URL mapping strategy: preserving every URL or redirecting properly during a Wix redesign

URL mapping is the most important technical step in any Wix redesign. Every old URL that changes must be mapped to its new equivalent, and a 301 redirect must be created to transfer the ranking authority from the old URL to the new one. Missing even a single high-traffic redirect can cost you thousands of visitors. This lesson provides the complete URL mapping methodology for Wix redesigns, including how to handle complex scenarios like page merges, removals, and structural changes.

The URL Mapping Spreadsheet

Your URL mapping document is the central artefact of your redesign SEO preservation effort. It maps every old URL to its new destination and tracks the redirect implementation status.

Creating your URL mapping spreadsheet

• Create a spreadsheet with these columns: Old URL, New URL, Redirect Type (301), Organic Traffic (last 6 months), Backlink Count, Priority (High/Medium/Low), Status (Planned/Implemented/Tested)
• Populate Old URL column with every URL from your pre-redesign crawl
• For each URL, determine whether it will: Stay the same (no redirect needed), Change URL (301 redirect required), Be merged into another page (301 redirect to the merged page), Be removed entirely (301 redirect to the most relevant remaining page)
• Add traffic and backlink data from your pre-redesign audit to prioritise redirects
• Mark priority: High (any page with traffic or backlinks), Medium (indexed pages without significant traffic), Low (non-indexed or very low traffic pages)

URL Mapping Scenarios on Wix

Scenario 1: Simple URL Rename

The old URL slug changes but the page content remains largely the same. Example: /services changes to /our-services. This requires a straightforward 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one. This is the simplest scenario and the redirect preserves nearly all ranking authority.

Scenario 2: Page Merge

Two or more pages are being combined into a single new page. Example: /seo-services and /seo-packages merge into /wix-seo-services. Both old URLs need 301 redirects to the new merged page. The new page must contain the key content from both original pages to avoid ranking loss for keywords the individual pages were targeting.

Scenario 3: Page Removal

A page is being removed entirely with no direct equivalent. Redirect to the most topically relevant remaining page. Never redirect to the homepage unless there is genuinely no better option, as homepage redirects transfer less authority for specific keywords.

Scenario 4: Structural Reorganisation

Pages move to different positions in the site hierarchy. Example: /blog/seo-tips moves to /resources/guides/seo-tips. The URL changes even though the content stays the same. 301 redirects are required for every URL that changes position in the hierarchy.

Implementing Redirects in Wix

How to set up 301 redirects in Wix during a redesign

• Go to your Wix Dashboard > Marketing & SEO > SEO > URL Redirect Manager
• Click "New Redirect" and select "Single Redirect" for individual URLs
• Enter the Old URL path (without the domain, e.g., /old-page-slug)
• Enter the New URL path (e.g., /new-page-slug)
• Ensure redirect type is set to 301 (permanent)
• Click Save and test the redirect by visiting the old URL in your browser
• For bulk redirects (more than 20), use Wix CSV import: create a CSV file with old_url and new_url columns, then upload it in the Redirect Manager
• After implementing all redirects, test every single one by visiting the old URL and confirming it reaches the correct new page

Common Wix Redesign URL Mistakes

• Forgetting blog post URLs: blog posts often account for significant traffic and are frequently missed in URL mapping
• Not redirecting Wix dynamic pages: if you use Wix CMS with dynamic page URLs, these must be individually redirected
• Redirecting everything to the homepage: this is a lazy approach that loses all page-specific ranking authority
• Not testing redirects after implementation: always verify by visiting the old URL in an incognito browser
• Removing redirects after a few months: keep all 301 redirects permanently, removing them reintroduces 404 errors
• Forgetting about external links: partners, directories, and social media profiles that link to old URLs need updating where possible

Complete How-To Guide: URL Mapping and Redirect Implementation for Wix Redesigns

Follow these steps to create a complete URL map and implement all redirects

• Open your pre-redesign URL inventory spreadsheet from the previous lesson
• Add columns: New URL, Redirect Type, Priority, Implementation Status
• For each URL, determine if it changes, merges, or gets removed in the redesign
• Assign the New URL for every changed URL based on the redesign plan
• For merged pages, ensure the new destination page contains key content from all merged pages
• For removed pages, identify the most topically relevant remaining page as the redirect target
• Prioritise redirects by traffic and backlink value: implement high-priority redirects first
• In Wix Dashboard, go to SEO > URL Redirect Manager and begin adding redirects
• For more than 20 redirects, prepare a CSV file and use the bulk import feature
• After implementing all redirects, test every single one: visit the old URL in an incognito browser and confirm it reaches the correct new page with no errors or chains
• Check for redirect chains using Screaming Frog or a redirect checker tool
• Update any external links you control (social media profiles, directory listings, partner sites) to point to the new URLs directly
• In GSC, request re-indexing of the new URLs for your highest-priority pages
• Keep your URL mapping spreadsheet updated and accessible for future reference

Essential Tools for This Lesson

• SEO Fix in a Box: My Wix app. Free to install, it scans your site and shows what needs fixing, and paid plans write the fixes from your own Google searches