A seamless website migration is crucial for retaining organic traffic, search engine rankings, and most importantly, the user experience. Moving to HubSpot CMS is an exciting step forward, but it can be challenging if you're not well-prepared. This checklist will guide you through the process of a HubSpot website migration, ensuring that you go through all essential steps for a smooth transition.
The HubSpot Website Migration Checklist in 9 Phases
Go through our checklist and make your migration to HubSpot a successful one!
Phase 1: Planning and Strategy
Define Objectives
Clearly define your migration objectives. What do you aim to achieve by switching to HubSpot? Content Auditing
Take inventory of all your existing website content, including pages, images, videos, and downloads. URL Structure
If you don't have a suitable URL structure yet, devise a new one for your HubSpot website and ensure it’s SEO-friendly.
Phase 2: HubSpot Configuration & Development
Set Up HubSpot Account
Create a HubSpot portal and configure it either yourself or through a HubSpot partner.
Templates and Modules
Design or select templates and modules that align with your design and functionality goals. If you want a highly functional website that excels in SEO and performance, consider collaborating with an agency like Bright Digital to create a custom HubSpot theme that suits your needs.
Providing content
Ensure your website is filled with the right content. This can involve migrating existing content from your old website or creating new content based on keyword research or competitive analysis.
Phase 3: SEO Optimization
Redirects
Set up redirects from old URLs to new HubSpot URLs to preserve SEO value and prevent 404 errors.
Meta Tags and Alt Text for SEO
Optimize meta tags, titles, and alt texts for search engines. Responsiveness
Ensure your new HubSpot website is fully responsive on different devices and browsers.
If you're working with Bright Digital, you can take this off your list as our websites are always responsive!
Phase 4: Content Optimization
Content Review
Critically review your content and enhance it as needed to stay relevant and up-to-date. If you notice conversions are lacking on specific pages, consider giving them extra attention.
Phase 5: Testing and Quality Control
Cross-Browser Testing
Test your website on various browsers to ensure it functions well on all platforms and is user-friendly.
User Experience
Invite colleagues or friends to use your website and provide feedback on the user experience.
Accessibility
Consider web accessibility to ensure your site can be used by people with disabilities.
Phase 6: SEO Monitoring
Monitor SEO Performance
Keep an eye on your website's performance using SEO tools like HubSpot SEO Scan or Semrush. Adjust your strategy and content as needed.
Phase 7: Launch
Back-Up
Create a complete backup of your old website before switching to HubSpot.
Timing
Schedule the migration for a date and time when it will have the least impact on your visitors.
DNS Configuration
Proper DNS settings are crucial for your website's online visibility. Setting up DNS correctly ensures visitors can find and access your website using the specific domain you intend to use. Correct DNS configuration is a fundamental step for a successful website launch.
Phase 8: Post-Migration
Check URLs
Verify that all URLs are correctly redirected and do not result in 404 errors. You can use tools like Screaming Frog for this. Submit Sitemap
Send an updated XML sitemap to search engines like Google Search Console to inform them of the changes. Set Up Analytics
Configure Google Analytics or other analytics tools to monitor your new website.
Phase 9: Continuous Improvement
Continuous Optimization
A website is never finished. For the best results, keep evolving your website by conducting analyses, making improvements, and evaluating these improvements through methods like A/B testing. This ensures your website remains high-performing, up-to-date, and relevant.
Need Help with HubSpot Website Migration?
A successful HubSpot website migration requires careful planning, execution, and monitoring. With this checklist, you're well-prepared for a smooth transition to the HubSpot platform while minimizing the impact on your organic search results. Keep in mind that SEO is an ongoing process, so continue optimizing and adapting your website to changing needs and trends.
Please note that the success of a website migration depends on various factors and may vary depending on the complexity of your website and specific requirements. We recommend working with experts in this field or the HubSpot support team to ensure a smooth migration. If you're curious about how Bright Digital handles a HubSpot Website Migration, feel free to schedule a call!
