A website migration means making big changes to your website's setup, like moving it from one web hosting service to another. Common types of migrations include switching to a new content management system (like moving from BigCommerce to Shopify), changing your website's domain, or rearranging its URLs and pages. Since SEO migration for Shopify brings significant changes, they affect how search engines see your website.
It's important to think about SEO when planning a migration. You might consider migrating if you are rebranding, need features your current system can't handle, or if your website's performance is poor. However, migrations require careful planning and should only be done when really needed. Thus, in this blog, we will explore the top 10 things you should consider when migrating to Shopify.
10 Points To Remember During Shopify Website Migration
Backup your existing website data:
Before making changes to your website, it's crucial to safeguard your old website and data. Create a backup of your old website and set up a staging website for testing new changes. This ensures you can revert to the old version if needed. Also, protect your metrics and data. Export rankings and traffic levels are to be used as benchmarks. Pay attention to any drops in organic traffic after the launch. We emphasize the importance of having pre-migration benchmarks for an easier process.
Separate the approach for moving websites:
When switching your website, focus on one change at a time, especially for SEO. Stick to the same design, content, domain name, and metadata. Professionals from Shopify Plus advise against making too many changes at once. Wait until after the migration to tweak your content strategy. Overhauling your website all at once can confuse Google and cause a drop in organic traffic. The fewer changes made during the switch, the easier it is to spot and fix any problems. This approach is crucial for testing website performance and enhancing your conversion strategy.
Review the existing pages:
Before migrating a large eCommerce website, it's essential to review the existing pages. Instead of moving them all to the new website, it's wise to check for any dead weight, pages with low rankings, and little organic traffic. By removing pages with low traffic and redirecting them, you not only simplify the migration process but also enhance SEO performance. Google favors websites with high-quality content, so eliminating low-performing pages improves your domain's content ratio. Start by listing all current website pages, noting their traffic and rankings, to determine which to migrate and which to redirect. Watch out for 404 and orphan pages.
Redirects:
Changing your eCommerce platform often means changing your website's URLs. Platforms like Shopify have their own URL formats for product and category pages. Redirects help visitors find your content on new URLs while telling search engines about the changes. Match each old URL to a new one, focusing on one-to-one redirection. Avoid redirecting many URLs to one. For example, each product URL should map to the same new URL. Ensure accuracy by using your list of current URLs. Additionally, to migrate to Shopify and minimize the redirects you can opt for Shopify optimization services to simply do this.
Fix errors:
During replatforming, it's a good idea to find and fix 404 errors on your website, including old internal links missed in your redirection plan. 404 errors, or broken links, are like dead ends online. When consumers hit these pages, it disrupts their shopping. They might go back to your homepage, hit the back button, or search again for what they want. SEO migration for Shopify services can find these broken links on your eCommerce website. If you find a link that hasn’t moved, redirect it in your website's backend so visitors are sent to a relevant page instead. Also, consider improving your 404 error page, guiding customers back to shopping.
Reduce webpage changes:
To keep your website's ranking high, it's advised by many SEO experts to make minimal changes to your pages when you switch platforms. Ecommerce consultants warn that neglecting technical SEO during migration can lead to a significant drop in organic traffic and revenue, there are multiple cases where businesses lost up to 50%. Key steps include replicating the website structure and ensuring all important pages are transferred. It's also crucial to handle dynamic pages like filters and search results properly. A well-planned SEO migration can actually boost website performance. Businesses experienced a remarkable 90% sales increase from organic traffic after implementing such strategies, focusing on better indexing and conversion optimization through tests on product bundles, landing pages, and traffic sources.
Watch out for duplicate content:
Keeping an eye on duplicate content and using canonical URLs are important for your website's SEO. Your eCommerce platform should handle the basic technical stuff, so you can focus on creating content that brings in customers. Duplicate content, where the same words or images appear on different pages, can confuse search engines. This might lower the ranking of both pages. Reasons for duplicate content include using HTTP and HTTPS, managing multiple top-level domains, and having development environments.
Using canonical URLs helps search engines know which page is the original. On platforms like Shopify, canonical URLs are automatically managed, but you can still adjust them for advanced SEO tactics. Make sure dynamic product pages aren't indexed to avoid diluting your rankings and getting penalized for duplicate content.
Make it mobile-friendly:
To do well on Google, make sure your website is quick and works well on mobile phones. Google prefers mobile websites when deciding which pages to show first. They call this "mobile-first indexing." This means that Google looks at the mobile version of your site to determine where it ranks in search results, making it easier for people to find what they want. Slow pages annoy users and can hurt your search rankings. To make your website fast and mobile-friendly:
● Use accelerated mobile pages (AMP): These make mobile pages load super fast. They're supported by Google and disable some features like ads and JavaScript.
● Organize tag tracking: A system like Google Tag Manager helps make sure your site loads quickly by managing small bits of data.
● Limit pop-ups: Too many pop-ups can annoy visitors, especially if they're new. Save them for pages where people are more likely to buy.
Monitor analytics:
Make sure your website is set up right on Google Analytics and Tag Manager to track data easily. Check the real-time analytics on Google to see if your website's getting visitors. It's important to collect data accurately to understand your site traffic after moving. Fix any issues, like 404 pages, that come up during the switch. If your organic traffic drops, it's normal while Google adjusts. Use Google Search Console to spot errors and help your site bounce back. Keep an eye on your site's rankings and get Shopify optimization services to track keywords and stay ahead of any problems.
Check your site SEO performance:
Keep an eye on and adjust SEO performance regularly. SEO is crucial for your online store's growth, as search engine rules change frequently. It's not a one-time task; you must keep it up. Even if your website is doing okay, there's always room for improvement. Consider your website switch as a chance to do an SEO SWOT analysis (looking at strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats). This helps you understand what's working well and what needs fixing. With this insight, you can make smarter decisions to keep boosting your website's performance.
Conclusion
Therefore, in this blog, we have explained the basics of SEO migration for Shopify and the complete checklist for it. Migrating to Shopify manually can hamper your site performance, so hire Shopify migration experts from well-known agencies like MakkPress Technologies that specialize in migrating stores from one platform to another.
With MakkPress Technologies, you can boost your brand awareness and enhance your ranking on search engines' top pages through tailored SEO strategies.
