Website migration guide: From planning to launch

Website migration is the process of moving a website from one environment to another, involving changes to the domain, hosting, CMS, or site structure. Proper planning is necessary, as a misstep here can lead to broken links, lost data, or worse – a sudden drop in your hard-earned search rankings.

But don’t worry! This guide will walk you through each step of a successful website migration, from setting clear goals to ensuring a smooth post-launch experience. It’ll also explore common pitfalls, offer tips for preserving your SEO, and show how Liquid Web’s expert team can make the whole process easier.

Whether you’re moving to a new domain or just need a fresh start on a new platform, this guide is here to support you at every stage!

What is website migration?

Website migration means transferring your website’s data, files, and functionality from one technical environment to another.

There are several common types of website migration:

• Domain migration changes the website’s address from one domain to another.
• Hosting migration moves the website to a new web hosting provider.
• CMS migration switches from one content management system to another.
• Design migration involves significant changes to website layout and structure.
• Protocol migration transfers from HTTP to HTTPS.
• Content migration updates or consolidates website content.

Websites are migrated for different reasons:

• Improved performance provides faster loading times.
• Enhanced SEO increases search engine rankings.
• Modernization updates website technology to current standards.
• Business growth requires scalable platforms.

Migrating a website can mean many things, depending on your specific goals like:

• Rebranding: A new brand identity often means a new domain name, fresh design, and updated functionality, all of which can require migration.
• Upgrading technology: Moving to a faster, more secure, or more flexible platform helps keep up with industry standards and user expectations.
• Improving SEO: Strategic changes like switching to a secure domain (http to https), creating mobile-friendly versions, or updating site architecture can all boost SEO – if done correctly.
• Enhanced user experience: A smoother user experience with improved navigation, faster load times, and modern features can boost visitor engagement and loyalty.

With your goal in mind, there are some common types of website migrations that you can look at:

• Domain migration: This involves moving your website to a new domain name (like from www.oldsite.com to www.newsite.com). While this can be essential for rebranding, expanding your business, or achieving SEO goals, it’s important to handle it carefully to avoid losing your website’s visibility in search engines.
• Re-platforming: When a website is moved from one Content Management System (CMS) or platform to another (for example, from a custom CMS to WordPress), it’s considered re-platforming. This can offer improved functionality, security, and performance, but it requires meticulous planning to preserve SEO and avoid data loss.
• Hybrid migration: A more complex form of migration, hybrid migration combines elements of both domain and platform changes. For instance, rebranding and moving to a new platform simultaneously. Hybrid migrations demand a strategic approach to manage both technical and SEO aspects.

Each of these migrations involves unique technical steps, but one thing is common: planning is absolutely essential. A well-thought-out migration plan reduces the risk of technical issues, SEO impacts, and downtime – ensuring a smooth experience for your team and visitors alike.

Pre-migration planning

This pre-migration stage lays the foundation for everything that follows, from technical execution to post-launch monitoring. It’s your roadmap, guiding you through what can otherwise feel like a labyrinth of technical tasks, SEO considerations, and timeline management.

A website migration plan outlines the steps needed to move a website from one environment to another.

The key planning steps are:

• Define objectives by articulating migration reasons and desired outcomes.
• Website audits evaluate current site structure and performance.
• Project plans create timelines and assign migration tasks.
• Complete backups preserve files and databases.
• Redirect strategies map old URLs to new destinations.

clear expectations before migration is essential, especially for complex WordPress sites where databases, plugins, and themes all need careful handling. Careful planning gives your migration a clear structure, minimizes risks, and ensures a smoother transition.

Careful planning gives your migration a clear structure, minimizes risks, and ensures a smoother transition.

Setting migration goals and timeline

• Define clear objectives: Determine what you want to achieve with this migration. Are you aiming for improved site performance, enhanced user experience, better SEO, or a combination of these? Clear objectives guide each decision throughout the migration.
• Create realistic timelines: Estimate the time needed for each migration phase, from content migration to testing. Remember to allow for unexpected delays – migration often involves moving parts that might not go exactly as planned.
• Allocate resources and define team roles: Migration is a team effort. Identify who will handle technical aspects, SEO preservation, content management, and quality assurance. Define each person’s responsibilities clearly so nothing slips through the cracks.

With solid goals, timelines, and responsibilities established, you can move forward with confidence, knowing everyone has a clear purpose and focus.

Technical assessment and preparation

A robust technical assessment allows you to create a smooth experience by knowing precisely what needs to be replicated, improved, or updated:

• Current site performance benchmarks: Measure key performance indicators (KPIs) like load times, uptime, and user engagement on your existing site. These benchmarks will help you assess whether the migration improves performance and keeps user experience intact.
• Security considerations: Review security protocols to ensure your site is well-protected during and after the migration. If you’re moving to a new server, verify its security features and update all software to the latest versions.
• Backup procedures: Create a complete backup of your current site, including databases, media files, and content. Backups are your safety net, allowing you to restore the original site if anything goes awry during migration.
• Server requirements assessment: Confirm that your new environment meets or exceeds your current server specifications. Evaluate whether your new hosting provider can handle your site’s traffic, storage, and performance needs without issues.

SEO preservation strategy

A strong SEO strategy minimizes negative impact on search engine rankings during migration.

• Content inventory prevents duplicate content issues.
• URL mapping preserves site structure integrity.
• 301 redirects maintain link equity and avoid broken links.
• Backlink management protects valuable external links.
• Analytics tracking monitors website performance after migration.

Keeping SEO intact during migration ensures search visibility and traffic stability.

Step-by-Step Website Migration Process

The website migration process involves planning and preparation, setting up the new environment, data transfer and implementation, testing and launch, and post-migration monitoring.

The key phases are:

• Phase 1: Setting up the new environment configures hosting and CMS installations.
• Phase 2: Data transfer moves website files and databases to the new platform.
• Phase 3: Technical implementation configures DNS settings and implements redirects.
• Phase 4: Testing ensures all site features work correctly before launch.
• Phase 5: Post-migration monitoring verifies site performance and SEO after launch.

Beyond these atomic steps, each phase requires careful execution:

Phase 1: Development environment setup

Create a secure staging environment that mirrors your live site. Test changes in this environment to catch errors early. Perform quality assurance checks on forms, interactive features, and layouts.

Phase 2: Content migration

Transfer your database, media files, and documents to the new site. Confirm that links and media display correctly. Take this opportunity to refresh outdated content and optimize files for performance.

Phase 3: Technical implementation

Configure the server environment, install an SSL certificate, update DNS settings, and implement 301 redirects. Generate a new XML sitemap to help search engines crawl your updated structure.

Phase 4: Testing and quality assurance

Check your site across browsers and devices. Validate mobile responsiveness, compress images, enable caching, and minimize code for faster load times. Verify SEO-critical elements like meta tags, alt text, and structured data.

Phase 5: Post-migration monitoring

Track server performance, crawl for broken links, confirm analytics tracking, and monitor search rankings. Early detection prevents long-term issues.

Post-migration checklist

The post-migration phase verifies site performance, monitors SEO, analyzes analytics, and resolves issues after launch.

The monitoring steps are:

• Traffic monitoring tracks user behavior and identifies issues.
• SEO monitoring tracks search rankings and crawl errors.
• Analytics analysis identifies areas for optimization.
• Sitemap submission aids search engine indexing.

Beyond these steps, detailed checks keep your migration stable:

Technical verification

Once your site is live, confirm that all settings and configurations work as expected.

• Server performance monitoring ensures uptime and fast load times.
• Error detection tools catch broken links, missing files, or misconfigured settings.
• Security verification confirms SSL, firewalls, and updated software.
• Analytics tracking confirmation ensures accurate data collection.

SEO monitoring

Re-verify your site in Google Search Console, submit a new XML sitemap, and monitor indexing status. Keep tracking keyword rankings and comparing traffic data to spot fluctuations or drops.

Troubleshooting common issues

Broken links result from incorrect redirect implementation.
Slow load times indicate server configuration issues.
404 errors require immediate redirect updates.

User feedback also highlights issues like broken navigation or missing functionality. Acting quickly prevents long-term user dissatisfaction.

How Liquid Web makes website migration seamless

Managed migration services prevent SEO ranking loss.
Expert support minimizes broken links and technical errors.
Professional migration reduces website downtime.
24/7 monitoring identifies post-migration issues.

Liquid Web understands that website migration is a complex, often stressful task. That’s why they offer a range of managed migration services to make the process as seamless as possible. 

With Liquid Web’s powerful infrastructure, you get a high-performance, secure environment that’s optimized for scalability and reliability. Their hosting solutions ensure your site is ready for growth, with fast load times and robust security features.

The migration team manages the entire process, tailoring their approach to your specific requirements and handling everything from setup to testing. Their dedicated migration experts are available around the clock to answer technical or SEO questions and provide ongoing support after launch.

Make your website migration a success with Liquid Web

Migrating a website is a significant project, but with the right approach, it’s also an opportunity to improve performance, enhance security, and refine your brand presence. From setting clear objectives and planning a detailed SEO strategy to executing a smooth technical transition, a well-orchestrated migration can bring your website to a new level of functionality and user experience.

But you don’t have to do it alone. Liquid Web’s Managed Migration Services take the stress and complexity out of migration. Liquid Web handles every detail, ensuring that your website’s valuable SEO and functionality are preserved while delivering a faster, more secure, and scalable environment for your business.

If you’re planning a WordPress site move, explore our step-by-step guide to migrating WordPress to a new host.

Trust Liquid Web to make your move smooth, secure, and seamless. Contact Liquid Web’s team today to start planning your migration journey!