The Ultimate CMS Migration Checklist: Key Considerations for a Seamless Transition
Migrating your website to a new Content Management System (CMS) is a high-stakes project that, when executed correctly, can dramatically improve site performance, user experience, and business results. But with so many technical, content, and SEO considerations, neglecting a single step can mean lost traffic, broken functionality, or even permanent data loss.
Drawing on trusted expertise—Moz, SEMrush, and Search Engine Land—this checklist provides a fully actionable, phase-by-phase guide to ensure your CMS migration is robust, resilient, and risk-free. Whether you’re a digital project manager, developer, or marketing lead, use this as your go-to, no-guesswork resource.
👉 Download the full checklist and supporting templates: CMS Migration Checklist (Excel) | Redirect Mapping Sheet
CMS Migration Checklist: Phase-by-Phase
🟦 1. Pre-Migration Preparation
Set the Foundation for a Successful Migration
- Define migration goals and KPIs
(Clarify why you’re migrating—improve performance, security, UX, scalability? Set clear, measurable outcomes.) - Audit current CMS (features, integrations, pain points)
(Inventory existing functionality, custom plugins, integrations, limitations, etc.) - Develop a detailed migration plan and timeline
(Sequence phases, assign stakeholders, set target launch, and rollback options.) - Communicate the migration plan to all stakeholders
(Include business and technical teams, clarify anticipated downtime and impact.) - Set up a secure staging/test environment
(Mirror your live site as closely as possible for risk-free trials.) - Benchmark current site performance and SEO
(Document traffic levels, rankings, crawl data using Google Analytics, Search Console, and Screaming Frog.)
Content & Asset Inventory
- Inventory all content, media, and digital assets
(Pages, posts, images, downloads, forms, databases—use an audit sheet for thoroughness.) - Audit content for quality and relevance
(Flag outdated/low-quality items to update or retire.) - Identify and plan for all integrations and third-party services
(APIs, CRMs, e-commerce, data flows, custom plugins—note any compatibility risks.) - Review compliance and accessibility requirements
(Check for legal (e.g., GDPR), WCAG accessibility, privacy, and data retention needs.)
Risk Mitigation
- Create a comprehensive backup of your entire website (files + databases)
(Test restoring in the staging environment—don’t skip this!) - Update all plugins, security patches, and take a pre-migration backup
(Reduces vulnerabilities and ensures latest versions.) - Develop a rollback and contingency plan
(Outline how to restore if migration fails—practice in staging first.)
🟧 2. Migration & Execution
Secure, Test, and Optimize Every Step
- Export all content, media, and user data from the old CMS
(Verify export completeness vs. audit inventory.) - Transform and map data for the new CMS
(Adjust fields, formats, URLs as needed for compatibility.) - Import all assets into the new CMS staging environment
(Confirm structural integrity and that nothing is missing.)
SEO & Technical SEO
- Create a comprehensive URL redirect map (301 redirects)
(Maintain all SEO value and avoid broken links. Use mapping templates.) - Re-implement or update meta titles, descriptions, and canonical tags
(Preserve on-page SEO signals; re-check for uniqueness.) - Restore header tags, alt text, schema, and internal linking structures
(Critical for SEO and accessibility.) - Prepare and submit a new XML sitemap and correct robots.txt
(Test for proper indexing, disallow rules, and path updates.)
Technical Testing (Staging)
- Carry out full site QA (content, media, links, and navigation)
(Spot-check by user type and device/browser.) - Test all mission-critical forms, scripts, plugins, and integrations
(Don’t miss e-commerce, CRM, newsletter, analytics, or embedded tools.) - Check user role permissions and access controls
(Ensure correct roles, no unnecessary permissions granted.) - Run performance, speed, and security tests in staging
(Catch bottlenecks before go-live.) - Address accessibility and compliance
(Meet WCAG standards, cookie notifications, privacy statements.)
🟩 3. Go-Live & Post-Migration
Final Launch and Ongoing Optimization
- Select low-traffic window for migration cutover
(Minimize business/user disruption.) - Make a final, fresh backup pre-launch
- Launch the new site and closely monitor critical processes
(Watch for unexpected failures; have rollback ready.) - Test all redirects and confirm zero 404 errors
(Crawl with Screaming Frog or similar tool.) - Test end-to-end key user journeys (purchase, signup, contact forms, etc.)
- Update search engines: submit new XML sitemap, request indexing in Google Search Console/Bing Webmaster Tools
- Monitor SEO KPIs, traffic, and site health metrics
(Benchmark vs. before migration. Investigate and fix any drops quickly.) - Review server logs and error reports for unexpected issues
- Solicit team and stakeholder feedback, run an all-points QA
- Communicate successful launch to users and stakeholders
(Provide guides if navigation or UI has changed.) - Document and archive all migration steps and data
(For regulatory or future migration reference.) - Plan for ongoing site monitoring and iterative optimization
(Schedule 30-day, 90-day follow-ups.)
Scenario-Specific Enhancements
- Large/legacy sites: Migrate in phases, test each segment rigorously, plan for extended downtime or partial cutovers
- Multilingual/multi-region: Audit all language versions; ensure new CMS supports required i18n features; test hreflang and language selectors
- Heavy custom integrations: Line up developer resources for custom plugins/APIs; run extensive integration testing; document any limitations or temporary workarounds
Pro Tips and Best Practices
- 🟢 Never skip full-site backups and restore tests—this is your insurance.
- 🟢 Retain old crawl data and performance benchmarks for several months post-migration. See Moz's approach
- 🟢 Automate link and QA checks using crawling tools (e.g., Screaming Frog, Sitebulb).
- 🟢 Document every step and decision in a migration log for accountability.
- 🟢 Use dedicated migration plugins or automated tools such as CMS2CMS for complex/large sites.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Must all checklist steps be followed in sequence?
Most steps must be sequential (backups before migration, QA before go-live), but some (e.g., content audit, compliance review) can be performed in parallel if your team allows.
How do I handle a major problem during go-live?
If a critical issue appears (data loss, broken site), immediately execute your contingency rollback plan to restore the prior site/read-only database, then troubleshoot offline.
What’s the most common migration mistake?
Omitting proper 301 redirects and failing to pre-test them, leading to SEO and user experience loss. Also, not having a full backup ready for rollback.
What’s a good way to track progress?
Use the downloadable Excel/Sheets checklist (Get template) and assign responsible team members by task or phase.
Does this checklist apply to any platform?
Yes! Steps may require adjustment for your target CMS (WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, etc.). Always use official docs for platform-specific actions.
Download & Resources
- Full CMS Migration Excel Checklist: Download Now
- Redirect Mapping Worksheet: Download
- Content Audit Template: Download
- Example Tools: Screaming Frog SEO Spider, CMS2CMS, UpdraftPlus Backup
For further reading and deep dives, consult Moz's comprehensive migration guide, SEMrush migration process, and Search Engine Land's SEO-focused migration checklist.
Congratulations!
When you’ve checked every box above, your website’s CMS migration will be thorough, SEO-safe, and poised for long-term success. Remember to revisit your site health regularly and keep your documentation up to date for your next big evolution!
