Avoiding a website migration disaster

How to avoid a site migration disaster Jon Earnshaw@jonearnshaw @PiDatametricswww.pi-datametrics.com

September 2016

@jonearnshaw @PiDatametrics www.pi-datametrics.com

What and why?

www.pi-datametrics.com@jonearnshaw @PiDatametrics www.pi-datametrics.com@jonearnshaw @PiDatametrics

Potentially one of the most dangerous online marketing adventures


Here’s a classic example

www.pi-datametrics.com@jonearnshaw @PiDatametrics

Platform Migration - unnamed website loses all organic visibility


And here’s another


A high street bank - appears to suffer a loss of visibility


Turns out to be a ‘straightforward’ TLD migration


The Overall Outcome?


Organic VisibilityAfter 15 days

28% visibility loss


Organic VisibilityAfter 75 days

35% visibility loss


Pre MigrationVisibility Index - grouping the terms together

Original TLD


Pre and Post MigrationVisibility Index - grouping the terms together

Original TLD

New TLD

Never quite recovered from

the loss


And this is where the rumours start!



The old‘migration myth’


60% - 70%

It depends

45%

it could die


But…It doesn’t have to be

this way!


This is a great opportunity!


Five key things to get right


1. Involve SEO from the start2. Redirects and mapping3. Utilise DATA4. Make sure there’s an owner5. Keep the stage from getting out


1. Involve SEO from the start


● Project resources and scope normally set very, very early on

● Involve SEO in scoping and planning to build SEO in at all appropriate touch points

● This person MUST be experienced in migrations● Allow SEO person to build relationships and establish

credibility with the team


2. Redirects and mapping


● Crawl your site● Check for old subdomains and orphan pages● Create a detailed redirect map● Every page matters - especially the priority ones● If you’re in pre-build phase - review the theming● Thoroughly test in staging and after launch


And if you don’t?



Incorrectly migrated contentThe result of a failure to preserve authority

Many old URLs still indexed - months on

Steady rise in soft 404s


Impact on the SERPS?High value

terms

01 April 2016


The cause and the fix

● Highly inappropriate redirects● Substantial number of pages 302 to home

● Audit to determine appropriate redirects● Regaining authority will take time!


3. Utilise DATA


● Benchmark current visibility early on● How are we performing?● Look for opportunities and feedback● Determine current extent of conflict● Who’s doing better and why?● Find/modify existing redirects to avoid chains● Monitor the migration window


The migration windowWhat to expect...


Imagine you were #1 for “Best Bollywood Movies”



Straight switch

Original domain

New domain

migration window


Brief coexistence then switch

Original domain

New domain

migration window


Good uplift

New domain

Original domain

migration window

30 positionupliftPrevious conflict

resolved


Another good uplift

New domain

Original domain

migration window

20 positionuplift

Previous ‘glass ceiling’


4. Make sure there’s an owner


● Give one person responsibility to run the migration● Involve them throughout the project to ensure they grasp

the architecture and the quirks of the site● Empower them to make and enforce decisions


5. Keep the stage from getting out


● Remember that robots.txt only blocks crawling, NOT indexing

● Use IP whitelisting● Require a login● Noindex meta


Summary


● SEO is not the icing - it’s a key ingredient● You can’t just SEO it!● Get expert help from the start● See this as an opportunity● Don’t always believe the old ‘migratory myth’● Utilise data - before, during and after


Use this as your business case


Thank You

Jon Earnshaw@jonearnshaw @PiDatametricswww.pi-datametrics.com

September 2016

Avoiding a website migration disaster

Marketing