A platform migration should preserve the pages and signals that already perform while creating a cleaner foundation for what comes next.
Sample content for CMS, layout and interaction testing. This is not approved editorial copy.
A platform migration should preserve the pages and signals that already perform while creating a cleaner foundation for what comes next.
Inventory the current site
Crawl every indexable URL, capture metadata and canonical rules, and identify the pages earning links, rankings and conversions. The migration plan should be based on evidence rather than the navigation alone.
Map content before building templates
Agree which pages stay, merge or disappear, then map every retained URL to its future template and CMS record. This gives design, development and content teams one shared source of truth.
Treat redirects as a tested deliverable
Build the redirect map early, review chains and conflicts, and test it again on staging and after launch. Redirects are part of the information architecture, not a final spreadsheet chore.
A practical starting point
- Agree the outcome before choosing the tool or tactic.
- Keep the first version small enough to test with real users.
- Document what the team should measure and who owns the next decision.
Good website systems make useful work easier to repeat.
The strongest approach is rarely the most complicated one. Start with a clear structure, test it against real content, and improve it when evidence shows where the friction is.
