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A redesign can make a website look much better and quietly wreck its SEO at the same time. The reason is usually something nobody checks: the URLs changed.
Even a small slug change can lead to lost rankings, broken links and a drop in traffic. So I built CtrlAlt Slug Sync, a WordPress plugin that makes the slugs on a new site match the old site exactly.
What is a slug, and why does it matter?
A slug is the last part of a page's address. In /laser-hair-removal/, the slug is laser-hair-removal.
Slugs matter because they:
- Shape how Google indexes your pages
- Carry your SEO history
- Hold the backlinks other sites point at you
- Keep things familiar for returning visitors
- Prevent broken links and 404 errors
If the old site used /microneedling-2/ and the new one uses /microneedling/, Google sees two different pages, unless you redirect or match them.
The problem with most redesigns
During a rebuild, everyone focuses on layout, branding, content, speed and user experience. Slugs get forgotten. The result:
- Rankings drop
- Internal links and menus break
- Elementor buttons point to pages that no longer exist
- Google indexes new URLs instead of your old, optimised ones
What the plugin does
1. Slug mapping. Paste a list of old URLs and new URLs. The plugin matches them and shows which slugs need to change.
2. One-click updates. It updates page, post and custom post type slugs, including drafts, so the new site mirrors the old structure.
3. Fixes internal links. When slugs change, links break. The plugin repairs links inside content, menus, buttons, widgets and shortcodes.
4. Handles Elementor safely. Elementor stores links inside serialised data. The plugin decodes it, updates it and saves it back without breaking any widgets.
5. A clear progress log. See how many slugs will change, which ones matched, what succeeded and any warnings, all in real time.
Real examples
microneedling→microneedling-2blogs→blogaquafirmexs→aquafirmexs-facial-northville-minouvaderm-skin-restoration→nouvaderm-skin-restoration-in-northville-mi
Why not do it by hand?
Most migrations involve 30 to 200 pages. Doing each slug by hand is slow, easy to get wrong and almost impossible on a tight launch deadline. The plugin does the whole job in minutes.
Built to be safe
- Uses standard WordPress functions only
- No custom database tables
- Works with Yoast, Rank Math, Elementor, Bricks and Gutenberg
- Every change is logged, and it's reversible with a backup
If you're relaunching a site or moving from another platform, this keeps your URLs, your rankings and your traffic where they were. And if you need extras like automatic redirects, XML imports or conflict detection, I can extend it for you.
Need something like this built?
I build custom WordPress plugins, websites and web apps. Tell me what you need.