There comes a time when your current website no longer serves your need. You need a new one but fear that a website migration can wreak havoc on your site. After all, website migration is a big project. A lot can go wrong if you don’t know what you’re doing.
In this post, we'll walk you through what happens during the migration process, the best practices to become successful, and the common mistakes you should avoid.
There are many reasons to migrate your website to HubSpot. No matter what your reasons, there are some great benefits to migrating to HubSpot, including:
HubSpot website migration is a seamless process that is usually handled by either of the following three teams:
HubSpot has a dedicated migration team who can handle the entire migration. Working with HubSpot directly is ideal for companies that don’t update their content or design during the migration process.
Certified HubSpot partner agencies are experts in the website migration process and can offer advice on inbound marketing strategy. They can also update your existing web design.
If you have an internal IT team, they can migrate the website using the available pre-made HubSpot templates. Just observe best practices and follow HubSpot’s guidelines for a successful migration.
Before moving a website from WordPress to HubSpot, you should take note of the following:
When you perform a HubSpot CMS migration, your entire website is replicated in the HubSpot framework. The front end looks the same (except if you decide to implement branding changes), but the back end looks completely different – it’s now easier to manage.
There are three main phases in the HubSpot migration process: 1) Preparation or Pre-Migration, 2) Actual Migration, and 3) Post-Migration.
To increase the chances of a successful migration, you must carefully prepare your existing site and the new HubSpot site. During the preparation stage, you need to take note of the following:
Once everything’s ready, you can proceed to import your content directly to HubSpot. For WordPress users, there’s WordPress Connect, which automatically migrates blogs without any required technical expertise. Other methods like Smart Copy are also available for non-WordPress sites.
You also need to import your site structure. To do this, you must export your existing site’s XML and import it to HubSpot. For huge websites, this can be a major undertaking. HubSpot partner agencies are trained to handle complex migrations and can work with your business to prevent unwanted mishaps.
When everything has been imported, review your site and check that features are working correctly. You should also start optimising various elements that weren’t part of the migration.
During migration, you should still keep your existing site live. Once everything is ready on the HubSpot site, you can change the DNS settings, so your domain now points to the new site.
The entire migration process takes around four to eight weeks, depending on the scale of your website and the team handling it. Once the process is completed, you should continue to monitor your site’s performance. Make sure every page has been indexed by Google and run site audits to check for broken links. Take the time to update publishers regarding the change in your backlinks.
Avoiding the following common mistakes will ensure the success of your website migration.
Migrating your website can be a big undertaking — but it doesn't have to be complicated or stressful. With a dedicated migration partner, you can enjoy the benefits of the HubSpot CMS without losing any of your site’s precious content.