An eCommerce website migration, referred to as a data migration when it only deals with data and as a replatforming when you leave one platform for an entirely new one, can entail a herculean lift and an unimaginable amount of work.
With that said, there are many times in which a migration may become necessary. This short post will explore some of those.
How to Tell It’s Time for a Migration
There are many cues that may tip you off that your website might be in need of eCommerce migration services. Here are some of the big ones:
- Your design is outdated and it’s negatively impacting the user experience.
- Your website is slow, pages aren’t loading.
- Security is suffering and you can’t easily find and fix the problem.
- SEO results are stagnant or going in the wrong direction.
- Your mobile design is poor.
- You can’t make basic changes to design or layout without issues.
- You’re having issues with your server.
- Your website struggles during periods of high volume.
- The website gives you trouble when you want to integrate new features or tools.
These are some of the big things to look for when you’re wondering whether or not it’s time to undertake a migration, but another big one is when your customer engagement metrics are suffering for any reason. It could be tied to the UX offered to you by the platform on which your website is based.
Why a Website Migration Can Turn Around Performance
Oftentimes, website administrators determine that their operations are being hindered by the limitations of their current platform, or even of the datacenter where everything is hosted.
In either case, a big move is in order, but the benefits can often outweigh the risks. Moving to a new platform that offers better scalability, better integration capabilities, and better speed, security and flexibility will put a lot more of the power in your hands.
Moreover, when speed, security and other vital website performance metrics improve, user experience (UX) can vastly improve, which can benefit engagement metrics (which will boost SEO and visibility) and conversions as well.
What Are the Risks Associated with a Migration?
While the benefits of an eCommerce website migration can considerably outweigh the risks, that’s not to make light of the risks that are present.
One of the biggest challenges associated with eCommerce migration services has to do with data security. If data is not properly accounted for and has nowhere to populate on the new store, it can be lost or corrupted. This can severely impact current workflows and order statuses, among other things.
If any URLs change during the migration process, that can also have serious consequences for SEO work, because if 301 redirects are not appropriately implemented, the website’s organic authority will plummet and all of its visibility for the search terms it previously held will be washed away.
All in all, while there are many potential risks associated with a big migration project, two of the biggest have to do with data loss and loss of organic marketing performance.
With that said, a well-developed process that has been tested and honed by real feedback can help prevent some of these issues and more while delivering the potential benefits of a successful migration.
How an eCommerce Migration Services Provider Can Mitigate Some of These Risks
Agencies that offer eCommerce migration services, at least those that are worth working with, almost always have proven migration processes that are substantiated by the results of real, past projects.
These companies will account for all of your data, run tests to make sure everything is ready and that data will populate as necessary, back up the data anyway, and also make sure redirects are in place so that you don’t experience what some might call an “SEO disaster.”
Make sure you work with an experienced provider if you are seriously planning on undertaking a migration project, but at the same time, don’t put it off for too long.
