Content migrations: how to maintain and improve visibility

The process of migrating website content from one CMS to another differs from site to site, depending on the volume of content, the complexity of the data structure, and how much of the existing SEO value needs to be preserved.

For more straightforward migration projects, our content migration process at SoBold runs through the below phases:

1. Pre-migration audit and benchmarking
2. Content extraction
3. Template and component mapping
4. Scripted bulk import
5. Validation

Pre-migration audit and benchmarking

To produce a baseline we can validate against once the migration is complete, a full Screaming Frog crawl captures: every URL, page title, meta description, heading tag, canonical URL, image asset, and internal link.

We also capture the current organic picture through data from Google Search Console and GA4. This includes clicks, impressions, CTR, bounce rates, session duration, and average positions for both pages and specific keywords.

We then agree on a set of trophy keywords, queries that are integral to the website’s success and set up rank tracking so we can monitor specific keyword rankings for before and after the migration.

Content extraction

Where the existing platform permits export, we use XML export tools to extract page content, structured data, and media.

In some instances, access can be restricted either by the supplier or by the platform and when this is the case we’re able to work around this using the crawl data extraction made in the pre-migration audit phase.

Template and component mapping

Every content type in the source CMS needs a corresponding template configured to receive the data. The mapping documents the relationship between each source field and its target field, including any transformation rules for fields that don’t have a direct equivalent.

Scripted bulk import

Content is imported with scripts that handle batch operations across the site.

Meta titles and descriptions are migrated into Yoast (SEO plugin for WordPress) as part of this process, preserving SEO metadata that typically gets lost in manual migrations.

Validation

Before the site is signed off, our SEO team runs a dedicated checklist:

• Indexation status
• Metadata accuracy (titles and descriptions)
• Canonicals
• Permalink structure
• Schema markup
• Robots configuration
• XML sitemaps
• Page speed benchmarked against the pre-migration baseline
• Search Console configuration (submitting the new sitemap if necessary)

Metadata discrepancies almost always surface during validation, even on well-planned migrations.

If you would like a copy of this checklist please let us know here.

Post-launch

Once the new site has gone live, we run weekly indexation monitoring, confirming that redirects are passing equity correctly and monitoring the traffic fluctuations.

Our experience with migrations

Forvis Mazars

SoBold migrated Forvis Mazars to a new WordPress platform, the project covered 35+ sites and 20,000+ URLs moving from subfolders to subdomains across multiple languages and regions. Every URL was crawled, mapped, and redirected before cutover.

The result was a 33% increase in sessions and 29% increase in total users on individual sites.

M7 Real Estate

SoBold worked with M7 Real Estate to migrate 16 sites across 9 countries, enhancing the site’s SEO performance through SEO-driven content layouts.

Directing users and search engines to the most appropriate language or regional version of each page and URL redirect mapping with rigorous pre-launch testing.

The platform achieved a 21% conversion rate and a 95 Lighthouse performance score with 1.7-second load times, passing all Core Web Vitals thresholds.

Common questions clients ask us during the process

How long does a WordPress migration take?

Platform-to-WordPress migrations for a single site typically run 4-8 weeks with enterprise migrations typically spanning closer to 16-20 weeks.

Will I lose my search rankings during migration?

Full 301 redirect coverage, preserved metadata, and correct technical setup maintain, and combined with a better technical foundation, can improve rankings.

What if our current agency won’t cooperate with data export?

The Screaming Frog crawl captured during the pre-migration audit provides a complete content and metadata inventory that serves as the extraction source when native exports are unavailable.