How can I swap my current website with a new one on Webflow and make sure my URLs and hosting are correctly redirected?
TL;DR
- Duplicate your current Webflow project for backup.
- Finalize, test, and match the new site’s URLs to the old ones or set 301 redirects as needed.
- Connect your custom domain, publish the new site, and verify redirects, SSL, and sitemap in Google Search Console.
To swap your current live Webflow website with a new one, while preserving hosting and URL redirects, follow these structured steps.
1. Backup or Duplicate the Current Project
- Create a backup by duplicating your current Webflow project to preserve the existing design/content before replacing it.
- In your Dashboard, click the three-dot menu on your project and select Duplicate.
- This step ensures that if anything breaks, you can revert to the previous version.
2. Finalize & Test Your New Website
- Ensure your new site is completed and functioning correctly.
- Use Webflow’s Preview and Publish to Webflow.io domains to test all pages, links, and interactions.
- Verify mobile responsiveness and SEO tags in Page Settings.
3. Update Page URLs to Match Your Old Site (if needed)
- If you want to preserve existing URLs for SEO, make sure your new project uses the same slug paths (e.g.,
/about,/contact). - In Webflow, go to Pages > Settings and update each page’s URL Slug to match the original.
4. Set Up 301 Redirects
- If URLs are changing, use 301 redirects to forward old URLs to new ones.
- In Webflow, go to Project Settings > SEO > 301 Redirects.
- Use the format: /old-page → /new-page.
- This preserves SEO equity from search engines and ensures users land on the right pages.
5. Publish the New Site to Your Custom Domain
- In your Project Settings > Hosting, ensure your domain is connected.
- Select your custom domain (e.g., www.yourwebsite.com) and set it as the default domain.
- Click Publish and choose both the Webflow.io staging URL and your custom domain.
- Webflow will replace the old site with the new one live.
6. Test Domain & Page Redirects
- After publishing, visit your domain and verify:
- All pages load correctly.
- All expected redirects work.
- SSL is active (should redirect to HTTPS).
- Use tools like Google Search Console, Redirect Checker, or Screaming Frog to confirm redirects and track crawl status.
7. Re-Submit Sitemap (Optional but Recommended)
- If your sitemap or structure has changed, go to Project Settings > SEO and re-generate the sitemap.
- Re-submit it in Google Search Console > Sitemaps to alert Google of your changes.
Summary
To replace your website in Webflow: duplicate your current site as backup, set correct page URLs or 301 redirects, and publish your new Webflow project to the existing custom domain. Double-check your redirects and SSL after publishing.