Replatforming to a new commerce system — Shopify, WooCommerce, or a headless setup — is often necessary as your store grows. But poorly planned migrations can interrupt organic traffic. The key is to preserve your site structure, content, and page meaning so search engines understand the transition.
Here is a clear, SMB-friendly guide to replatforming safely.
1. Map Your Existing URLs
Before making any changes, create a list of:
- •Current URLs
- •Page types (product, collection, blog, FAQ)
- •Their internal links
- •SEO metadata (title, meta description, schema)
This becomes your source of truth during migration.
2. Keep Your Catalog Structure the Same
If your categories change dramatically, search engines may lose context. During migration:
- •Keep the same category names
- •Maintain URL hierarchy if possible
- •Avoid renaming products unless necessary
Predictable structures support rankings during platform transitions.
3. Preserve Metadata and On-Page Information
Important elements to migrate:
- •Page titles
- •Meta descriptions
- •Product names
- •Image alt text
- •H1 and section headers
Even minor differences can influence search visibility.
4. Use 301 Redirects Thoughtfully
Redirects are crucial. They tell search engines: "This page moved — here's the new version."
Follow these principles:
- •Map each old page to a single, relevant new page
- •Avoid redirect chains
- •Do not redirect multiple pages to the same URL
- •Test all redirects before launch
Clear redirect mapping preserves authority.
Final Thought
Replatforming safely is not about technical tricks — it's about preserving meaning and structure. When URLs, metadata, content, and navigation stay consistent, your store can move to a new platform without sacrificing hard-earned search visibility.