Moving Your Website to a New Provider Without Losing Data

What must be backed up before a website migration?

Start with a complete backup, not with the new hosting account. For WordPress and many other CMS setups, downloading visible files is not enough. Texts, pages, menus, form settings and sometimes shop or booking data live in the database.

Back up files, database, media folders, configuration, SSL details, redirects and a list of connected services. If email still runs at the old host, mailboxes and forwards belong on the checklist too. A backup only counts when the new provider can restore it in a test environment.

• website files, database and media folder
• CMS admin, hosting and SFTP access
• forms, booking tools, shop data and downloads
• DNS zone including MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC
• old redirects, robots.txt, sitemap.xml and tracking codes

How does the domain and provider transfer work?

For a real provider transfer, clarify who owns the domain and who can release it. For .de domains, an AuthInfo code is usually used. Think of it as the moving key: without it, the new provider cannot take over the domain cleanly.

Not every migration needs an immediate domain transfer. Often the domain can stay with the current registrar while only DNS records point to the new hosting. The key is documentation: nameservers, A, AAAA, CNAME, MX and TXT records must be exported or captured before changes are made.

Why email needs a separate migration plan

The most common damage during a website move is not the website, but email. If MX records disappear during DNS changes, messages stop arriving. If SPF, DKIM or DMARC are missing, outgoing mail is more likely to land in spam.

Treat email as its own workstream. Mailboxes at the old host must be migrated or recreated in time. If email runs through Microsoft 365, Google Workspace or another mail provider, the website migration must not overwrite those DNS records.

• record all mailboxes and forwards
• do not overwrite MX records with default DNS
• check SPF, DKIM and DMARC after the switch
• test website forms with a real recipient address

Which SEO points prevent ranking losses?

Google does not know that you are “only moving quickly”. If old pages return 404 errors, important content is missing or the internal structure changes, rankings can drop. Google recommends redirecting old URLs properly and monitoring migrations in Search Console.

When paths change, 301 redirects matter. An old service page should redirect to the matching new service page, not just the homepage. After migration, check sitemap.xml, robots.txt, canonical tags, meta titles and indexability.

How do DNS, TTL and go-live work without downtime?

DNS changes are not visible everywhere instantly. Many records have a TTL, which tells caches how long old information may be kept. In practice changes often appear within minutes or hours, but they can take longer.

Use a staging version on the new server. Test pages, forms, mobile layout, SSL, speed and privacy texts before pointing the domain to the new environment. Keep the old setup for a few days as a safety net.

What does a clean website migration cost?

A small, well-prepared migration can stay manageable: with backups, access and DNS ready, €300 to €900 for checks, migration and go-live is realistic. It becomes more expensive if the old site is outdated, the database is missing, email must be migrated or a relaunch is added.

At bezahlbare-webseite.de, migration is often part of moving into a managed subscription: Starter €79/month, Business €149/month, Premium €299/month. Add-ons such as SEO from €69, Google Ads from €149, shop plus €249 or booking plus €149 should be planned openly.

Which checklist should small businesses use before switching?

A provider switch works when the order is right: secure, test, switch, verify. Document access, responsibilities and dates so the process stays manageable even if old and new providers do not communicate directly.

After go-live, do not only check the homepage. Test forms, phone links, bookings, downloads, cookie banner, privacy policy, imprint, email delivery and key Google landing pages.

• create and test a full backup
• clarify domain owner, AuthInfo and DNS zone
• back up and test email separately
• check staging before go-live
• verify 301 redirects and Search Console
• keep the old environment for a few days