Website Migration and Modernisation
Move off a slow or hard-to-edit site without losing the search rankings, content and enquiries it took years to build. We plan every redirect, rebuild on a modern setup and switch over with a way back.
- Web
- 7 deliverables
- Set with you at the start
Who it is for
Sound familiar?
Your WordPress, Wix or Canva site has become slow, fragile or hard to change
Every plugin update breaks a page, so nobody dares to update anything
You need to change platform but cannot afford to lose search traffic
Your team wants to edit the site without breaking the layout
What you receive
What you receive
- An audit of the current site: pages, content, plugins, forms, connected tools and traffic
- A content inventory and a map from every old page address to its new one
- Redirects, so old links and search rankings carry over to the new pages
- A rebuilt site on a modern setup, with an editor your team can use
- Forms, analytics and tracking carried across and tested
- Before and after measurements of speed and accessibility
- A launch plan with a way back to the old site, plus source files and a recorded walkthrough
The Path
How it runs
- Starts day one
Listen
A documented brief
- Before any build
Shape
A technical plan, screen layouts and a scope you can hold us to
- Built in sprints you can see
Build
A working demo at every sprint
- When you are ready
Launch
Every source file, login and a recorded walkthrough
- Ongoing
Evolve
A portal where every request and approval is on record
Evolve leads back to Listen, so the work keeps improving for as long as you want it to.
Stack
Tools we usually reach for
Next.js
React
WordPress
Shopify
Cloudflare
- Headless CMS (an editing area kept separate from the website)
Read more
The detail
Website migration means moving a site from one platform to another, usually from WordPress, Wix or Canva to a faster, modern setup. It is for businesses that have outgrown their site and cannot afford to lose search traffic, content or enquiries along the way. We plan the move around what the old site has already earned, so the new one starts ahead.
When is it time to move?
A move makes sense when:
- The site stays slow even after the usual fixes.
- Plugin updates break pages.
- Your team is afraid to edit anything.
- The platform blocks what you need, such as custom forms, member areas or connections to other tools.
- Security updates have fallen behind and you no longer trust the setup.
If speed is the only worry, check first whether Core Web Vitals work would fix it without a move. The free health check shows where your site stands today.
What is the real risk in a migration?
Losing what the old site earned. A site that took years to rank can lose that ranking quickly if old addresses stop working, page titles disappear or the new pages load slower. Enquiries can vanish too, when a form is rebuilt but never reconnected to the inbox.
That is why we plan the move around those risks from the start, not after launch.
How we move your site safely
We audit everything first: every page, plugin, form and connected tool, plus which pages bring traffic and which have links pointing at them. Then we decide with you what to keep, rewrite or drop, and build a map from every old page address to its new one.
For most content sites we recommend a headless CMS: your team edits in a simple admin area, while the site itself is built in Next.js and stays fast. Content, images and forms move across, and every redirect is tested page by page.
On launch day we switch over at an agreed time, with the old site kept ready in case we need to go back. Afterwards we watch Search Console and analytics for any page that drops, and fix it.
What does a good migration look like?
On launch day, nothing visibly breaks. Old links still work and forward to the right pages. Forms reach the right inbox. Analytics keeps counting. Pages load faster than before and pass accessibility checks. After launch, search traffic holds steady or improves, and your team edits content without calling anyone.
How the TechSum Standard applies to a migration
- Secure by default: the new site launches with security headers, up-to-date software and only the accounts that should exist. Old logins do not come along for the ride.
- Built to scale: the new setup is chosen so that adding pages, languages or tools later means extending it, not starting again.
- Tested before it ships: redirects, forms and tracking are tested on real devices before the switch, and speed and accessibility are measured against the old site.
- Looked after after launch: search traffic and forms are watched after the switch, and a website care plan can carry that on.
- Small changes handled, not invoiced: a redirect we missed or a page that needs a tweak after launch gets fixed, not billed as extra.
- Honest advice: if your site is a handful of pages that work fine, you probably do not need a migration, and we will tell you.
When a migration is not what you need
If your hosting is the real problem, a hosting move may be enough, and that sits in Digital Infrastructure. If the site's message is unclear, a rewrite will help more than a new platform. If WordPress still suits you, a clean-up of the existing build is often the better spend.
What a migration connects to
A move is a good moment to fix what sits around the site. Online stores need extra care for products, customers and orders, covered in e-commerce development. Tracking can be rebuilt properly with GA4 analytics setup, and a technical SEO audit before the switch protects what you rank for. The same team handles all of it, so nothing falls between vendors.
How do we start?
Share your current site and what is not working.
For the full set of web services, see Web Design & Development.
FAQ
Questions we get asked
Will I lose my Google rankings if I move my website?
Not if the move is planned for it. We list every page address that has traffic or links, map each one to its new address and set up permanent redirects before launch. After launch we watch Search Console for any page that slips and fix it.
Can you migrate a Wix or Canva site?
Yes. These platforms do not export cleanly, so we rebuild the pages on a modern setup and carry the content, images and forms across by hand. The old page addresses are mapped, so visitors and search engines land on the new pages.
Should I move off WordPress?
Not always. A well-kept WordPress site can serve you for years. We recommend moving when the site stays slow after fixes, plugins keep breaking or the design cannot go where you need it to. If WordPress is still right for you, we say so and fix what you have.
How long does a website migration take?
It depends on the number of pages, the connected tools and how much redesign you want. We agree the schedule with you once we have audited the current site, and put it in writing. You choose the pace.
Will my website go offline during the move?
No. The new site is built alongside the old one and we switch over at a time agreed with you. The old site stays ready, so we can go back if anything looks wrong.
Web Design & Development
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Read moreWebsite care and AMC
Nothing to worry about after launch. Updates, security fixes, backups and monitoring, with every action logged where you can see it.
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Or start smaller
Digital Health Check
Find out where your website really stands. Speed, security, search and AI answers, email setup and data protection basics, reviewed by a person and explained in one written report.
- Speed and Core Web Vitals findings for your key pages
- A review of your security headers (settings that tell browsers how to treat your site) and basic protection
- SEO basics: titles, descriptions, indexing, sitemap and structured data
- AEO basics, which means whether AI assistants can find and quote you
- Ends in a short written report you keep
Let's Talk
Tell us what you need
- A reply from a person on the team
- Or book a short call
- We say so if another team suits you better
Write to us in plain words
Or book a short call
Pick a time that suits you. You will speak with the people who would do the work.