Nothing lasts forever, especially on the internet. Software gets old, and when it does, websites built on that old stuff start to get problems. Think security holes, things not working right, and just plain slow performance. That’s why sometimes you gotta move your website to a newer, better platform. This guide will walk you through how to plan and pull off moving website from old to new that goes smoothly and doesn’t cause a ton of headaches.
potting the Problem: Is Your Software Too Old?
First things first, you need to figure out if the software your website runs on is actually at the end of its life. To begin with, this means checking things regularly and staying informed. Specifically, here’s what to watch out for:
Firstly, What the Vendor Says: The companies that make software usually tell you when they’re going to stop supporting it. Therefore, keep an eye on their websites, newsletters, and social media.
Additionally, Security Issues Popping Up: When software is old, it doesn’t get security updates anymore. Consequently, that means hackers can find holes and cause trouble. If you see a lot of security alerts, that’s a bad sign.
Moreover, Things Just Don’t Work: As the internet changes, old software can have trouble keeping up. For instance, it might not work with the latest browsers or plugins, and some features might break.
Furthermore, Website is Dragging: Old code can be slow and clunky. As a result, this makes your website load slowly, which annoys visitors and hurts your search engine ranking.
Lastly, No One Can Help You: If the software vendor doesn’t offer support anymore, you’re on your own when something goes wrong. Ultimately, that can lead to a lot of downtime and potential risks.
What Do You Want to Achieve? Setting Goals
Before moving website from old to new, it’s a good idea to know what you want to get out of it. What do you want your new website to do better than the old one? Here are some ideas:
Better Security: Move to a platform that’s got strong security built-in to keep hackers out and protect your visitor’s info.
Faster Website: Make your website load faster and respond quicker, so people have a better experience.
Room to Grow: Pick a platform that can handle more traffic, more content, and new features as your business grows.
Fresh Look: Update your website’s design to look modern and match your current branding.
Better Search Engine Ranking: Keep or improve your website’s position in search results by making sure your links work and using good SEO practices.
Clean Up Your Content: Go through your existing content and get rid of anything that’s old, wrong, or not getting traffic. Update the good stuff to make it even better.
Picking the Right Platform: Your Future Home
Choosing the right platform is a big deal. It’s like picking the right house for your business. Here are some things to think about:
What Can It Do?: Does the platform have all the features you need now and might need in the future?
Can It Handle Growth?: Can the platform handle more visitors, more content, and new features as your business gets bigger?
How Secure Is It?: Does the platform have a good track record for security, and does it get regular security updates?
Is It Easy to Use?: Can you easily add and update content without having to hire a tech person every time?
Is There a Community?: Is there a lot of people using this platform? If so, it will be easier to find help and resources.
How Much Will It Cost?: What are the upfront costs and the ongoing costs, like hosting and support?
Here are some platforms people often pick:
WordPress: It is used by many, with loads of add-ons and designs to choose from.
Drupal: It is for bigger, more complex sites.
Joomla: It is similar to WordPress but with a bigger focus on community features.
Headless CMS (like Contentful or Strapi): It gives you more freedom over how your content is displayed.
Static Site Generators (like Gatsby or Hugo): These make really fast and secure websites.
E-Commerce Platforms (like Shopify, Magento, or WooCommerce): They offer a wide range of features for product, cart and payment process management.
Moving Your Content: Don’t Leave Anything Behind
When moving website from old to new, also move your content carefully is super important. You don’t want to lose anything valuable.
Take Inventory: List everything on your old website, like pages, posts, pictures, videos, and files.
Get Organized: Arrange your content by what it is and how important it is.
Make It Better: As you move content, update it for SEO and make it easier to read.
Redirect Old Pages: Create a list of all your old website addresses and where they should point on the new website. This helps people find what they’re looking for and keeps your search engine ranking.
How Will You Move It?: You can move content by hand, use automated tools, or do a mix of both.
Check Everything: After you move your content, double-check it to make sure it’s all there, correct, and looks right.
Building Your New Website: Design and Development (moving website from old to new)
This is where you actually build your new website on the platform you chose.
Bring the Design to Life: Turn your new website design into reality, making sure it looks good on all devices and browsers.
Add the Features: Install plugins or modules to add the features your website needs.
Connect to Other Services: payments, marketing and analytics softwares.
Make It Fast: do optimization so that the website will run smoothly.
Lock It Down: Follow security advice.
Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3: Make Sure It Works
Before you launch your new website, you need to test it thoroughly.
Does Everything Work?: Click through every page and feature to make sure it’s working as it should.
Is It Easy to Use?: Get some people to try using your website and see if they find it easy to navigate.
Is It Fast Enough?: Run performance tests to see if there are any slow spots.
Is It Secure?: that your website is protected.
Does It Work Everywhere?: Test your website on different browsers and devices to make sure it looks and works right for everyone.
Proofread Everything: Read through all the content one last time to catch any typos or errors.
Launch Time: Going Live
This is it! Time to launch your new website.
Set Up a Staging Area: Put your new website on a staging server first to test it one last time before going live.
Update Your DNS: Change your DNS records to point to your new website.
Keep an Eye on Things: Watch your website closely after launch to make sure everything is working correctly.
Have a Backup Plan: Have a plan in case something goes wrong and you need to switch back to the old website.
Tell the World: Let your users and stakeholders know about your new website.
After the Launch: Keep It Running Smoothly
The work doesn’t stop after you launch your new website.
Watch the Performance: Monitor your website’s performance and look for ways to make it even faster which will invite repeat customers.
Stay Safe: Keep watching for security threats .
Keep It Fresh: Add new content regularly to keep your website engaging.
Keep Things Updated: Update your platform and plugins regularly to get the latest security patches and features.
Back It Up: your backups for data loss.
Conclusion
Moving website from old to new platform can be tricky, but it’s important. A good move can give you better security a smoother user experience, and more features. Follow these steps, and you’ll be well on your way to a finish.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, Lead Web Praxis Media Limited can help. We know this stuff inside and out, and we can guide you through the whole process, from planning to launch. We offer website migration services that are made to fit your needs.
Don’t wait until your website is a security risk or starts losing customers. Contact Lead Web Praxis Media Limited today.