There is only one reason migrations cause downtime: doing the steps in the wrong order. Done properly, your visitors never notice. Here is the sequence.
1. Prepare the new hosting
The new plan is created and your files and database are transferred. Your old site keeps running during this stage; nothing has changed yet.
2. Test the site on the new server
Before touching DNS, verify the site works on the new server: database connection, file permissions and PHP version. Errors are fixed here, before any visitor sees them.
3. The DNS switch
Once everything is ready, the domain's DNS records are pointed to the new server. During propagation some visitors may still land on the old server. That is why lowering the record's TTL beforehand and switching at a quiet hour matters.
4. SSL and final checks
Install the SSL certificate on the new server and check the site over https. Then test the contact form, member login, checkout and outgoing email one by one.
Notes for WordPress sites
The most common WordPress migration mistake is leaving the old domain and file paths in the database. If the domain stays the same, nothing needs changing; if it changes, the address records in the database must be updated. The database name, user and password in wp-config.php also need to match the new server.
Caching plugins can cause trouble during a move. Clearing the cache before migrating prevents old paths from being baked into the new server.
Migrating email accounts
Email is a separate service from the website. If you change the MX record before mailboxes are moved, incoming mail can be lost. The right order is: create the accounts on the new server, transfer the mailboxes, then change the MX record. During propagation mail may arrive at either server, so pick a quiet day for the switch.
Post-migration SEO checks
- Set up 301 redirects if any URLs changed.
- Make sure robots.txt is not blocking crawling.
- Resubmit the sitemap and watch for crawl errors in Search Console.
- Check that the https redirect works and there is no mixed-content warning.
- Compare page load time with what it was before the move.
Pre-migration checklist
- Take a full backup from the old host (files + database).
- Write down your email accounts; mailboxes need to move too.
- Make sure you have access to the domain's control panel.
- List any scheduled tasks (cron) the site relies on.
- Do not cancel the old hosting plan until the migration is complete.
Common mistakes during migration
- Closing the old host too early: cancelling before DNS has propagated leaves some visitors unable to reach the site. Keep it for at least a week.
- An incomplete database backup: moving files alone is not enough; the content lives in the database.
- PHP version differences: a theme or plugin that worked on the old server may break on a different PHP version. Note the version before moving.
- File permissions: make sure upload folders are writable after the transfer.
- Forgetting SSL: switching DNS before the certificate is installed shows visitors a security warning.
Migration support
You can open a support ticket for help with the migration; our technical team assists with transferring files and the database. The final DNS change happens wherever your domain is managed, and we will guide you through it.