A SaaS Website Migration Checklist from TripleDart

When it comes to website migration— domain or content management system or both—even minor misses can impact your keyword rankings, user experience, and overall online presence. But with a skilled team and a comprehensive website migration checklist, you can navigate the migration seamlessly.

We've helped numerous clients achieve successful site migrations with minimal impact on their SEO performance. In this post, we’ll outline the key steps we follow for both domain and CMS site migrations, ensuring a smooth transition for your website. In the end, you’ll walk away with a website migration checklist that you can implement immediately in your organization.

Types of Website Migration

Website migration involves moving your website from one environment to another. This mainly includes two types of migration:

1. Domain Migration: This involves moving your website to a new domain name  (e.g., from www.olddomain.com to www.newdomain.com).
2. CMS Migration: This involves switching your website content and functionality to a new content management system (e.g., from WordPress to Drupal).

Each type of migration has its unique challenges, particularly concerning keyword rankings. A well-planned migration following a website migration checklist can preserve or even improve keyword rankings and search engine visibility.

TripleDart’s Site Migration Process

We’ve developed a SaaS Website Migration Checklist that covers all critical aspects to ensure a successful website migration, focusing on both domain and CMS changes.

Domain migration: A step-by-step guide

The domain migration process involves several key steps, as stated below:

Title: Step-by-Step Domain Migration Process

Step 1: Planning and Benchmarking

Step 2: Creating a 301 Redirect Map

Step 3: Promoting the New Website

Step 4: New Website Accessibility by Google

Step 5: Migration Implementation

Step 6: Monitoring and Analysis

Step 7: Proactive Cleanup>

Step 1: Planning and benchmarking

• Estimated timeline: Determine a realistic timeline for the process, considering factors like site complexity and resource availability
• Current performance: Analyze your website's current performance by doing a site audit using tools like Google Analytics and Looker to determine key metrics like organic traffic, bounce rate, etc.
• Responsible party: Assign a dedicated team member or department to oversee the process

Step 2: Creating a 301 redirect map

• Identify URLs: List all indexed pages, pages included in your sitemap, and pages crawled by Screaming Frog.
• Map redirects: Determine the appropriate new URL for each old URL and create a detailed 301 redirection map.

Step 3: Promoting the new website

• Social media: Leverage social media platforms to announce the upcoming migration and generate excitement about the new site. This helps minimize user confusion during the transition.

Step 4: Ensuring New Website Accessibility by Google

• Remove noindex tags: Ensure noindex tags are only used where necessary to prevent pages from being indexed.
• Review robots.txt: Verify that your robots.txt file is not blocking the crawling of relevant pages.

Step 5: Implementing the migration plan

• Creating GSC property: Set up a new Google Search Console (GSC) property for the new website.
• Implement 301 redirects: Implement the 301 redirects outlined in your map to guide users and search engines to the correct pages.
• Update canonical tags: Ensure canonical tags point to the correct URLs on the new website.
• Update meta tags: Verify that all meta tags (title, description, keywords) are accurate and updated for the new website.
• Update internal links: Modify internal linkkings to point to the new URLs.
• Ensure google access: Verify that Google can access the new site by submitting a sitemap and using the Google Change of Address tool.
• Reach out to backlink sources: Contact websites that have linked to your old website and request them to update their links to the new domain.

Step 6: Monitoring and analysis

• Index coverage report: Monitor your index coverage report in GSC to track the indexing status of your new website's pages.
• Traffic analysis: Analyze traffic from various sources to find out any changes or declines.
• Branded traffic trends: Monitor trends in branded traffic to assess how the migration has affected brand awareness.
• Non-branded keyword ranking: Track your website's ranking for non-branded keywords to evaluate the impact on organic search visibility.

Step 7: Proactively clean up

• Missed redirects: Identify and address any missed 301 redirects that may be causing broken links.
• Lost internal links: Verify that all internal links are functioning correctly and point to the correct pages.
• Missed meta tags: Ensure that all meta tags are updated and accurate.

12 Best practices for domain-level migration

A successful domain-level migration requires careful planning and execution. Ensure to have a check on the following factors for a smooth transition:

1. Implement 301 redirects

Permanently redirect (301) all old URLs to their corresponding new URLs. This tells search engine that all the page content has permanently moved, preserving rankings.

2. Utilize GSC's change of address tool

Inform Google about the migration using GSC's change of address tool. This helps it understand the relationship between the old and new domains.

3. Create GSC properties for both sites

Maintain separate GSC properties for tracking both the old site and new sites. This allows you to track the site migration's impact on indexing and traffic.

4. Update sitemaps

Create a sitemap for the new domain and submit it to GSC for faster indexing. Retain the old sitemap for reference and to monitor any lingering issues.

5. Modify robots.txt

Update the robots.txt file on the new site to ensure proper crawling and indexing.

6. Use self-referential canonical tags

Implement self-referential canonical tags on the new site's pages to reinforce the preferred URL.

7. Consider a phased approach

Start by migrating a smaller portion of your site to test for any unexpected issues before moving the entire site.

8. Time the migration strategically

Choose a time with lower traffic (e.g., weekends) to minimize disruption to users.

9. Anticipate temporary ranking fluctuations

Be prepared for potential ranking fluctuations, as search engines will re-crawl landing pages and re-index your new site.

10. Update internal and external Links

• Modify internal links on the new site to point to the correct URLs
• Reach out to external websites linking to your old domain and request them to update their links
• Change the link on your social profiles, too, like LinkedIn, YouTube, Quora, Reddit, etc.
• Update old URLs with new ones in the ad campaigns, such as Adwords or third-party (if any)

11. Monitor traffic and indexing

Track changes in user and crawler traffic on both the old and new sites. Pay attention to the index coverage report in GSC to identify any issues.

12. Inform users

Notify users about the site move through a homepage banner or topbar notification.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overlooking 301 redirects: Ensure all old site URLs are properly redirected to avoid broken links and lost SEO value.
• Not removing index or robots.txt: If certain pages should not be indexed on the new website, ensure that the appropriate noindex tags or robots.txt directives are in place.
• Insufficient capacity: Ensure that your hosting provider has the capacity to handle the increased traffic and resource demands of the new website. Consider upgrading your hosting plan if necessary.
• Rushing the migration: A hasty migrating procedure can lead to errors and setbacks.
• Forgetting to update app links: If your website has associated mobile apps, ensure that the app link is updated to point to the new domain.
• Neglecting sitemap updation: Create a new sitemap for the new website and submit it to GSC.
• Ignoring data highlighter: If you implemented data highlighter to map your old pages, then you need to redo your mappings for the new site as well.

What to expect after a domain migration

While domain migrations can be beneficial, the results can vary depending on several factors. 

Positive impacts

• Improved user experience: A well-executed domain migration following a website migration checklist can enhance user experience by addressing technical issues, improving site speed, and optimizing navigation on mobile devices.
• Boosted SEO: It can positively impact SEO if it addresses technical SEO issues, improves content quality, and enhances website structure.
• Increased conversions: A better user experience and improved website performance can lead to increased conversions and sales.
• Enhanced brand image: A modern, updated website can improve your brand's perception and credibility.

Negative impacts

• Temporary ranking fluctuations: During the process, search engines may temporarily re-crawl and re-index your site, leading to fluctuations in rankings.
• Lost traffic: If the migration is not executed correctly, you may experience a temporary drop in traffic due to broken links, errors, or confusion among users.
• Increased costs: Depending on the complexity of the migration and the tools used, there may be associated costs.

TripleDart's observations

The overall impact can vary depending on factors such as the quality of the migration, the website's previous state, and the competitive landscape.

In general, page-level redirects within the same domain have not resulted in significant ranking drops. These redirects are often used to improve website structure redesign and user experience.

CMS migration: A step-by-step guide

We follow a structured process to ensure a seamless migrating CMS when helping our clients. This process involves several key steps:

Step 1: Benchmarking performance metrics

• Page speed: Measure the loading time of your website's pages by speed tests before and after the process.
• Ranking: Track your website's search engine rankings for relevant keywords.
• Traffic: Analyze your website's traffic patterns and sources.

Step 2: Planning redirections

If changing URLs, create a detailed redirection plan to ensure users and search engine are properly directed to the new content.

Step 3: Executing CMS migration

Migrate your website's content and site architecture, design, and functionality from the old CMS to the new one.

Post CMS migration checklist

On-Page optimization

• Content quality: Ensure all pages have unique, high-quality content, free of spelling and grammatical errors. The content should be relevant and engaging to your target audience.
• Keywords: Strategically place keywords in titles, headings, and body text to improve search engine visibility. Avoid keyword stuffing.
• Meta tags: Use unique and descriptive meta titles (under 60 characters) and meta descriptions (under 160 characters) to provide a brief summary of each page's content.
• Headings: Use proper H1-H6 tags to structure your content and improve readability. Ensure there is only one H1 tag per page, and use headings hierarchically.
• Images: All images should have descriptive, keyword-rich alt tags to provide context for visually impaired users and improve search engine optimization. Use appropriate image formats (e.g., JPEG, PNG, webp) and optimize them for size to reduce loading times.
• Internal linking: Ensure that internal links are working and are relevant to the content of the linked pages. Check for broken links and update them accordingly.
• URL Structure: Use SEO-friendly URLs that are clean, descriptive, and easy to understand. Avoid using special characters in URLs.
• Mobile optimization: Ensure the website is mobile-friendly and functions properly on different devices and screen sizes.
• Readability: Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and subheadings to make the content easy to read and well-structured.

User experience (UX)

• Navigation: Ensure that the website's navigation is intuitive and easy to use. The menu should be accessible on all pages and clearly indicate the available sections.
• Load time: Test page load speed and optimize for performance. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify areas for improvement and reduce loading times.
• Accessibility: Ensure the website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Consider using accessibility tools and guidelines to identify and address any accessibility issues.

Technical SEO

• Crawling and indexing:
  • Robots.txt: Ensure the robots.txt file is configured correctly to control which pages search engines can crawl.
  • XML sitemap: Create and submit an updated XML sitemap to GSC to help search engines discover and index your website's pages.
  • Index status: Check GSC for indexing issues and ensure that all important pages are indexed.
• Site structure:
  • Canonical tags: Use canonical tags to prevent duplicate content issues and specify the preferred URL for each page.
  • Schema markup: Implement structured data where relevant (e.g., product, reviews) to provide search engines with additional information about your content.
  • Breadcrumbs: Use breadcrumb navigation to help users understand their location within the website and improve internal linking.
• HTTPS and security: Ensure the website is served over HTTPS using an SSL certificate to protect user data and enhance security.
• Performance optimization:
  • Caching: Implement browser caching and server-side caching to improve website speed and reduce load times.
  • Minification: Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files to reduce their file size and improve loading times.
  • CDN: Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to distribute website content across multiple servers, improving performance and reducing latency.

Monitoring via google analytics and analysis

• Google analytics: Ensure Google Analytics is set up and tracking correctly to monitor website traffic, user behavior, and performance metrics.
• GSC: Verify that the site is added to Google Search Console (GSC) to track search engine performance, identify indexing issues, and receive search query data.
• Error monitoring: Set up monitoring for 404 errors and server issues to identify and address any technical problems that may be affecting your website's performance.

These steps and best practices make a solid website migration checklist, allowing you to navigate your SaaS website migration smoothly, maintain your SEO ranking, and ensure a positive user experience.

TripleDart's Proven Approach to SaaS Site Migration

TripleDart is a SaaS SEO agency that has the expertise and tools to handle complex website migration and ensure that your rankings and traffic remain unaffected.

Why should you partner with TripleDart?

• Industry expertise: In-depth knowledge of search engine optimization best practices and website migration strategies
• Resources: Access to advanced B2B SEO tools and technologies that can streamline the website migration
• Efficiency: We can manage the site migration efficiently, minimizing downtime and disruptions
• Continuous support: We give ongoing support and monitoring to address any issues that arise post-migration
• Optimization: Beyond site migration, we can help optimize your website for better performance and higher search engine rankings

We stay updated with the latest B2B SEO trends, utilize the best ranking tracking tools, and leverage B2B SEO statistics for structured data, which can further enhance your migration strategy.

We have successfully managed numerous website migrations for SaaS clients, ensuring minimal impact on SEO and maintaining key website metrics. Let us help you achieve a successful website migration that supports your business goals and enhances your online presence. Contact us for a free consultation.