What are the best practices for testing and launching your new CMS?

1 Plan your migration strategy

Before you start moving your content and code to the new CMS, you need to have a clear plan of how you will execute the migration. This includes defining the scope, timeline, and budget of the project, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the team members involved. You also need to identify the potential challenges and risks that you may encounter, and how you will mitigate them. Having a detailed migration plan will help you stay on track, communicate effectively, and avoid surprises.

2 Choose the right tools and methods

Depending on the size and complexity of your website, you may need to use different tools and methods to migrate your content and code to the new CMS. Manual migration involves copying and pasting your content and code from the old CMS to the new one, or using a spreadsheet to map and transfer the data. This is suitable for small and simple websites, but it can be time-consuming and prone to human errors. Automated migration involves using a software or a plugin that can automatically migrate your content and code from the old CMS to the new one, or using an API to connect and sync the data. This is suitable for large and complex websites, but it can be expensive and require technical expertise. Hybrid migration is a combination of manual and automated migration, depending on the type and format of your content and code. This can offer more flexibility and control, but it can also be more challenging and require more coordination.

3 Test your new CMS thoroughly

Before launching your new CMS, it is essential to test it thoroughly to guarantee that everything works as expected and meets your quality standards. Testing should be done from various perspectives, such as content, design, and functionality. Content should be accurate, complete, and consistent across pages and devices, and any spelling, grammar, or formatting errors should be fixed. Design should be responsive, attractive, and user-friendly, and any broken, misaligned, or overlapping elements should be corrected. Functionality should be fast, reliable, and secure, and any broken, slow, or vulnerable features should be fixed.

4 Launch your new CMS carefully

Once you are satisfied with your testing results, you are ready to launch your new CMS. However, you should not rush this process, as it can still involve some risks and challenges. To ensure a successful launch, you should first backup your old CMS, including your content, code, and database. Then, you should update your domain name system (DNS) settings, so that your website points to your new CMS. After that, you should monitor your new CMS, and check if everything is working properly and smoothly. Additionally, you should collect feedback from your users, and address any issues or complaints that they may have. Planning ahead and informing your users about the launch date and time is also important.