Quite simply, website migration is when you move data stored on a CMS to a new system. It is necessary when an old site is outdated and can’t keep up with the requirements of the company or individual. Even more common is the desire to move to a new CMS for prestige purposes. The problem is losing data which has been stored for the duration of your initial agreement. Just imagine owning a physical store and not telling your customers you have moved. They wouldn’t find out until it’s too late and the business would lose out as a whole.
The same is true of SEO, especially if a chunk of data goes missing. Below are the best ways to make a change without losing traffic.
Plug The Leak
Chances are your migration skills may not be up to standard. In fact, people like Sam Gipson and Co. may be further ahead in every department. However, don’t let this get you down because it isn’t a huge problem. Yes, skill and experience are essential to make a move a smooth one, but you don’t have to own the skills. All you have to do is hire a professional that can fill in the gaps in your knowledge. Gipson is a good example of a reputable outsourcer, but there are hundreds if not thousands on the market. Find one you can trust at an affordable rate and it will be the easiest move ever.
Pick A Quiet Period
What do Christmas, Easter and summer have in common? They are the most profitable times of the year for businesses. Even firms that have little seasonality tend to make a killing over the Xmas, Easter and summer holidays. So, it makes zero sense to move leading up to or during these major periods. Remember that migration shouldn’t kill traffic but it will likely result in a temporary dip. As a rule, it’s not good to lose custom, but if you are, do it during a slow time. Plus, picking a quiet month will relieve the stresses and pressures of moving to management systems.
Crawl Before And After
Crawling is an industry term which means to check for broken links and ones that don’t redirect. Migrating doesn’t say you have to start afresh because old links will instantly forward traffic to your new CMS. Still, it’s imperative that nothing gets lost during the move. Otherwise, those killer 404 error pages will plague the platform and annoy your base. Rob Hammond has an easy-to-use and accessible crawler which is free.
Maintain Analytics Software
Information is the key to a successful transition so hoarding data is essential. As a result, your analytics software shouldn’t go down at any time during the move. Hopefully, it will be able to show you the bounce rate as well as the link quality so that you can make quick changes. Also, keep an eye on any changes in traffic just to be doubly sure.
Now that you understand website migration, do you think it’s something you will try?
