The Basics
What Is Website Migration?
Website migration is the process of making significant changes to your website's technology, structure, design, or location. This can mean moving from one platform to another (page builder to custom code), switching hosting providers, changing your domain name, or redesigning your entire site. Think of it like moving your business to a new building, you want everything set up perfectly in the new location while making sure your customers can still find you.
Types
Common Types of Website Migration
Not all migrations are the same. Here are the most common types we handle for Edmonton businesses:
- Platform migration: moving from WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, or Shopify to a different platform
- Domain migration: changing your domain name (e.g., oldbusiness.com to newbrand.ca)
- Hosting migration: moving to a different server or hosting provider
- Design migration: complete redesign with new layout, pages, and URL structure
- Protocol migration: switching from HTTP to HTTPS (still relevant for older sites)
- Content migration: restructuring your content or reorganizing information architecture
When to Migrate
When Should You Migrate?
You should consider a migration if your current website isn't meeting your business needs:
- Your site is too slow, WordPress or Wix sites scoring below 50 on PageSpeed are hurting your SEO
- Security concerns, outdated CMS platforms with known vulnerabilities
- You've outgrown your platform, need features your current platform can't provide
- Maintenance headaches, spending too much time and money on plugins and updates
- Rebranding, new business name, domain, or brand identity
SEO Risk
The Biggest Risk: Losing Your SEO Rankings
The number one concern with any migration is losing search rankings. This is a legitimate risk, botched migrations have tanked businesses' visibility overnight. The key is 301 redirects: every URL on your old site must redirect to the corresponding page on your new site.
- Map every old URL to its new equivalent before starting
- Preserve or improve all meta titles and descriptions
- Keep the same or better content on each page
- Submit the new sitemap to Google Search Console immediately after launch
- Monitor Search Console for crawl errors during the first 30 days
- Don't change URL structure and domain at the same time, do them separately
Timeline
How Long Does a Website Migration Take?
Timeline depends on the type and scope of migration. At Codent, most of our migrations involve moving from WordPress, Wix, or Shopify to custom code with a fresh design:
| Migration Type | Timeline | Complexity |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting change only | 1–3 days | Low |
| HTTP to HTTPS | 1–2 days | Low |
| Platform migration (same design) | 1–2 weeks | Medium |
| Platform + redesign | 2–8 weeks | High |
| Domain + platform + redesign | 4–12 weeks | Very High |
Checklist
Migration Checklist for Business Owners
If you're planning a migration, here's what you need to prepare:
- Export your current content: all text, images, PDFs, and downloadable files
- List all your current URLs: use a tool like Screaming Frog or check your sitemap
- Identify your top-performing pages: check Google Analytics or Search Console
- Decide what to keep, merge, or delete: migration is a great time to clean up
- Plan your new URL structure: keep URLs short, descriptive, and keyword-friendly
- Set a launch window: avoid migrating during your busiest business period
How Much Does Website Migration Cost?
Migration projects typically range from $1,000–$15,000+ depending on the size and complexity of your site. A simple brochure site is on the lower end, while large e-commerce stores with custom functionality are higher. We provide a detailed quote after our initial audit. Contact us for a free migration assessment.
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