Seamless Migration from Optimizely to Umbraco

Project Overview

The goal was to migrate the client’s website from Optimizely to Umbraco without disrupting operations, losing SEO rankings, or compromising data integrity. The project required careful planning to ensure that all existing content, media, and assets were moved seamlessly while maintaining website functionality and improving performance.

 

Challenges

Despite having a clear goal, the migration came with several challenges:

• Complex Content Migration – The client had a large volume of structured and unstructured content, including pages, blog posts, media files, and metadata. Ensuring a smooth and error-free migration was a top priority.
• SEO & URL Structure Preservation – The client wanted to retain search rankings and traffic, requiring a structured redirection strategy to prevent broken links and 404 errors.
• Maintaining Website Performance & User Experience – The migration needed to be done without affecting website speed or disrupting user experience, requiring performance optimization post-migration.
• Custom Integrations & Features – The website had various third-party integrations and custom functionalities that needed to be replicated in Umbraco without affecting site performance.

Our Approach & Solution

To ensure a seamless transition, we followed a well-defined migration strategy:
1. Strategic CMS Selection & Planning

• We assessed the client’s business goals, content structure, and future needs to determine the best migration approach.

• Umbraco was chosen due to its flexibility, scalability, and ease of customization, aligning perfectly with the client’s long-term vision.

2. Content & Data Migration

• We meticulously mapped and transferred all data, media, and assets from Optimizely to Umbraco, ensuring zero content loss.

• We restructured the content hierarchy in Umbraco for a more intuitive and user-friendly content management experience.

3. SEO & URL Redirection Strategy

• We implemented 301 redirects for all existing URLs to maintain SEO rankings and ensure users were redirected correctly.

• Metadata, alt texts, and other SEO elements were migrated without changes to preserve search engine visibility.

4. Performance Optimization & Scalability

• We optimized website speed and server response times post-migration to ensure faster load times.

• Umbraco’s lightweight architecture allowed the website to handle increased traffic seamlessly.

5. Custom Feature & Integration Implementation

• We recreated all essential features from the previous CMS in Umbraco, ensuring a consistent user experience.

• Third-party tools and integrations were configured to work flawlessly with the new CMS.

Results

• Seamless migration with zero data loss and uninterrupted operations.
• Retained SEO rankings, ensuring traffic and search visibility remained intact.

• Improved performance with faster load times and better scalability.
• A more flexible and user-friendly CMS for easier content management.