A website migration is a cross-disciplinary, carefully coordinated, and highly budgeted effort. It’s no surprise - websites can be very lucrative and invaluable to brand recognition across digital channels. Organic search is no exception. But where does SEO fit into a migration? And how can one prioritize SEO amidst so many moving pieces? To better understand the role SEO plays in a migration, I’d like to walk you through a timeline of SEO launch essentials. That is, projects and tasks I have found to be necessary in preserving organic performance during a migration.

1. #PragmaticSEO
Website
Migrations & SEO
A Timeline of SEO Launch Essentials
edwin@edwindanromero.com
/in/edwinromero/
Edwin Romero
Independent SEO Consultant

2. Biography
An Ideal
Timeline
The Phases

3. Biography
E-comm
+200
Migrations
Trends &
Processes
Essentials
&
Timelines
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/

4. Migration Types
Redesign
Domain
Name
Update
Website
Merge /
Consolidation
Framework
Update
CMS
Update
Host /
Server
Change
Architecture
/ URL
Structure
Change
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/

5. The Ideal Timeline
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
~12 months
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
E-Comm CMS replatform

6. Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
“Before the beginning”
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/

7. What’s happening?
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
Request for Proposals,
Pitches, & Negotiations, Oh
my!

8. What’s happening?
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Design
UX
Development
Business
Analysts
PMs
Analytics SEO
AMs SOW
Statement of Work
Services Deliverables
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo

9. SEO at this stage
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
SEO makes the
case for budget
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo

10. SEO at this stage
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
Level of Effort
Context
• Goals
• Web properties
• Migration Type
• Teams
• SEO investment
needed
• Resources needed
• Level-setting
expectations
• Voice

11. Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
If SEO is not involved
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Start talking about
SEO needs!
SEO, aye?

12. Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
“Who, what, when, where”
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/

13. What’s happening?
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Migration Team,
assemble!
AM
PM
Dev
BA
Analytics
UX / Design
SEO
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo

14. What’s happening?
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Build migration roadmap
Start Launch
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo

15. SEO
Where’s SEO?
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
Requirement gathering

16. SEO
Where’s SEO?
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
Working alongside others

17. Where’s SEO?
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
Story Time

18. If SEO isn’t involved…
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Understand project / organic
search gaps
SEO
PMs, Devs, Brand Managers
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo

19. Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
“Under Construction…”
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/

20. What’s happening?
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
Multiple tracks towards site build
Launch
Design
UX
Development
Business
Analysts
PMs
Analytics SEO
AMs
• Site skeleton
• Data feeds
• Design / content
• Sprint cycles
• Regular scrums

21. Where’s SEO?
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
SEO

22. Where’s SEO?
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
Launch Essentials & Workflows
Gather Site Pages /
Page Types
Finalize Site
Architecture
Build Redirect Strategy Review Canonical Tags
Optimize URL
Structure
Build Meta Data
Strategy
Gather Benchmark
Metrics
Build Robots.txt
Build XML Sitemap
Plan GSC, BWT & GA
Verification
Support SEO Across
Project Teams

23. If SEO isn’t involved…
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
Prep for Risks
Escalate Document

24. If SEO isn’t involved…
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
Story Time

25. Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
“Are we there yet?”
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/

26. What’s happening?
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
Launch
• Limited sprint / cycles
• UAT will kick off
• Hot fixes
• Code freeze is looming
Wind down across tracks

27. Where’s SEO?
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
Finalizing 2 milestones…
Redirect Map Site Audit
• Meta data
• H1 tags
• Canonicals
• Internal linking
• HTTP status codes
• Test targets
• Update logic
• Finalize redirect
map

28. If SEO isn’t involved…
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo

29. If SEO isn’t involved…
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
Take a breather…
Lean on
Documentation
Focus on
Redirect Strategy
Be Honest

30. Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
“It’s happening”
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/

31. It’s happening?
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo

32. Launch
What’s happening?
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
Launch
Call
Players
• “War Room”
• Early Morning / Late
Evening
• Development
• WebOps
• Stakeholders
• Project managers
• Analytics
• SEO

33. Where’s SEO?
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
SEO
Redirects
SEO Elements
GSC + BWT
Sitemaps

34. If SEO isn’t involved…
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
Stay calm but be at the ready
• Brand may not need
SEO
• Brand is unaware of
SEO impact

35. Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
“I finally rest…”
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/

36. “And watch the sun rise on a
grateful universe.”
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/

37. What’s happening?
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
Post-
launch
Wrap-up

38. Where’s SEO?
#PragmaticSEO
edwin@edwindanromero.com /in/edwinromero/
Pre-migration
Discovery
The Build
Pre-launch
Launch
Post-launch
9 mo
6 mo
-3 mo 0 mo 3 mo 10 mo +10 mo
Benchmark
Report
Redirects &
Optimizations
Roadmap
SEO

39. #PragmaticSEO
Thank you!
Questions?
edwin@edwindanromero.com
/in/edwinromero/
Edwin Romero
Independent SEO Consultant