On this insightful session, we discover why website positioning ought to be a core a part of any web site migration mission from the very starting.
From planning and redirects to stakeholder buy-in and post-launch restoration, the video covers:
- The principle kinds of web site migrations (area, HTTPS, redesign, content material)
- <p”>Widespread points attributable to excluding website positioning early
- keep away from site visitors and income losses
- Technical must-haves like redirects, benchmarks, and website construction
- Ideas for collaboration between website positioning, builders, and stakeholders
Key takeaway: Getting website positioning concerned early isn’t simply good follow. It’s vital. Early collaboration results in higher efficiency, fewer points, and a smoother migration course of that drives long-term development.
Video Transcript
Hello everybody, each web site should endure migration in some unspecified time in the future, and the way it’s managed could make or break its success. In the present day I need to discuss why website positioning ought to be concerned from day one in web site migrations.
Having labored on many migrations, I’ve seen firsthand what can go improper when website positioning is handled as an afterthought, and belief me, the results might be pricey. I’m Kelly-Anne, and I work at a digital advertising company referred to as Koozai that’s been round for over 19 years.
Koozai is a multi-award-winning digital advertising company and has been providing a full host of digital advertising companies which might be trusted and really useful by lots of of companies, each massive and small. I’m the Head of Operations at Koozai, have over 16 years of promoting and website positioning expertise, and I’m additionally a mentor for Girls in Tech website positioning.
On this session, I’ll clarify what an internet site migration is, why website positioning issues in migrations, why website positioning must be concerned early. The advantages of involving website positioning from the beginning, issues attributable to involving website positioning too late, sensible steps for SEOs and internet groups to collaborate successfully, and suggestions for altering stakeholder notion. By the top, you’ll have a transparent concept of easy methods to strategy migrations the proper means and keep away from the standard complications.
So after we discuss an internet site migration, we’re actually referring to any main change to your web site that impacts its construction or URL setup. There are a number of various kinds of migrations. Area modifications, that is once you’re shifting your web site from one area to a different. It’s a reasonably large transfer and it requires cautious planning to verify your website positioning doesn’t take successful. Then there’s HTTP to HTTPS, that is about switching to a safe protocol on your website. Not solely does it make your website safer, however it additionally helps with website positioning since Google provides precedence to safe websites.
Then we’ve platform redesigns, that is once you change your CMS or completely change the construction and structure of your web site. It’s an enormous deal as a result of it might have an effect on each consumer expertise and website positioning, so it’s necessary to plan all the pieces out fastidiously. Lastly, there’s content material overhauls, that is once you’re making vital modifications to your website’s content material or navigation construction.
Principally all of those migrations want numerous thought and a focus to make sure issues go easily and your website’s website positioning doesn’t endure.
A profitable migration entails cautious consideration to technical particulars equivalent to domains, redirects, meta tags, and content material. With out website positioning enter from the beginning, websites are going through points like damaged hyperlinks, rating drops, and site visitors loss.
In my 16 years in advertising, I’ve seen firsthand what occurs when website positioning is handled as an afterthought. One consumer got here to us after launching their revamped web site with none website positioning help, and once I reviewed the brand new setup it was a multitude, lots of of damaged inner hyperlinks, no redirects for high-traffic pages, a poorly structured URL hierarchy, and the impression? Their natural site visitors dropped by 40% in simply two weeks.
Now, I managed to get well rankings over the following few months, however throughout that point the enterprise suffered big losses in each visibility and income. And right here’s the irritating half, it was utterly preventable. If website positioning had been concerned from the beginning, they wouldn’t have needed to scramble to repair pricey errors after launch. That have strengthened what I already knew, early website positioning involvement doesn’t simply clean the method, it saves companies from pointless loss in site visitors, income, and rankings.
So why does website positioning matter relating to migrations? There’s a few key causes. First, avoiding rating drops is a big one. A web site migration with out correct website positioning planning may end up in shedding rankings, which implies you may see a drop in site visitors and visibility. This may occur if redirects aren’t arrange accurately or if serps have hassle crawling a brand new website construction. Then there’s avoiding technical points, migrations can introduce all types of technical challenges like damaged hyperlinks, sluggish web page load instances, and even lacking metadata.
If website positioning isn’t concerned early, these points can go unnoticed till it’s too late, impacting each consumer expertise and rankings. So involving website positioning early helps be sure that the migration goes easily and avoids these main site visitors losses. There’s quite a bit to cowl relating to why website positioning must be concerned early, so I’ll undergo it over the following couple of slides.
If website positioning isn’t concerned early in a migration, issues can go improper quick. Rankings drop, site visitors tanks, and fixing it later is means tougher than getting it proper from the beginning. When website positioning is a part of the method from day one, we will keep away from all these little complications.
First, let’s discuss website construction planning. Getting us concerned from the beginning helps guarantee the location is structured in a means that’s search-friendly. This avoids points like content material duplication and key phrase cannibalisation. Utilizing instruments like Google Analytics and Google Search Console can flag potential points and assist form the location’s design primarily based on information slightly than guesswork. I wished a consumer who migrated the e-commerce website with none website positioning enter. They missed key alternatives to optimise product pages, which ended up hurting their rankings.
Subsequent, let’s discuss preserving hyperlink fairness. Redirects are an enormous deal in any migration, and website positioning ensures they’re dealt with accurately. With out them, you threat shedding priceless site visitors and rankings. Google advises conserving 301 redirects in place for no less than 180 days, so getting this proper from the beginning is essential.
Subsequent up, benchmark your rankings. Earlier than making any main modifications, it’s necessary to again up your information and report your baseline rankings. This manner you may monitor the impression of the migration and spot any points early. One often-overlooked side of migration is documenting the interior linking construction. Inside hyperlink fairness can simply be misplaced through the migration, which might negatively have an effect on rankings. For one consumer, I carried out an intensive audit of their inner linking and replicated the construction on the brand new website. This simple however very important step helped protect their natural site visitors and keep away from rating drops. Inside linking is a key consider sustaining site visitors and rankings all through the migration course of.
So we’ve lined how early website positioning involvement helps with website construction, redirects, and benchmarking rankings, however that’s not the entire image. There’s additionally some vital technical points we have to get proper earlier than launch. Let’s check out these.
Technical optimisation; early website positioning enter ensures that vital technical parts like meta tags, canonical tags, and correct dealing with of 404 pages are in place earlier than the location goes dwell.
This prevents damaged hyperlinks and rating drops that occur when these parts are ignored. Ensure that your 404 pages should not solely user-friendly but in addition information customers to essentially the most related content material, serving to them keep engaged.
That is one other space the place early website positioning enter ensures that 404 pages are optimised for each consumer expertise and crawling. Customising 404 pages with hyperlinks to fashionable classes or a search bar can scale back bounce charges. One other key motive to contain website positioning early is threat mitigation. Early website positioning involvement helps spot potential dangers earlier than they flip into issues. Addressing technical points like misconfigured redirects or slow-loading pages earlier than the location goes dwell saves money and time post-launch.
Lastly, website positioning helps information restoration after migration. Fluctuations in rankings are regular, however website positioning ought to monitor and information the restoration course of. A relaxed, data-driven strategy ensures that points are handled methodically, permitting for a clean restoration and site visitors rebound.
Keep away from making knee-jerk reactions to minor rating drops. As a substitute, deal with points as they come up with a long-term focus. It’s essential to not make fast modifications to title tags or different optimisations primarily based on early rating fluctuations. As a substitute, take a peaceful and measured strategy, deal with points as they come up whereas intently monitoring progress over time.
With regards to an internet site migration, getting website positioning concerned from the very starting could make an enormous distinction within the success of the mission. There are three key advantages to bringing website positioning in early.
First, optimised URL buildings and preserving hyperlink fairness, the URL construction is usually ignored, however it performs an enormous function in website positioning. By involving website positioning from the beginning, you may guarantee URLs are search-engine-friendly, avoiding damaged hyperlinks and sophisticated redirects. That is key for preserving hyperlink fairness, which helps keep your rankings and visibility through the migration.
Second, improved navigation and consumer circulation, website positioning isn’t nearly serps, it’s in regards to the consumer expertise. By aligning website positioning with consumer behaviour and enterprise objectives, you may enhance navigation, making certain that customers can simply discover high-conversion pages. This makes positive the location not solely works properly for serps but in addition supplies an intuitive expertise for guests, resulting in larger engagements and long-term development.
Lastly, correct technical setup and avoiding future website positioning errors, getting website positioning concerned early means avoiding frequent migration points like duplicate content material and 404 errors. This proactive strategy helps guarantee your website is technically sound from day one and avoids website positioning errors down the road.
When website positioning is introduced in too late within the migration course of, it might create a number of issues which might be time-consuming and dear to repair. Let’s check out these 4 key points.
First, missed optimisation alternatives, website positioning has a big impact on issues like website construction, content material, and consumer expertise. If website positioning isn’t concerned early, alternatives to optimise issues like URLs, meta titles, descriptions, and inner hyperlinks are missed.
Subsequent, rating drops and sluggish restoration, with out early website positioning enter, technical points like damaged redirects, slow-loading pages, and improper content material indexing could cause rankings to drop. Migrations can take months to completely settle, with rating fluctuations taking place throughout this time. It may be devastating for a enterprise that hoped the migration would enhance efficiency. Addressing these points post-launch is each pricey and time-consuming, and restoration can take months.
Then there’s content material duplication and cannibalisation — with out website positioning involvement early on, issues like content material duplication and key phrase cannibalisation can occur, particularly when a number of pages goal the identical key phrase. It may possibly additionally result in points with website navigation or lacking H1 tags, affecting how serps crawl and index the location. Fixing these errors after launch makes use of up priceless time and assets that would have been prevented with website positioning involvement early.
Lastly, strained relationships and frustration, migration typically entails a number of groups, together with advertising, growth, and design. When website positioning is added late, it causes friction. Modifications is perhaps made that contradict earlier selections, which might frustrate builders and entrepreneurs. This type of stress can injury belief and make future collaboration harder. Involving website positioning from the beginning is crucial to keep away from these points and make sure the migration course of goes as easily as potential.
Sensible steps for SEOs and internet groups to collaborate successfully.
Earlier than the migration begins, the main focus ought to be on preparation and communication. Begin by setting clear objectives, whether or not that’s sustaining site visitors, conserving rankings regular, or bettering the consumer expertise. Everybody must be on the identical web page. Communication is essential. Common updates assist keep away from points later.
That is additionally the time for SEOs to do a full audit, it’s essential to know what’s engaged on the location and the place the potential dangers are. On the identical time, work with the net workforce to verify the CMS can deal with issues like redirects and metadata.
Lastly, redirects are essential, map them out collectively and check completely to keep away from shedding site visitors as soon as the migration occurs.
In the course of the migration, it’s all about testing and staying versatile. Be sure to’re working in a staging atmosphere first so any points like damaged redirects or metadata errors are caught earlier than launch. Shut collaboration is crucial right here, regardless of how a lot you intend, one thing surprising can at all times pop up. Working collectively in actual time ensures you may deal with points rapidly and minimise disruption.
As soon as the migration is full, it’s time to watch and regulate. Have a look at issues like redirects, rankings, and site visitors, be sure that all the pieces is working as anticipated. Any issues ought to be addressed promptly.
It’s additionally necessary to take a second to acknowledge the workforce’s success, whether or not you’ve preserved rankings, improved website velocity, or enhanced consumer expertise, have a good time the wins.
Lastly, doc all the pieces. What’s labored, what didn’t, and what may very well be carried out in a different way subsequent time. This ensures every migration turns into smoother than the final.
Over time, I’ve discovered that working intently with builders is likely one of the most necessary elements of website positioning, particularly relating to web site migrations, as a result of right here’s the factor: SEOs convey information, builders convey technical experience, and after we really collaborate, what might really feel like an enormous problem turns into a chance for actual development.
It’s not nearly getting a website dwell, it’s about ensuring it thrives. An enormous a part of that comes all the way down to communication.
I discovered that after we take the time to clarify why one thing issues, issues like structured information, redirects, or website structure, builders usually tend to see the larger image and truly get invested in making it work, and that modifications all the pieces. Abruptly, it’s not simply an website positioning process to verify off, it’s a shared objective.
From my expertise, collaboration is a lot smoother when the inspiration is belief. And belief doesn’t simply occur, it’s constructed. That’s why I at all times take the time to be proactive. I become involved early, I be a part of planning conferences, I be sure that website positioning is baked into the method from day one. I hear first as an alternative of simply leaping in with suggestions. I take time to know the workforce’s objectives and challenges, so my options really really feel related and helpful.
I bridge the gaps. website positioning sits between advertising, growth, and mission administration, so I act as that go-between, ensuring that we’re all aligned and shifting in the identical route. As a result of right here’s the factor, prioritising relationships over processes transforms workforce dynamics and success. When groups belief one another, work collectively, and truly perceive the why behind what they’re doing, all the pieces runs smoother, much less friction, fewer misunderstandings, and finally higher outcomes for everybody. And when SEOs and builders work as a workforce, the entire website advantages.
As SEOs, we’ve all been there, attempting to clarify once more why website positioning isn’t one thing you do after launch. It may possibly really feel like an uphill battle, however right here’s the fact: altering minds takes greater than technical information. It takes empathy, training, and a deep understanding of what actually issues to stakeholders, particularly relating to income.
Too many purchasers, mission managers, and builders nonetheless see website positioning as a post-launch process, one thing to bolt on later. They don’t realise the dangers, the missed alternatives; however we do.
So how will we shift their notion?
How will we get buy-in earlier than launch as an alternative of combating for fixes afterwards?
Right here’s a number of suggestions which have labored for me relating to altering minds and getting buy-in for early website positioning involvement.
Primary; communicate their language. The hot button is to align website positioning with what issues most to them. For instance, once I’m speaking to mission managers, I spotlight how early website positioning can save money and time by stopping delays and rework. For purchasers, I at all times convey it again to income, how website positioning can keep site visitors and gross sales post-migration. The concept is to point out them how website positioning helps their objectives, not simply mine.
Quantity two; share tales. Tales might be far more efficient than stats alone. I prefer to share actual examples, like a migration the place lacking redirects brought about customers to hit 404 pages, tanking site visitors and costing 1000’s in income. On the flip aspect, I discuss wins, like after we dealt with redirects correctly and rankings and site visitors recovered nearly instantly. These examples make website positioning really feel actual and relatable, not simply theoretical.
Quantity three; threat versus reward. I body website positioning when it comes to what they stand to lose and achieve. For example, I’ll say with out website positioning site visitors dropped by 40% and the enterprise misplaced £35,000 in income, however with website positioning, we not solely prevented a drop, we elevated income by £10,000 due to correct planning. Tying it to monetary outcomes will get their consideration each time.
Quantity 4; be affected person and protracted. Altering minds doesn’t occur in a single day. If somebody doesn’t get it immediately, I don’t push. As a substitute, I keep calm and preserve specializing in options. If one thing goes improper as a result of website positioning wasn’t concerned early, I don’t say “I instructed you so,” I simply step in and repair it, after which I present them what might have been prevented. Over time, that endurance builds belief.
Quantity 5; the human contact. On the finish of the day, it’s about relationships. If you meet folks the place they’re, communicate their language, and tie website positioning to their success, it stops being a technical checkbox and begins being a shared objective. I’ve seen loads of sceptics flip into advocates simply by utilizing these easy approaches.
Finally, website positioning isn’t nearly rankings, it’s about outcomes. And when stakeholders see the way it connects to their objectives, particularly income, they’re much more more likely to get on board.
So to wrap issues up, listed here are the important thing takeaways.
First, website positioning isn’t non-obligatory, it’s important at each stage of a migration. When website positioning is concerned early, companies don’t simply keep away from complications, they really unlock alternatives for smoother, extra profitable initiatives.
Second, the sooner you begin, the higher. website positioning isn’t one thing you tack on proper earlier than launch, it’s about being a part of the dialog from day one, throughout planning and scoping.
Third, efficient communication is essential. In the event you face pushback from builders or stakeholders, take the time to know their issues, then reply with clear details and examples to information issues in the proper route.
Lastly, ahead planning and early involvement reduces dangers and units all the mission up for fulfillment. It’s not nearly avoiding issues, it’s about driving actual outcomes for the enterprise.
By involving website positioning from the start, companies not solely keep away from challenges but in addition unlock alternatives for a smoother, extra profitable migration. Beginning proper ensures groups can deal with development and innovation slightly than injury management. The takeaway is obvious, when website positioning is prioritised from the beginning, everybody wins.
