's a chain. Fix it so A goes directly to C.

Step 3 — Export and Preserve All Metadata

Create a spreadsheet with every page's title tag, meta description, and canonical URL from WordPress. When you build your Next.js templates, these values must be set explicitly using generateMetadata() in the App Router.

Step 4 — Structured Data Parity

Inventory every JSON-LD block on your WordPress site. Map each schema type to a Next.js template or layout component. Validate every implementation with Google's Rich Results Test before launch.

Step 5 — Internal Link Audit

Crawl your WordPress site's internal link graph. Every internal link must point to a valid URL in the new site. Broken internal links are orphaned pages that Google can't find.

Step 6 — Canonical Tag Validation

Every page on your new Next.js site must have a self-referencing canonical tag. The canonical must point to the new URL — not the old WordPress URL. Check protocol (https, not http), domain, and trailing slash consistency.

Step 7 — XML Sitemap Generation

Generate a fresh XML sitemap from your Next.js build. Submit it to Google Search Console on launch day. The sitemap should only include 200-status, indexable pages. No redirects, no 404s, no noindexed pages.

Step 8 — Robots.txt and Indexing Directives

Make sure your production robots.txt allows crawling of all intended pages. Check for leftover staging directives (Disallow: /) that accidentally block Googlebot. Verify no pages have accidental noindex meta tags.

Step 9 — Pre-Launch Crawl Diff

Before you flip DNS, crawl your Next.js staging site and compare it against your WordPress baseline. Every URL should have a matching redirect or a 1:1 equivalent page. Every title tag, meta description, and canonical should match.

Step 10 — Post-Launch Search Console Monitoring

After launch, check Google Search Console daily for 30 days. Watch for indexing coverage drops, crawl errors, and 404 spikes. If you see problems, fix them immediately — the first 30 days are the recovery window.

Common Mistakes That Cause Ranking Drops

Deploying without a redirect map — the most common and most damaging mistake.
Using 302 redirects instead of 301 — 302s don't pass link equity the same way.
Forgetting trailing slash consistency — /about and /about/ are different URLs to Google.
Leaving staging noindex tags on production — this deindexes your entire site.
Not monitoring Search Console post-launch — problems found in week 3 are harder to fix than problems found on day 1.

FAQ

Will my rankings drop during a WordPress to Next.js migration?

Not if you follow a proper SEO parity process. Rankings drop when redirects are missing, metadata is wiped, or structured data disappears. With a complete redirect map, preserved metadata, and validated schema, your rankings should remain stable through the migration.

How long does it take to see if a migration was successful?

Give it 30 days. Google needs time to recrawl and reindex your site. You should see stable or improving metrics in Search Console within 2-4 weeks. If you see significant drops after 7 days, investigate immediately.

Can I do this myself or do I need professional help?

You can do it yourself if you have SEO and development experience. The checklist above covers every step. However, the risk of missing something on a large site (500+ pages) is high. A professional audit before migration catches gaps you might miss.

What's the difference between a 301 and a 308 redirect?

Both are permanent redirects. A 301 allows the request method to change (POST to GET), while a 308 preserves the original method. For SEO purposes, 301 is the standard choice for site migrations because search engines treat it as a permanent signal to transfer ranking equity.

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