Website redesign
Website content migration
When a website changes platform, for example from one content management system to another or from a site builder to a custom build, its content has to move: pages, posts, images, documents and the details that help search engines understand them.
We migrate website content between platforms methodically, mapping each content type, cleaning formatting that will not survive the move and protecting existing links.
Illustrative diagram
Content comes in types
Most websites hold several kinds of content: standard pages, news or blog posts, and often custom types such as team members, case studies, events or locations. Each type has its own fields. A case study might have a client, sector and outcome; an event has a date and venue.
Migration starts by listing the content types on the old platform and deciding how each maps to the new one. Fields that have no equivalent need a decision before any content moves.
Ways to get content out
| Method | Suits | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in export | Platforms with a standard export format | May omit custom fields or media |
| Database extraction | Self-hosted systems you control | Needs technical access and care |
| Platform API | Hosted platforms with documented APIs | Rate limits and partial coverage |
| Manual copy | Small sites or heavily designed pages | Time-consuming but precise |
Formatting rarely survives intact
Content created in one platform carries its quirks: shortcodes, embedded widgets, inline styles and layout markup from page builders. On a new platform these may show as stray code or broken layouts. Migration includes cleaning this formatting so content uses the new platform's structure.
Images and documents linked from content must also move, with links updated, so nothing depends on the old site after it is switched off.
What to preserve
For visitors
- Text, headings and lists
- Images and documents with working links
- Internal links pointing to new addresses
For search engines
- Page titles and descriptions
- Image alternative text
- Redirects from every changed address
- Publication dates where relevant
How content migration runs
Inventory
List content types, counts and media.
Output: Content inventory
Map
Map each type and field to the new platform.
Output: Mapping document
Migrate and clean
Move content, clean formatting, move media.
Output: Content on new platform
Verify and redirect
Check counts and samples; set up redirects.
Output: Verified migration
Managing edits during migration
If content keeps being edited on the old platform while migration is under way, changes can be lost. Agree a content freeze for the final stretch, or a clear process for recording edits made after the main export so they can be applied to the new platform before launch.
For sites that publish frequently, a short final sync just before switching over is usually enough.
Using migration to tidy up
Migration is a good moment to retire outdated or duplicate content rather than moving it. Each retired page should redirect to the most relevant remaining page. The new site starts cleaner, and the migration itself becomes smaller.
Verifying the migration
Verification compares counts of each content type before and after, then checks a sample of every type in detail: headings, images, links, metadata and any custom fields. Problems usually repeat across a content type, so a good sample finds them early. Verification is complete only when every type has been checked and redirects tested.
Questions about website content migration
Can content be migrated automatically?
Often partly, using exports or APIs, followed by cleaning and checking. Some pages are quicker to move by hand.
What happens to custom content types?
They are mapped to equivalent types on the new platform, with field-by-field decisions where needed.
Will images move too?
Yes. Images and documents are moved and links updated so nothing depends on the old site.
Do page titles and descriptions transfer?
They are included in the mapping so search information is preserved.
What if the old platform has no export?
Content can sometimes be extracted through an API or from published pages, or copied manually.
How do we check nothing was missed?
By comparing counts per content type and checking samples of each type.
Can old URLs be kept on the new platform?
Sometimes, if the new platform allows custom addresses. Otherwise every changed address gets a redirect.
How long does content migration take?
It depends on volume and how much cleaning the formatting needs. We estimate after the inventory.
Is migration a good time to rewrite content?
It can be, for key pages. Rewriting everything at once slows the migration, so we usually separate the two.
Do publication dates carry over?
Where the new platform supports them, dates are mapped so articles keep their original dates.
Can embedded videos and maps be migrated?
Yes, by re-embedding them in the new platform's supported way, then checking they display correctly.
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