How I prepare a WordPress migration without losing affiliate clicks

Moving a WordPress site to a new host is often described as a technical housekeeping task. For an affiliate blogger, it is also a business continuity exercise. A few minutes of broken redirects, missing tracking parameters or unavailable product pages can turn into lost commissions and inaccurate reports.

Before starting, I treat every affiliate URL as a revenue path that needs to be documented and tested. This includes links inside old posts, comparison tables, image buttons, widgets and reusable blocks. A site can appear normal while a single important link still points to an outdated domain, a temporary staging address or a missing page.

My process has become more careful through managing content, SEO settings and WordPress customisation. The practical blogging guides on Rico’s blog reflect the same hands-on approach: record the current setup first, change one major variable at a time, and test the result from a visitor’s perspective.

Build a complete pre-migration inventory

I begin by exporting the site’s content and creating a list of important URLs. The list includes the homepage, category pages, high-traffic articles, landing pages, contact forms and every post that contains affiliate links. Google Search Console, Google Analytics 4 and the affiliate network dashboard help identify pages that deserve priority.

A WordPress database search can reveal affiliate domains and tracking parameters that are easy to overlook in the editor. I search for terms such as utm_, ref=, aff, go/, and the domains used by retailers or affiliate platforms. This catches links hidden in HTML, shortcode fields and theme options.

I also save screenshots of key pages and record current response codes. A spreadsheet with the source URL, destination URL, affiliate network, link position and expected behaviour makes post-migration checks much faster. For an Australian audience, I pay special attention to links aimed at local retailers, .com.au stores and products with Australia-specific shipping or currency information.

Create reliable backups and a rollback path

A complete backup contains more than the WordPress media library. I save the database, plugin files, theme files, uploads directory and configuration details. The database holds posts, menus, widget settings and many affiliate links, while uploads may contain product images, comparison graphics and downloadable lead magnets.

I keep at least one backup away from the current server and verify that it can be opened or restored. A backup that exists but cannot be imported is not a practical safety net. I also note the PHP version, MySQL or MariaDB version, WordPress version, active theme and plugin list before copying anything.

The old host remains active until the new installation has passed testing. I avoid cancelling the old account immediately after changing nameservers because DNS updates do not happen at the same speed for every visitor. A rollback plan may involve restoring the old DNS records or temporarily directing the domain back to the previous server.

Prepare the new hosting environment

Before uploading the site, I configure the new host to match the production requirements. This includes the PHP version, memory limit, SSL certificate, database credentials, cron behaviour and server-level caching. Some hosts apply aggressive caching that can make a newly changed affiliate redirect appear broken when the old response is still being served.

I create a staging or temporary installation where possible. The temporary address should be protected from search engines with access controls rather than relying only on a noindex setting. I never send real paid traffic to a staging URL, and I check that affiliate buttons cannot accidentally expose a development domain to visitors.

Email settings deserve attention as well. Contact forms, password resets and WordPress notifications can fail after a host change because the new server has different SMTP rules. If the site uses a mailing list or automated affiliate disclosures, those connections should be tested before the domain points to the new host.

Transfer affiliate URLs without altering tracking

During the migration, I copy the site without casually editing link formats. Affiliate networks can distinguish between a valid tracking URL and a similar-looking address with one missing parameter. I preserve query strings, sub-IDs, campaign identifiers and deep links exactly unless there is a documented reason to change them.

I check whether the site uses a link management plugin, custom redirect rules or a theme feature such as a “pretty link” system. These tools may store destinations in a database table or custom post type rather than directly inside article content. They need to be migrated and activated in the correct order.

Redirects are especially important when the domain structure changes. Every old article URL should resolve with a single, intentional 301 redirect to its new equivalent. Chains such as old URL to intermediate URL to final affiliate destination increase loading time and may interfere with tracking. I also confirm that the migration has not turned internal links into links containing the temporary host address.

Test the live site from several viewpoints

Once the new server is ready, I use a hosts-file preview or temporary verification method to inspect the site before changing public DNS. I open representative pages on a desktop and mobile device, then test navigation, menus, search, forms, images, downloadable files and cookie notices.

For affiliate links, I test ordinary text links, buttons, image links and links inside tables. I confirm that each one reaches the intended merchant and preserves its tracking information. I do not complete unnecessary purchases, but I inspect the final destination and use the affiliate platform’s link checker or test tools when available.

The live check begins after DNS changes have propagated. I use an incognito browser, a mobile connection and a different network because cached DNS can hide problems. Visitors in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and regional areas may reach different DNS resolvers during the transition, so I monitor logs and uptime from more than one location. I also confirm that Australian retailer pages load correctly rather than redirecting visitors to an international storefront.

Monitor rankings, commissions and server errors

After launch, I keep the old backup and migration notes available for several weeks. I monitor Google Search Console for indexing issues, crawl errors, soft 404s and unexpected canonical changes. A successful homepage load does not prove that older posts, pagination and category archives are working correctly.

Affiliate reporting provides another layer of evidence. I compare clicks, conversions and earnings with typical daily patterns, allowing for normal fluctuations. A sudden fall in clicks may indicate broken buttons or a JavaScript issue, while clicks without conversions can point to incorrect destinations, lost sub-IDs or a merchant-side change.

Server logs and uptime alerts help identify problems that visitors may experience only occasionally. I look for 404 responses, redirect loops, PHP fatal errors and blocked requests. If the site uses Cloudflare or another CDN, I purge caches after the migration and check that SSL, DNS and firewall rules are aligned with the new host.

A practical migration checklist

I use the following checks before treating the move as complete:

A migration should be considered unfinished until the commercial paths have been checked, not merely when WordPress displays the dashboard. Affiliate income depends on small details: a preserved query string, an active redirect plugin, a valid SSL certificate and a destination that matches the visitor’s country.

Taking a methodical approach also makes future host changes less stressful. When URLs, backups, DNS records and tracking behaviour are documented, the next migration becomes a controlled operation rather than an emergency repair. The site can keep serving readers in Brisbane, Adelaide or elsewhere in Australia while its hosting infrastructure changes behind the scenes.