Best Practices for Website Migration: A Publisher-Friendly Guide

Discover the best practices for efficiently migrating your website(s) to a non-legacy CMS. A seamless transition maintains your audience, e.g. consistent search and syndication traffic, while upgrading website performance scores including average page load time, average session time, average pages viewed per session, revenue per click, revenue per 1,000 impressions, Google Lighthouse Scores, and domain rating.

Hat tip to my trusty AI image bot hard at work on website migration images!

Understanding the Benefits of Website Migration

Website migration is a crucial process for businesses looking to upgrade their online presence, visibility, hosting, and/or data security. A full-scope website migration involves transferring all the files, databases, and configurations from one server to another — without disrupting the website's functionality. A smart, well-planned  website migration ensure a smooth transition avoids negative impacts on search engine and syndication traffic, while at the same time future proofing the website infrastructure.

When done correctly, website migration offers numerous benefits. You can improve your website's performance, security, and scalability to bring in more audience, more consistently, at higher earnings per visitor. It also provides an opportunity to update your design, add new features, or restructure your content to be in line with the core brand voice.

However, if not executed properly, website migration can result in broken links, loss of data, and a significant drop in traffic and earnings. By migrating your website efficiently, you can minimize the risks and maximize the benefits.

This guide walks through best practices to follow during any website migration process.

#1: Planning for Website Migration

Before starting the website migration process, thorough preparation is crucial. It involves assessing your current website(s), setting clear goals for the migration, and creating a detailed cross-functional workflow.

First, analyze traffic and earnings for your existing website(s) to identify any issues or areas for improvement. Check for broken links, outdated content, slow-loading pages, and other potential imbalances (e.g. what percent of your monthly traffic comes from your top ten articles). Verify average session times, pages viewed per session, organic search, and performance during Google Algo updates. These learnings will help you determine the necessary changes and updates to implement by way of the migration.

Next, define your goals and scope for the migration. Are you looking to improve the website's performance, enhance its design, migrate to a more reliable hosting provider, or revamp the editorial-side experience? Clearly outlining your objectives will help you stay focused and make informed decisions toward efficient completion of the migration process.

Once you have a clear vision of your goals, create a detailed migration action plan. This plan should include a timeline, a list of tasks to be completed, and engineering load management. It's important to have a backup of your website and its data before starting the migration to ensure you can revert to the previous version if needed, as well as first executing a "lift n' shift" vs. changing everything from the get go. 

By properly preparing for website migration, you can minimize downtime, reduce the risk of errors, and ensure a successful transition.

I think the AI bot does well here — given our experience these timelines are realistic

#2: Choosing the Right Migration Method

When it comes to website migration, there are different methods available, and choosing the right one is crucial for a smooth transition. The method you choose will depend on various factors, including the complexity of your website, the size of your data, and your technical expertise.

One common migration method is the manual migration, which involves transferring files and databases manually. This method is suitable for small websites with simple structures and limited data. However, it can be time-consuming and prone to errors. Finding good engineering talent can also be very challenging. 

For larger websites or those with complex structures, automated migration tools or services might be more suitable. These tools can help streamline the migration process, transfer large amounts of data efficiently, and minimize the risk of errors.

Additionally, consider the compatibility of the migration method with your new hosting provider. Ensure that the method you choose is supported by the new server environment and that you have the necessary technical knowledge or support to execute it successfully.

By selecting the right migration method, you can simplify the process, reduce the risk of data loss, and ensure a successful migration. At a high level, make sure you address these points between editorial, commerce, SEO, and technical leadership: 

#3: Implementing the Migration Process

Once you have prepared for the website migration and chosen the right method, it's time to implement the migration process. This involves executing the planned tasks, transferring the files and databases, and testing the new website before making it live.

Start by creating a staging environment where you can replicate your website and perform the migration without affecting the live site. This allows you to test the migration process and fix any issues before making the changes public.

Follow the migration plan you created, ensuring that each task is completed accurately. Transfer the files and databases to the new server or hosting provider, taking care to maintain the folder structure and file permissions. Test the website functionality, including links, forms, and interactive elements, to ensure everything is working correctly.

Once you are satisfied with the migrated website's performance and functionality, it's time to make it live. Point the domain name to the new server, update the DNS records if necessary, and monitor the website closely for any post-migration issues.

By implementing the migration process carefully and thoroughly testing the new website, you can minimize disruptions and ensure a successful migration. The key here is the initial scope of work — get through that scope of work before introducing other tasks that will slow everything down. 

An effective migration massively improves monthly audience and earnings metrics

#4: Post-Migration Checklist and Optimization

After completing the website migration, it's essential to perform a post-migration checklist to ensure everything is functioning as expected. This checklist should include tasks such as checking for broken links, testing forms and interactive elements, and verifying the website's performance.

First, thoroughly test the website for any broken links or missing pages. Update any internal links that might have changed during the migration process. Use online tools or plugins to scan your website for broken links and fix them promptly.

Next, test all forms and interactive elements on your website, such as contact forms, login forms, and search functionality. Make sure they are functioning correctly and capturing the data as intended.

Additionally, monitor the website's performance closely. Check the website's loading speed, responsiveness on different devices, and overall user experience. Optimize the website's performance by compressing images, minifying CSS and JavaScript files, and leveraging caching techniques.

Regularly monitor the website's search engine rankings and traffic after the migration. If you notice any significant drops, investigate the possible causes and take necessary actions to recover and maintain your rankings.

By performing a post-migration checklist and optimizing your website, you can ensure a seamless transition and maintain or improve your search engine and syndication traffic.