How to migrate a website to Webflow without losing SEO

To ensure a smooth transition without losing SEO, follow this step-by-step guide.

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1. Pre-migration checklist: Get ready for a smooth transition‍

Before migrating, do a thorough SEO audit of your current website. This will help identify key areas that need to be preserved or improved in Webflow.

Back up your current site data

• ‍‍Use tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs Site Audit to crawl your site and export all URLs.
• Save metadata (titles, descriptions, alternative text, canonical tags) in a spreadsheet.
• Back up blog posts, images, and other media files.

Identify high-performing pages

• Review Google Analytics and Google Search Console to identify the pages with the most traffic, backlinks and conversions.
• Mark these pages as priority URLs to avoid losing rankings.

Review the site structure and internal links

• Document the structure of your URLs and internal links to maintain a similar hierarchy in Webflow.
• Make sure that high-value pages are still easily accessible.

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2. Webflow Setup: SEO-Friendly Migration Strategy

After preparing your site, it's time to set up Webflow properly to ensure a smooth transition.

Optimizes URL structures

• Keep the same URLs whenever possible to avoid broken links.
• If changes need to be made, configure 301 redirects (explained in the next section).

Improves site speed and performance

Webflow is inherently fast, but you can further optimize:

• Compress images using the WebP format.
• Enable deferred loading for images and videos.
• Minimize custom code that can slow down page loading.

Guarantees a mobile and responsive design

• Use Webflow's responsive design tools to create a smooth mobile experience.
• Check responsiveness with the Google Mobile Device Compatibility Test.

Optimize the SEO settings on the Webflow page

• Use SEO-friendly meta titles and descriptions.
• It uses structured data markup (Schema) to improve visibility in search results.
• Add alternative text to images to improve accessibility and positioning.

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3. Implementing 301 redirects: Maintain your SEO rankings

One of the most crucial steps in migrating a website is configuring 301 redirects to ensure a smooth transition for search engines and users.

How to set up 301 redirects in Webflow

1. Go to Webflow Site Settings → Go to the Publishing tab.
2. Locate the 301 Redirects section → Click “Add Redirection”.
3. Map old URLs to new URLs → Enter the old URL in the first field and the new Webflow URL in the second field.
4. Save and publish the changes.

Best Practices for Redirects

• Redirect ALL old URLs to their new equivalents.
• Keep the redirects 1:1 instead of redirecting everything to the home page.
• Use the Google Search Console URL Inspection Tool to verify that redirects are working properly.

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4. Post-Migration SEO: Testing and Optimization for Search Engines

Once your site is on Webflow, it's crucial to monitor its SEO performance and resolve any issues quickly.

Re-crawl and index your website

• Submit the new site map in Google Search Console.
• Use the URL Inspection Tool to request the indexing of key pages.

Repair broken links and monitor traffic

• Use Google Analytics and Ahrefs to check for 404 errors.
• If traffic decreases, identify if it's due to missing redirects, changes in metadata, or problems with page speed.

Improves technical SEO and performance

• Optimizes Core Web Vitals (Largest Contentful Paint, First Input Delay, Cumulative Layout Shift).
• It improves the structure of internal links to help Google understand the hierarchy of the site.
• Continue to build high-quality backlinks to regain lost authority.

You can find the best SEO practices on Webflow here.

Final Conclusions

Migrating your website to Webflow doesn't have to result in a loss of rankings or organic traffic. By following this structured approach—preparing, optimizing Webflow, configuring redirects, and monitoring post-migration—you can ensure a smooth, SEO-friendly transition.

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If you are thinking about migrating your website to Webflow contact us to get a tailor-made quote.