How to Move Your Website to Another Platform Without Hurting Your SEO

How to Move Your Website Over to A New Platform Without Hurting Your SEO

Deciding to move your website to a new platform is kind of like moving to a new house. Exciting? Absolutely. A little overwhelming? Also yes. But just like moving, with the right prep and plan, you can make the transition smooth— and keep everything you’ve worked so hard for intact (like your rankings and traffic).

You’ve built your SEO brick by brick, and I know the last thing you want is for it all to come crashing down because of a move. The good news? If you play your cards right, you can move your website to a new platform and actually come out stronger on the other side.

I’ve helped clients navigate this process more times than I can count, so I’m here to spill the tea on how to make this work—no stress, no SEO nightmares. Let’s get into it!

Why SEO Takes a Hit During Website Migration

Before we dive into the fix, let’s talk about the potential hiccups when moving your site:

1. URL Changes: If your new platform changes your URLs (even slightly), search engines might not recognize them and think they’re brand-new pages. Cue the rankings drop.

2. Broken Links: If you’ve got links pointing to pages that no longer exist, visitors (and search engines) are going to run into 404 errors. No bueno.

3. Loss of Metadata: Your carefully crafted meta titles and descriptions might not transfer automatically, and that can impact your click-through rates.

4. Downtime Drama: If your site is offline for too long, Google might start wondering if you’ve ghosted the internet.

But don’t panic! These issues are totally preventable if you approach your move with strategy and care.

Step 1: Choose the Right Platform

Let’s start with the foundation: your new platform. Not all website builders are created equal when it comes to SEO. That’s why I always recommend Wix— it’s an all-in-one powerhouse for building stunning, functional sites that play nice with Google.

Here’s why Wix is a standout:

• Customizable SEO Settings: You can edit URLs, meta descriptions, and alt text with ease.

• SEO Wiz Tool: Perfect for beginners, this tool walks you through optimizing your site step-by-step.

• 301 Redirects: Built-in tools make it simple to set up redirects (more on that in a sec).

• Fast Loading Speeds: Wix sites are optimized for performance, which is a major win for both SEO and user experience.

So, if you’re debating on what platform to switch to, you should seriously consider Wix— it’s designed to help you succeed.

Step 2: Audit Your Current Site

Before you move a single file, take inventory of what’s working on your current site. Think of it as packing for the move— you wouldn’t toss your favorite sweater, so don’t leave behind your best-performing pages.

SEO Audit Checklist:

• Top Pages: Use tools like Google Analytics and Search Console to find the pages driving the most traffic.

• Crawl Your Site: Tools like Screaming Frog can give you a detailed map of your current URLs, making it easier to plan your redirects.

• Spot Weaknesses: Check for broken links, thin content, or metadata that could use some love.

Step 3: Set Up 301 Redirects Like a Pro

Here’s the golden rule of website migration: don’t skip the redirects! A 301 redirect tells search engines where a page has permanently moved, helping you keep all that juicy SEO goodness intact, and making sure your visitors don’t land on those annoying "404 error" pages. Wix offers a super intuitive tool for managing redirects. You can map old URLs to new ones in just a few clicks— no coding required.

One of the best things about Wix is that it automatically sets up redirects for you when you change the URL of a page on your existing Wix site. This means less manual work and fewer headaches during your migration.

But if you need to set up a manual redirect after migrating your site, Wix has you covered with its easy-to-use, handy dandy URL Redirect Manager. Here’s how to do it:

1. From your Wix dashboard, go to the menu on the left-hand side and hover over “Website & Mobile App.”

2. Hover over “Website & SEO.”

3. Click on “SEO.”

4. Scroll down to find the “URL Redirect Manager” app.

5. Select the “+ New Redirect” button and follow the prompts to map your old URLs to your new ones.

With this tool, you can keep your links intact and your visitors happy—all while giving Google a clear path to follow.

Step 4: Transfer Your Metadata

Metadata (like your meta titles and descriptions) is SEO gold, so don’t leave it behind. When moving platforms, some builders (like Wix) make it easy to export and import this data. If yours doesn’t, roll up your sleeves and transfer it manually.

Pro Tip: Since you’re already digging into your metadata, you might as well give it a little refresh, right? Update meta titles and descriptions with stronger keywords or more compelling CTAs to boost click-through rates.

Step 5: Minimize Downtime

Downtime is the SEO equivalent of a power outage— disruptive and potentially damaging. Keep it short and sweet by:

• Using a Staging Site: Build your new site on a staging domain first, then switch your domain when everything is ready.

• Scheduling Smartly: Do the switch during off-peak hours (think late at night or early morning).

With Wix, staging your site is seamless, and the transition process is quick, keeping your downtime to a minimum.

Step 6: Submit Your New Sitemap to Google

Once your shiny new site is live, make sure Google knows where to find everything. Use Google Search Console to submit your sitemap and give search engines a heads-up about the changes. If you're not sure how to do that, or what that means, you can download a free copy of my Google Analytics and Search Console Quick Guide with all the info you need!

Wix automatically generates and updates your sitemap, so submitting it to search engines is a breeze.

Step 7: Monitor and Adjust

The work doesn’t end when your new site goes live. Keep an eye on your performance to make sure everything is running smoothly:

• Track Rankings: Use tools like Ubersuggest or SEMrush to monitor your keyword positions.

• Fix Errors: Check Google Search Console for 404 errors or crawl issues and address them quickly.

Final Thoughts: Move with Confidence

Moving your website to a new platform doesn’t have to feel like jumping off a cliff. With some careful planning and the right tools (hi, Wix! 👋🏻), you can make the transition smoothly without losing your hard-earned SEO traction!

Remember... your website is the foundation of your online presence, so treat it with some intention and care. By following all of these steps, you’ll be set up for long-term success— better rankings, happier visitors, and a website that works as hard as you do. Thinking about making the move? Let’s chat! I’d love to help you make your website migration stress-free and SEO-friendly.