Content migration is a critical step in redesigning your school's website or moving it to a new platform. A well-executed migration will ensure your website continues to be a powerful marketing tool, attracting students, faculty, and staff while maintaining your school's online presence. In this article, we'll guide you through the process of a successful website content migration for your school’s website.

What Does Content Migration Mean?

Content migration refers to the process of transferring your website's content from one platform or structure to another. This can be necessary when you're changing your content management system (CMS), redesigning your website, or simply updating your site's architecture. The goal is to preserve the most important content while improving the overall user experience, site navigation, and SEO.

What to Do When Transferring or Migrating Your Website’s Content

As you begin the process of transferring your website's content, it's essential to approach the task methodically and strategically. Successful content migration can elevate your school's online presence, improve user experience, and ultimately drive more engagement and enrollment . The following steps provide a roadmap to help you navigate the content migration process and ensure that your school's website emerges stronger and more effective than ever before.

Backup Your Existing Website

Before starting any content migration, create a backup of your current website. This will ensure that you have a copy of your original content in case any issues arise during the migration process. You can use backup tools like UpdraftPlus or BackWPup for WordPress or export your content from other CMS platforms.

Dive Into Your Analytics

Analyze your website's performance data to understand what content is most valuable and engaging for your visitors. This information will help you make informed decisions about which content to keep, update, or remove. Review metrics such as page views, time spent on the page, and bounce rate to assess content performance.

Use Google Analytics to Find Your Most Popular Content

Google Analytics is a powerful tool for identifying your website's most popular content, such as blog posts, landing pages, and resources. Use this data to prioritize your content migration, ensuring that your most valuable assets are preserved and optimized.

Audit Your Content

Perform a thorough content audit to identify any outdated, irrelevant, or low-performing content that can be removed or consolidated. A content audit involves creating a spreadsheet to catalog all of your website's pages and assets, evaluating each piece based on factors such as relevance, quality, and performance. This will help you streamline your content and ensure that your new website is clutter-free.

Create New Site Architecture

Based on your analytics findings and your school's goals, design a new site architecture that improves user experience and site navigation. Consider merging similar content, removing outdated or irrelevant content, and restructuring your site's layout to make it more user-friendly. Ensure that the new architecture aligns with your school's branding and messaging.

Involve Key Stakeholders

Include key stakeholders from various departments, such as admissions, academics, athletics, and communications, in the planning and decision-making process. This will ensure that your new website addresses the needs of your entire school community and promotes a consistent user experience.

Combine Historical Data and New Priorities to Guide Your New Design

Use both historical performance data and your school's current goals to guide the design of your new website. This will help you create a site that not only preserves your most valuable content but also aligns with your school's objectives and target audience needs.

Build Your New Sitemap

Create a new sitemap outlining the structure of your redesigned website. This will serve as a blueprint for your content migration, helping you organize your content and ensure a smooth transition. Submit the new sitemap to Google Search Console to help search engines crawl and index your updated content.

Address SEO Considerations

During the content migration process, address critical SEO considerations, such as maintaining URL structures, setting up proper redirects , and updating internal and external links. This will help prevent any loss in search rankings and maintain your website's visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Decide Who Will Perform the Content Migration for Your Website

Determine whether your school has the in-house resources and expertise to perform the content migration or if you need to hire an external partner. Consider factors such as time, budget, and technical skills when making this decision. You may choose to assign the task to a dedicated team within your school, collaborate with an external agency, or use a hybrid approach.

Optimize the Content You Plan on Keeping

Before migrating your content, take the time to optimize it for SEO and user experience. This may involve updating keywords, improving readability, and ensuring that your content is mobile-friendly. You can also update your meta descriptions, title tags, and image alt text to further enhance your on-page SEO.

Test and Validate the Migration

After completing the content migration, thoroughly test your new website for any errors or issues. Check for broken links, missing images, and formatting inconsistencies. Use tools like Screaming Frog or Google Search Console to crawl your site and identify any potential issues. Be sure to also test your website on different devices and browsers to ensure a consistent user experience.

Consult an Expert in Website Design and Content Migration

Partnering with an expert in website design and content migration can save you time, resources, and potential headaches. An experienced team can guide you through the process and ensure a seamless transition, allowing you to focus on your school's core mission.

How Our Company Can Help You

As a leading provider of digital services for schools, our team has extensive experience in website design, content migration, and content optimization. We can help you successfully migrate your school's website content while ensuring minimal disruption to your online presence.

Contact our team at SOLVED Consulting to begin a free content migration consultation.