Website replatforming is a strategic initiative that businesses undertake to improve functionality, scalability, and user experience. However, when it comes to SEO, the transition to a new platform can be a double-edged sword. If executed without careful planning, replatforming can lead to traffic loss, broken links, and a decline in search visibility. On the other hand, a well-planned replatforming project can enhance site performance, streamline technical SEO, and even improve search rankings.
The following article outlines actionable steps and insights from industry experts to help businesses preserve and enhance their SEO during a website replatforming process. These recommendations are based on insights from various sources, including replatforming strategies, SEO audits, and technical considerations.
Pre-Replatforming Preparation
Before initiating any replatforming project, a thorough assessment of the current site’s SEO performance is essential. This step ensures that critical data is captured and preserved during the migration.
Capturing SEO Data
According to the source materials, businesses should capture a minimum of one month of SEO data before replatforming. This data includes:
- Organic traffic trends
- Ranking keywords
- Top-performing pages
- Bounce rates and conversion metrics
- Backlink profile
Having this baseline allows businesses to compare post-migration performance and identify any issues that may arise.
Audit and Assessment
A comprehensive platform audit is a recommended first step in determining whether replatforming is necessary. This audit helps identify gaps in the current system and assesses whether the platform aligns with the business’s long-term goals. The audit also provides insights into technical SEO elements such as schema markup and mobile-friendliness, which are crucial for maintaining search visibility.
Defining Business Goals
A well-defined replatforming strategy must align with the business’s objectives. The source documents emphasize the importance of setting clear goals to guide the replatforming process. These goals may include:
- Preserving existing SEO efforts
- Boosting site speed and performance
- Enabling cloud integration and omnichannel capabilities
By defining these goals early, businesses can ensure that the replatforming strategy supports the overall business growth and provides a competitive advantage.
Setting Priorities
When determining the scope of the replatforming project, businesses should prioritize their most critical objectives. Questions such as “Do we need to improve site speed or SEO?” or “Does our site require a better user experience?” can help guide decision-making.
Technical SEO Considerations
One of the most significant challenges in replatforming is preserving technical SEO elements. A poorly managed migration can result in broken links, URL changes, and lost metadata, all of which can negatively impact search rankings.
URL Mapping and Redirects
A critical technical step in replatforming is mapping old URLs to their new counterparts and implementing a robust 301 redirect strategy. This ensures that search engines can effectively transition from the old URLs to the new ones without confusion or traffic loss.
According to the source materials, businesses should carefully plan their URL structure to avoid SEO disruptions. This includes ensuring that redirects are correctly set up and tested before the site goes live.
Content and Metadata Preservation
During the migration process, content may be stored in proprietary formats or prerendered as JavaScript, CSS, or HTML, which can complicate the transition to a new platform. Businesses should allocate time and resources to remove any proprietary formatting and ensure that content is generically machine-readable.
Additionally, businesses should avoid copy-paste errors that can lead to the loss of critical SEO components such as meta descriptions, alt tags, and schema markup.
Mobile Optimization and Page Speed
Modern platforms often offer better tools for content optimization and performance improvements. Businesses can leverage these tools to enhance mobile-friendliness and page load speeds, both of which are key factors in search engine algorithms.
On-Page SEO Best Practices
Maintaining the integrity of on-page SEO elements is essential during replatforming. Businesses should ensure that all content is optimized for both users and search engines.
Duplicate Content Audit
A thorough audit for duplicate content is recommended to prevent content cannibalization, which can hurt search rankings. Duplicate content may arise when pages are not correctly redirected or when similar content is published in multiple locations.
Voice Search Optimization
With the increasing use of voice search, businesses should optimize their content using simple, question-based language. This can help improve visibility in voice search queries and enhance user experience.
Post-Launch Monitoring and Optimization
After the replatforming project is complete, ongoing monitoring is crucial to ensure that the site performs as expected and that any issues are quickly addressed.
Traffic and Ranking Monitoring
Businesses should monitor traffic and ranking changes in the weeks and months following the migration. This allows for early detection of any issues and provides opportunities for optimization.
Error Checking and Redirect Validation
Daily monitoring of search engine errors and redirect validation is recommended to ensure that the site continues to function properly. Businesses should also test redirects to ensure that users and search engines are directed to the correct pages.
Mitigating SEO Risks
Despite careful planning, replatforming can still carry risks. However, the source materials suggest that with proper execution, many of these risks can be mitigated.
Avoiding Traffic Loss
It is a common misconception that all sites lose traffic during migration. With strong redirect mapping, regular post-launch checks, and careful planning, many businesses can maintain or even improve their traffic and sales.
SEO Recovery Timeline
The time it takes for SEO to recover after a migration mistake can vary. However, businesses that implement strong SEO strategies and monitor their site closely can often see recovery within a few weeks or months.
Conclusion
Website replatforming is a strategic initiative that can lead to significant improvements in site performance, user experience, and SEO. However, it requires careful planning and execution to ensure that SEO efforts are preserved and enhanced. By capturing key SEO data, mapping URLs effectively, preserving technical and on-page elements, and monitoring performance post-launch, businesses can successfully navigate the replatforming process without compromising their search visibility.