Short answer: Before a new website goes live, test it, remove any noindex rule left from the test version and map every old address to its new page. Check that forms and tracking work and run a first accessibility check. After launch, submit a sitemap in Search Console and watch traffic and errors.
Before launch: test the new site
Google’s list for a site move starts with preparing the new site and testing it thoroughly. If your test version was hidden from search with noindex, remove that rule before launch.
When Googlebot finds noindex on a page, Google drops that page entirely from its results, even if other sites link to it. Google also notes that noindex only works if robots.txt doesn’t block the page. Our noindex guide covers both.
| When | What to check | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Before launch | Noindex removed, forms and tracking tested, a first accessibility check | A page with noindex is dropped from Google |
| Launch day | Redirects from each old URL to its new match | Visitors and Google land on the right page |
| After launch | Sitemap submitted, traffic and errors watched in Search Console | Rankings can move while Google recrawls |
Our summary of Google Search Central and the W3C, read November 5, 2026.
If the new site replaces an old one
List the old URLs and decide where each one should redirect to; Google recommends server-side 301 or 308 redirects from old to new URLs. Our website migration guide covers the redirects step by step.
Google also reminds you to update profile links, such as Facebook or LinkedIn, and to point ad campaigns to the new landing pages.
Forms, tracking and accessibility
Send a test through every form and confirm it arrives; our contact form guide covers what a form needs. Check that your analytics records visits and the actions you care about before real traffic arrives.
For a first accessibility review, the W3C’s Easy Checks give step-by-step instructions to get a rough idea of a page. They cover page titles, text alternatives for images and other basics. The W3C says they cover just a few issues and aren’t definitive.
After launch: tell Google and watch
Search Console is, in Google’s words, your friend during a site move. Submit your sitemap there; Google says it can make discovery quicker, and the Sitemaps report shows how many submitted URLs are indexed.
Each sitemap is limited to 50MB uncompressed or 50,000 URLs. Watch traffic on the old and new URLs, and expect rankings to move while Google recrawls. Our Search Console guide covers the reports.
How to launch a website
- Test every page of the new site on a phone and a computer.
- Remove noindex from the pages you want in Google, and make sure robots.txt doesn’t block them.
- List the old URLs and map each one to its new page.
- Set up permanent server-side redirects and test them with the URL Inspection tool.
- Send a test through every form and check that analytics records it.
- Run the W3C’s Easy Checks on your main pages.
- Submit the sitemap in Search Console and watch traffic and errors in the following weeks.
On launch day
- No page you want in Google has noindex.
- Every old URL redirects to its matching new page.
- Forms deliver and analytics records visits.
- Page titles and image text alternatives are in place.
- The sitemap is submitted in Search Console.
- Profile links and ads point to the new pages.
RememberTest before launch, redirect every old address and tell Google with a sitemap. Then watch Search Console for the weeks after, while Google recrawls the site.
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Quick answers about launching a website
Can I launch the new site in parts?
If it replaces a large site, it can be wise. When a site is large and it is technically possible, Google recommends moving just a piece of it first. That tests the effects on traffic and indexing, and Google says moving a site in sections is fine.
Does Google index a new website right away?
Not necessarily. Google says there are no fixed crawl frequencies: how fast Googlebot crawls depends on the size of your site and the speed of crawling that is possible. Submitting a sitemap can help make discovery quicker.
Do I need to update my ads and profiles?
Yes, if they link to old pages. Google’s site move guide lists profile links, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, and ad campaigns, which should point to the new landing pages.
Why is my new website not on Google?
One possible reason is a noindex rule left from testing: Google drops a page with noindex from its results. Check the page with the URL Inspection tool in Search Console, then submit your sitemap.
Is the W3C Easy Checks list enough for accessibility?
No. The W3C says these checks cover just a few accessibility issues and are quick rather than definitive. They give you a rough idea of a page, which is a good start before a fuller review.
Sources
All read on November 5, 2026. Google Search Central: Site Moves and Migrations. Block Search Indexing with noindex. Build and Submit a Sitemap. W3C Web Accessibility Initiative: Easy Checks: A First Review of Web Accessibility.