About SushiWP
SushiWP, located in Southampton, UK, is a WordPress development agency known for its expertise with WordPress, eCommerce, and partnering with SMBs. This case study explores their work in migrating a client from an outdated Content Management System (CMS) to WooCommerce, ensuring no loss in search traffic and achieving successful outcomes. When we first connected with their director, Bob, they were looking to involve an outside partner in one of the other companies we’ve worked with – David Christopher Jewellers. After successfully partnering with DCJ – we later helped SushiWP execute multiple WordPress migrations.
The Challenge
The client faced the challenge of wanting to safely migrate from an outdated CMS, which lacked modern eCommerce features, to WooCommerce on WordPress. The primary concern was preserving search traffic, crucial for maintaining online visibility and sales, especially given the differences in URL structures between the old and new systems.
Our Approach
We developed a comprehensive approach to execute this in partnership with SushiWP, including:
- Manual URL Redirects: We manually mapped each old URL to a new one in WooCommerce, ensuring search engines and users could find the right pages.
- Handling Non-Matching URLs: For URLs without direct matches, we redirected to the most relevant page after analyzing content, maintaining user experience.
- Preparing Redirect Rules: We created and provided redirect rules to the web host for implementation, minimizing downtime.
- Real-Time Monitoring: Using our in-house solution, Workover Monitor, we monitored the site during and after migration to catch issues like broken links or redirect loops.
The End Result
The migration was successful, with no immediate negative impact on sales or traffic. Post-migration, the client saw significant growth in traffic & sales, and reported high satisfaction with the new WooCommerce system, which offered better user experience and content management.
