This document outlines the steps involved in migrating a global website with offices in 50 countries and 20+ domains to a new site structure. It discusses domain strategy and choosing between country-code top-level domains, subdomains, and subdirectories. It also covers internal project planning, responsibilities, translation practices, URL structures, XML sitemaps, Hreflang tags, 301 redirects, robots.txt, Google Webmaster Tools setup, link repointing, and analytics reporting. The goal is to smoothly transition traffic from the old sites to the new structure while maintaining SEO performance.

1. The Global Site Migration

2. @KateDreyer
• Offices in 50 countries
• 20+ domains
• Some of our main markets:
EF Englishtown

3. @KateDreyer
• I’m not telling you how to do things
• Every website is different
• Every business is different
• Some decisions are not based on SEO
Caveat

4. Why Migrate?

5. @KateDreyer
Redesign

6. @KateDreyer
New CMS

7. @KateDreyer
Resources
SEO Manager
MEASTFR DE MX BRJP
IT RUES

9. @KateDreyer
Domain Strategy
http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/subdomains-and-subdirectories/
http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.co.uk/2010/03/working-with-multi-
regional-websites.html
ccTLDs Subdomains Subdirectories
URL
Parameters
Clear geotargeting Easy to set up Easy to set up
Just don’t.
Expensive
Can target using
WMTs
Can target using
WMTs
More infrastructure
required
Treated as separate
site
Uses authority of
main site

10. @KateDreyer
• http://www.asos.de/
• http://us.asos.com/
• http://www.asos.com/es/
• http://www.apple.com/de/
• http://www.apple.com/fr/
• http://www.apple.com/mx/
Examples

11. @KateDreyer
Our Domains
Site Domain
Strong /
Weak
Market
Size
Action
englishtown.com Global/US Very strong Small Use as hub
englishtown.com.mx ccTLD Weak Large
Move to
.com
thailand.englishtown.com
Sub-
Domain
Weak Medium
Move to
.com
englishtown.de ccTLD Strong Large Don't move
englishtown.co.uk ccTLD Weak Tiny
Move to .com
& test

12. @KateDreyer
Internal Planning
• Timelines
• Checklists
• Assign responsibilities

13. @KateDreyer
Responsibilities
• Jira ticketing
system helps
assign tasks and
deadlines
• Confluence
keeps all
documents and
guidelines
available online

14. @KateDreyer
• Copywriters
• Designers
• User Experience
• Translators
Training

15. @KateDreyer
• Not always a straight translation
• Always check volumes
Keywords
Keyword Volume Comp.
aprender ingles online 8,100 0.84
aprender ingles en linea 720 0.76
aprender ingles en línea 10 0.76

17. @KateDreyer
We take translation very seriously!
• URLs
• Copy
• Titles
• Descriptions
Must be done by a
native speaker!

18. @KateDreyer
URL Structure
englishtown.com/online/online-school.aspx
englishtown.com/prices/
englishtown.com/online/how-it-works.aspx
englishtown.com/learn-english-online/

19. @KateDreyer
• Accents
• Non-latin
characters
URLs - Special Characters
http://www.englishtown.ru/%D0%B2%D1%8B%D1%83%D1%
87%D0%B8%D1%82%D1%8C-%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B3%D0
%BB%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9
-%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BD/
www.englishtown.ru/выучить-английский-онлайн/

20. @KateDreyer
XML Sitemaps - Creation
http://www.timestampgenerator.com/tools/xml-sitemap-from-list/

21. @KateDreyer
Hreflang Tags
https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/189077?hl=en
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="x-default" href="http://www.englishtown.com/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="es-mx" href="http://www.englishtown.com/es-mx/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-mx" href="http://www.englishtown.com/en-mx/" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-gb" href="http://www.englishtown.com/en-gb/" />

22. @KateDreyer
Hreflang Sitemaps
http://www.themediaflow.com/resources/tools/href-lang-tool/

23. @KateDreyer
Hreflang ≠ Canonical Tags
Hreflang Tags
Canonical
TagsCanonical Tags
• Determines language
• Helps Google show
correct page in local
search results
• Determines duplicate
content
• Helps Google ignore
duplicate pages

24. @KateDreyer
301s - Mapping & Documentation
• Is structure the same?
Existing URL 301 Redirect to
/online/home /
/online/ /
/online/home.aspx /
/online/how-it-works.aspx /englisch-lernen-online
/online/conversation-classes.aspx /englisch-lernen-online/englischlehrer
/online/group-lessons.aspx /englisch-lernen-online/englischunterricht-online
/online/private-lessons.aspx /englisch-lernen-online/englisch-privatunterricht
/online/online-courses.aspx /englisch-lernen-online/englischkurs
/online/certified-diploma.aspx /englisch-lernen-online/zertifikat-englisch
/online/dp/iPad-Efekta-10.aspx /englisch-lernen-online/englisch-lernen-app
/online/dp/tablet-english-app.aspx /englisch-lernen-online/englisch-lernen-app
/online/your-teachers.aspx /englischlehrer-und-studenten/lehrer
/online/reviews.aspx /englischlehrer-und-studenten/studenten
/online/packages-prices.aspx /angebote-und-preise

25. @KateDreyer
Robots.txt
Block new
site
Check
everything
Unblock
new site
Block old
site

27. @KateDreyer
Google Webmaster Tools
• Sitemaps
• Change of address
• Geo-targeting

28. @KateDreyer
Re-Point Links
• Agency has relationships with site owners
• Makes it easier to re-point links
Old site Old site

29. @KateDreyer
Re-Point Links
• Agency has relationships with site owners
• Makes it easier to re-point links
Old site Old site

30. @KateDreyer
Reporting - Analytics
• We are using test and target to track old and new
before we migrate
• Make sure all tracking is set up
• Continue to track old site before switching to new
one

31. @KateDreyerKate.Dreyer@ef.com