Keeping your website up-to-date and competitive is crucial. As technology evolves, the platform that once served your business needs well may no longer be the best fit. Replatforming your website is a significant undertaking, but with the right approach, it can lead to enhanced performance, security, and scalability. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the entire replatforming process, ensuring you make informed decisions and achieve a smooth transition. Let’s dive into what website replatforming is and why it might be the perfect next step for your business.

What is Website Replatforming?

Website replatforming involves migrating your website from its current platform to a new one. This process can address limitations of your existing platform and take advantage of new features and capabilities offered by modern platforms. Whether you’re looking to improve user experience, streamline content management, or integrate with new tools and technologies, replatforming can be a transformative step for your digital presence.

Signs You Need to Replatform

There are several signs that indicate it might be time to consider a new system for replatforming your website:

  1. Outdated Technology: If your current platform no longer receives updates or support, it may be vulnerable to security risks and lack modern features.
  2. Performance Issues: Slow site speed, frequent downtimes, and other performance problems can frustrate users and harm your business.
  3. Limited Functionality: As your business grows, you might find that your current platform cannot support new features or integrations you need.
  4. Lack of Mobile Responsiveness: With the increasing use of mobile devices, having a mobile-friendly website is essential. If your site isn’t responsive, you may be losing potential customers.
  5. Poor SEO Performance: An outdated platform can hinder your search engine optimization efforts, making it harder for potential customers to find you online.
  6. Outdated Design: If your website looks old and outdated, it can negatively impact user perception and engagement. For more insights on why you might consider redesigning your website, check out this blog post.

Who Should Read This Guide?

This guide is designed for website owners, business managers, and marketing teams who are considering a replatforming project. Whether you’re running an ecommerce site, a content-driven blog, or a service-oriented website, this guide will provide you with the insights and steps necessary to ensure new site has a smooth and successful transition.

Evaluating Your Existing Platform: Taking Stock Before Takeoff

Before diving into the replatforming planning process, it’s crucial to thoroughly evaluate your existing platform. This initial assessment will help you understand your current website’s strengths and weaknesses, guiding your decision-making as you plan for a successful transition.

Understanding Your Current Platform

Identifying the platform your website is built on is the first step. This can be done using various third party tools, such as BuiltWith or Wappalyzer, which provide insights into the technologies and platforms powering your site. Additionally, consulting with your developers or reviewing your website’s technical documentation can reveal important details about your current setup. Don’t have an in-house development team? At Motion Tactic, we specialize in B2B website design and have experience migrating ours clients from a variety of platforms.

Analyze the Strengths and Weaknesses of Your Existing Platform

Strengths:

  • Ease of Use and Content Management: Evaluate how user-friendly your current CMS is for managing content. Platforms that are intuitive can save time and reduce the learning curve for your team.
  • Existing Functionalities and Features: List the functionalities and features that are currently serving your needs well. This includes content management capabilities, ecommerce features, or any custom functionalities that are beneficial.
  • Integration with Current Marketing Tools: Identify how well your platform integrates with your marketing tools, such as email marketing software, CRM (customer relationship management) systems, and analytics tools. Seamless integration can streamline your marketing efforts and improve efficiency.

Weaknesses:

  • Limitations on Scalability and Growth: Assess if your current platform can handle your future growth. Limitations in scalability can hinder your ability to expand and add new functionalities as your business evolves. You’ll want to select a platform that meets your current and future needs.
  • Outdated Technology and Security Vulnerabilities: Outdated platforms can pose significant security risks and may lack the modern features required for optimal performance.
  • Lack of Desired Features or Customization Options: Identify any features or customizations you currently lack but are essential for your business. This can include advanced SEO capabilities, custom workflows, or specific integrations.

Website Performance Audit

A comprehensive website performance audit is essential for identifying areas that need improvement. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, and Lighthouse to analyze your website’s speed, mobile responsiveness, and overall user experience. Focus on the following:

  • Website Speed: Slow loading times can negatively impact user experience and SEO rankings. Identify any bottlenecks and areas where performance can be enhanced.
  • Mobile Responsiveness: Ensure your website is optimized for mobile devices. With an increasing number of users accessing websites on their phones, mobile responsiveness is crucial.
  • Overall User Experience: Evaluate the user journey on your website. Look for areas where navigation can be improved, content can be made more accessible, and the overall experience can be enhanced.
  • Minimize Downtime: Assess your website’s uptime and identify causes of any frequent downtimes. Ensuring high availability and minimizing downtime is critical for maintaining user trust and satisfaction.

Content Audit

Conducting a content audit helps you assess the quality and organization of your current content management system. This process involves:

  • Analyzing Existing Content: Review all the content on your current website to determine what is valuable and what needs improvement.
  • Identifying Content to Update, Refresh, or Remove: Decide which content should be carried over to the new platform, which needs updating, and what can be removed. This helps streamline the data migration process.
  • Content Strategy for the New Platform: Plan how you will organize and present content on the new platform. This may involve restructuring content, creating new material, and optimizing for SEO.

SEO and Analytics Review

Analyzing your current SEO performance and website analytics provides valuable insights into user behavior and areas for improvement. Focus on the following:

  • SEO Performance: Evaluate keyword rankings, backlink profiles, and overall search engine visibility. Identify any SEO issues that need to be addressed during the website migration.
  • Website Analytics: Use tools like Google Analytics and Search Console to understand user behavior, traffic patterns, and engagement metrics. This data can help you make informed decisions about the new platform’s structure and features.

Documentation Review

Gather and review all existing documentation related to your website. This includes user manuals, development notes, and any technical documentation. A thorough review can help you:

  • Identify Potential Website Migration Challenges: Understand any technical limitations or challenges that might arise during the migration process.
  • Plan for Seamless Data Transfer: Ensure all critical data , like customer data, and functionalities are accounted for and can be smoothly transferred to the new platform.

Budget Considerations

Outline the cost factors involved in the replatforming project. These may include:

  • Platform licensing fees
  • Development and design costs
  • Data migration expenses
  • Training and onboarding for your team
  • Ongoing maintenance and support fees

Having a clear budget will help you manage costs and avoid unexpected financial surprises.

Choosing Your New Platform: A Comparative Landscape

Popular Website Platforms

When considering a new platform for your website, it’s important to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each option. Here’s a brief introduction to some leading website platforms:

  1. WordPress: Known for its flexibility and extensive plugin ecosystem, WordPress is suitable content management system known for a wide range of website types, from blogs and business sites to an ecommerce store. It offers a robust community, numerous themes, and plugins that allow for significant customization. However, it may require more maintenance and security measures compared to other platforms.
  2. Wix: Wix is a user-friendly platform with drag-and-drop features, making it ideal for small businesses and personal websites. It offers a wide variety of templates and an intuitive interface, allowing users to create visually appealing websites without coding knowledge. While Wix is easy to use, it may not offer the same level of customization and scalability as more advanced platforms.
  3. Drupal: Drupal is highly customizable and secure, making it a preferred choice for complex and large-scale websites. It is known for its flexibility and robustness, allowing for extensive customization through modules. Drupal is ideal for developers who need to build intricate websites with specific requirements. However, it has a steeper learning curve and may require more technical expertise to manage effectively.
  4. Shopify: An ecommerce platform, Shopify offers robust tools for online stores. It provides a seamless user experience with built-in payment processing, inventory management, and a wide range of themes tailored for an ecommerce website. Shopify is ideal for an ecommerce business looking to quickly set up and manage an online store, but it may have higher costs associated with its premium features and transaction fees.
  5. Contentful: Contentful is a headless content management system that allows for the creation and management of content independently from the presentation layer. This makes it highly flexible and scalable, suitable for websites and applications that require a custom front end. Contentful is ideal for developers and businesses looking to deliver content across multiple channels and devices. However, it may require more technical expertise to implement and manage effectively compared to traditional CMS platforms.

Choosing the Right Platform

When selecting the platform that best aligns with your goals and technical needs, consider the following factors:

  • Business Objectives: Choose a platform that supports your primary goals, whether it’s an ecommerce website, content marketing, or lead generation.
  • Ease of Use: Ensure the platform is user-friendly for your team to manage and update content.
  • Scalability: Consider future growth and choose a platform that can scale with your business.
  • Customization: Assess how much customization you need and whether the platform can accommodate it.
  • Support and Community: Evaluate the level of customer support and the size of the user community, as these can be valuable resources.

By carefully evaluating these platforms and considering your specific needs, you can select the best platform to achieve your website’s goals and ensure a successful replatforming project.

The Replatforming Process: A Step-by-Step Breakdown

Project Kickoff and Team Formation

Begin by forming a dedicated team for the replatforming project. Key players should include:

  • Project Manager: Oversees the project timeline and ensures all tasks are completed.
  • Developers: Handle the technical aspects of the migration process.
  • Designers: Focus on the UI/UX design of the new site.
  • Content Managers: Ensure that all content is correctly migrated and optimized.
  • SEO Specialists: Maintain and improve search engine rankings during the transition.

Data Migration Process

Data migration involves transferring your existing content, user data, and other essential information to the new platform. This process includes:

  • Content Export: Extracting data from your current platform.
  • Content Cleaning: Removing outdated or redundant content.
  • Content Import: Uploading data to the new platform.
  • Data Mapping: Ensuring that data is correctly mapped and formatted in the new system.

Design and Development

The design and development phase encompasses both the front-end and back-end development:

  • UI/UX Design: Creating a visually appealing and user-friendly interface.
  • Front-End Development: Building the client-side elements that users interact with.
  • Back-End Development: Setting up the server-side infrastructure and integrating necessary functionalities.

Testing and Quality Assurance

Rigorous testing is crucial to ensure that the new website functions correctly across different devices and browsers. This phase includes:

  • Functional Testing: Verifying that all features work as intended.
  • Cross-Browser Testing: Ensuring compatibility with various browsers.
  • Performance Testing: Checking the site’s speed and responsiveness.
  • User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Allowing real users to test the site and provide feedback.

Website Launch and Post-Launch Monitoring

Launching the new website involves several critical steps:

  • Pre-Launch Checklist: Final checks to ensure everything is ready.
  • Soft Launch: A limited release to a small audience to identify any issues.
  • Full Launch: Making the site live to the public.
  • Post-Launch Monitoring: Continuously monitoring the site’s performance and user feedback to make necessary adjustments.

Overcoming Common Replatforming Challenges

Content Duplication and Redirects

To avoid content duplication and ensure proper redirects:

  • 301 Redirects: Set up 301 redirects from old URLs to new URLs to maintain SEO value.
  • Canonical Tags: Use canonical tags to indicate the preferred version of a webpage.
  • Content Audit: Regularly audit your content to remove duplicates and ensure consistency.

Technical Glitches and Unexpected Issues

Managing potential technical problems involves:

  • Backup Plans: Always have a backup of your current site before starting the migration.
  • Testing Environment: Use a staging environment to test changes before implementing them on the live site.
  • Quick Response Team: Have a team ready to address any issues that arise during the migration.

Maintaining SEO and Website Traffic

Minimize traffic loss and maintain search engine ranking by:

  • SEO Audit: Conduct a thorough SEO audit before and after the migration.
  • Update Sitemap: Submit an updated sitemap to search engines.
  • Monitor Analytics: Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor traffic and identify any drop-offs.

Conclusion: Embracing the Benefits of a Successful Replatforming Project

A successful website replatforming project can lead to numerous benefits, including improved performance, enhanced security, better scalability, and access to modern features. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can ensure a smooth transition from existing infrastructure to a new platform that better suits your business needs.