SEO Migration Process

Scoping Session

Collecting critical pieces of information that determines timeframes and costs to avoid delays and reduce risks.
- Current platforms/CMS
- Platforms/CMS to migrate
- Parties involved
- Existing time frames
- Other available information
Architecture & eCommerce Segmentation
2 Weeks
Phase A — Market Research, Site Architecture & eCommerce Segments
- Organic search competitor analysis
- Full site keyword research
- Where users navigate to
- New page architecture & recommendations
- Category hierarchy creation
- Industry impressions potential & target market online search behaviour
- Keyword to page mapping (Offsite promotional strategy)
Phase B — Amendments & Consultation
- Presentation of work
- Consulting, further research and amendments
- Implementation consultation
Pre-Migration
2 Weeks
- Conduct a website audit
- Crawl legacy site
- Create XML sitemaps for legacy and development sites
- Check a benchmark ranking
- Map out 301 redirects
- Set up a robots.txt file and add an XML sitemap
- Prevent search engines from indexing development site
- Analytics tracking check
- Indexation check
- Page Speed check
- Robots.txt check
- Canonicals check
- XML Sitemap check
- Response codes check
- Metadata moveover check
- Redirects check
Post-Migration
2 Weeks
- Set up Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster tools
- Ensure tracking code is included on all pages
- Fix any broken links
- Implement and test 301 redirects
- Create an XML sitemap for the development site and add legacy & development XML sitemaps
- Choose the best time for the website to go live
- Allow search engines to index new site
- Submit sitemaps to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools
- ‘Fetch as Google’ in Google Search Console and ‘Submit URLs’ in Bing Webmaster Tools
- Use the ‘Change of Address’ tool in Google Search Console and the ‘Site Move’ tool in Bing
- Re-run Pre Migration Checks
- Run additional migration checks
- Check for indexation
Q&A and Check
3–4 Weeks
- Annotate Google Analytics and update Goals
- Update social media profiles and online citations (if migrating to a new domain)
- Crawl new website and check for errors that need fixing
- Perform a ‘site:’ search to check that all new URLs are being indexed
- Check if any channels are experiencing a decrease in traffic
- Check ranking
- Disavow any bad links
- Build new links and internally link to any main new pages
- Re-audit your website
- Re-submit your XML sitemap
- Let the dust settle!

Risks!

If a migration is not executed correctly it could lead to (but not limited to) the following issues:

Staging site indexed
Incorrect redirect implementation
Noindex pages
404 errors and dead pages
Missing/No Content
Incorrect Metadata

Incorrect internal links
Missing/Incorrect GA
Disavow any bad links
Incorrect Goal/Ecommerce set up
Incorrect Canonicals
Lack of CMS fields/Restrictions

Organic traffic graph showing a steep, sustained drop after a failed SEO migration — Site that experienced a failed SEO Migration (We were approached 6 months post migration to resolve)

−$500K

This business lost $500K per month in a failed migration and had to revert to the old platform.

“Without a strong SEO Migration strategy, Google will treat all of the URLs as brand new with no prior link equity, relevancy or visibility.”
“Any and All momentum previously gained will effectively be lost.”

See Our Success Stories

36xROI

R.M.Williams

SEO
SEO Migration

View case study →

63%Increase in Top-3 keyword rankings

Bikes Online

Domain migration
SEO
SEO Migration

View case study →

Words From Our Clients

I would highly recommend Dolphin Digital for any brands looking to grow. Proven results and the benefits of their blended strategy methodology across our multiple DTC brands has been impressive — with very high accountability.
Simon BurnettHead of Brand · Zen Imports — Ledlenser — Fjallraven — Leatherman
A fantastic partner for our CRM refresh. They strengthened our Klaviyo email ecosystem from flow strategy through to design and execution — retention, trust, re-engagement, win-back, replenishment and anniversary.
Richard HirstHead of eCommerce · Taylors Wines
Working with the team on our ESP migration to Klaviyo was seamless. They were always transparent with information, reporting, updates and needs — like an extension of our team.
Heather EarleCommerce & Digital Marketing Manager · Nutrition Warehouse
From start to finish, their team has been nothing short of outstanding. They took the time to really understand our business and crafted a marketing strategy that exceeded our expectations.
Caitlin ProbertOnline Manager · Chempro Online
These guys know what they are doing. From the get go we have found them to be very thorough and understanding of our limited digital marketing knowledge.
Tony TitleyChief Executive Officer · W. Titley & Co
The experienced team went above and beyond to assist with the SEO piece of the migration and I would highly recommend them.
Mikhyla DudleyHead of eComm · Havaianas
Great service provider, very knowledgable and responsive.
Rodrigo SousaConversion Manager · BikesOnline
If you’re looking to invest in your eCommerce digital marketing, you won’t regret bringing Dolphin Digital on board. The entire team are veterans in their field.
Stephen BrumwellOperations Lead · CATALO Natural Health Foods Ltd.