Top 5 Things to Watch Out for When Migrating a Content-Heavy Website

A bright Monday morning and your CMO calls you in – time to chat about your company's website. Clearly, it needs a makeover. There's outdated content, untracked pages, and let's not even mention the multiple floating, untouched microsites. It certainly doesn't represent your brand or help your visitors. The executive team is ready to make a change. They're finally eyeing a redesign and migration to a new AI-driven content management system.

Sounds thrilling, right? But then comes the reality check – six sites, different platforms, and a content mountain. How many pages? Over 2,000? 4,000? ACKKK! This is a big job!

Don't panic, that's why you're here. Let's run through the top 5 things to watch out for.

1.????? Don’t Skip the Content Assessment

To master a website migration, start with a thorough content evaluation. Begin by taking stock of your content. Examine its quality, relevance, and accuracy for a clear view of what's available, what's valuable, and any content gaps or overlaps. This forms the base for a "keep/kill/revise" list, making it a breeze to distinguish the gold from the rest.

Also, make sure to dig into your usage data to understand current user behavior. Concentrate on content that's already doing well. Review it for readability, voice, and tone consistency, alignment with your brand's messaging, and harmony with content strategy objectives.

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2.????? Don't Keep All Your Old Content

Migration is the perfect chance to get rid of all that extra baggage. You should have already found the content that isn't working, is duplicative, outdated, or just terrible. Consider a clearance sale for that content or just chuck it out the nearest window. Removing the unneeded makes your content clear and focused and easier for users to find what they need. They will thank you for it.

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3.????? Don't Forget Content is King, but SEO is Second in Line for the Throne

Content may reign, but SEO is its regal partner. For extensive content migrations, the initial step is establishing a strong SEO strategy – that unsung hero supporting your content empire. Check out Google's SEO guide for some starters.

Next, ensure you address these SEO gems:

Keyword research. Evaluate your current keyword rankings and organic traffic to identify high-performing keywords that should be retained or targeted in your new or revised content. Look for keywords that might be valuable but are currently not being utilized. This research will also tell you what keywords you may be using that won't help your business at all. Make sure you are using keywords that move your business and are used by your target audience.

Linking strategy: Review your links to enhance your website's credibility and authority. Make sure that you are linking internally and externally to pages that add value to the content being spoken about on the page. Also, regarding backlinks, keep in mind that Google's Gary Illyss recently said that, yes backlinks are important, but they are not in the top 3 ranking factors - and have not been in a while.

Meta and structured data: Optimizing title tags, meta descriptions, and headers communicates content relevance to users and search engines. Incorporating structured data markup (schema) provides search engines extra context, potentially earning you featured snippets at the top of search results.

URL and permalink structure: This plays a vital role in maintaining SEO during a website migration. Meticulously plan URL redirection and structure updates to avoid broken links and loss of SEO equity.

By paying attention to these SEO details, you will maintain the integrity of your content's reign and safeguard your search dominance.

4.????? Don’t Ignore the Hard Stuff: Data Structure, Content Mapping, and Technology

Imagine a site migration as moving to a new house. It's not just about appearances – the foundation, layout, and correct placement matter. In this case, you're constructing a home for all that fantastic content.

Information architecture and content organization: Think of it like arranging your bookshelf – you want to find your favorite books easily, right? Defining hierarchies and taxonomies is like labeling and putting each book in its clear section. Then, categorizing gives it that neat order, so visitors can easily find the content that they are looking for. They won’t even miss the Dewey Decimal system.

Content mapping: Mapping your content is like arranging your toolbox for a big DIY project. You want your most valuable and often used tools within arm's reach. Mapping your content allows you to arrange it so it can be found easily when needed.

Content Management System: For migrating a content-rich site, selecting the right CMS resembles picking the perfect toolbox – it needs to fit all your requirements. The trick? Develop your CMS with content in mind. Tagging, data connectivity, authoring, and maintenance features act like dedicated spaces for each tool – with no rummaging.

Site performance: Always consider mobile responsiveness and performance from the start. It's like making sure your new home has a smooth driveway. In this mobile age, you want your website to shine on every device. Nobody likes a bumpy ride.

5.????? Don't Avoid Testing

Before the launch, test like a pro. Scrutinize content integrity, data accuracy, and site functionality. Just like you wouldn't embark on a sea journey without a seaworthy ship, don't overlook testing as the final check before launching into the digital realm.

So, while the prospect of migrating a content-heavy website may seem daunting, it's also a golden opportunity. Learn what works, trim excesses, optimize, and embrace new technologies. With planning, testing, and the right team, you can conquer challenges and create something that will dazzle your visitors at the same time.