Drupal to WordPress Migration
OVERVIEW
led the end-to-end migration of three leading industry news platforms from Drupal to WordPress – modernising the user experience, protecting SEO performance and empowering editorial teams.
THE CHALLENGE
- Large volumes of legacy content (articles, media, taxonomies)
- Complex Drupal architecture with custom modules
- Risk of SEO ranking loss during migration
- Editorial inefficiencies within the existing CMS
- Need for improved site speed and mobile performance
- Zero tolerance for extended downtime due to active readership and advertisers
OBJECTIVES
- Successfully migrate the three platforms to WordPress
- Preserve and improve organic search performance
- Streamline editorial workflows and publishing processes
- Improve UX/UI and mobile responsiveness
- Reduce maintenance complexity and development costs
- Deliver a stable, scalable platform for future growth
RESPONSIBILITIES
- End-to-end project delivery
- Stakeholder alignment (editorial, commercial, technical teams)
- Agency selection and management
- Timeline, budget, and scope control
- Risk mitigation and quality assurance
- Go-live execution and post-launch optimisation
1. Discovery & Audit
Conducted a full audit of both platforms:
- Content structures, categories, and tagging systems
- Custom Drupal functionalities and dependencies
- SEO performance (rankings, backlinks, metadata)
- User roles and editorial workflows
This informed migration complexity and highlighted critical risk areas.
2. Strategy & Planning
Developed a structured migration roadmap:
- Defined content mapping (Drupal → WordPress equivalents)
- Designed SEO-safe URL and redirect strategy
- Identified opportunities to improve information architecture
- Planned hosting, performance, and security requirements
Clear KPIs were established around traffic retention, performance and usability.
3. Agency Selection
Led the RFP process:
- Evaluated agencies on CMS migration expertise and publishing experience
- Assessed technical capabilities, SEO understanding, and scalability
- Selected and onboarded a partner aligned with both strategic and technical needs
Established clear deliverables, timelines and communication cadence.
4. UX/UI & Front-End Improvements
- Introduced a more modern, mobile-first design approach
- Improved content discoverability and navigation
- Balanced editorial readability with commercial placements (ads, sponsored content)
5. Development & Build
- Oversaw WordPress environment setup and theme development
- Managed integration of key tools (analytics, ads, newsletters)
- Ensured scalable architecture for future enhancements
6. Content Migration
- Implemented automated migration for bulk content
- Manually handled complex or high-value editorial pieces
Ensured accurate mapping of:
- Articles
- Media assets
- Authors
- Categories and tags
Validation processes were implemented to maintain content integrity.
7. SEO Protection & Migration
- Developed and implemented full 301 redirect strategy
- Migrated metadata and preserved URL structures where possible
- Submitted updated sitemaps and ensured indexing continuity
This phase was critical in protecting organic traffic.
8. Testing & QA
- Conducted extensive functional and performance testing
- Ensured cross-device and cross-browser compatibility
- Facilitated UAT with internal stakeholders
- Managed bug tracking and resolution cycles
9. Go-Live Execution
- Coordinated final content sync and deployment
- Managed DNS updates and launch sequencing
- Ensured minimal downtime during transition
- Monitored site performance and traffic in real time
10. Post-Launch & Handover
- Addressed post-launch issues through rapid response cycles
- Monitored SEO performance and traffic trends
- Delivered CMS training to editorial teams
- Provided documentation and ensured smooth internal handover
KEY CHALLENGES & SOLUTIONS
- SEO Risk → Comprehensive redirect mapping and metadata migration
- Content Complexity → Hybrid automated + manual migration approach
- Downtime Risk → Structured go-live plan with rollback contingencies
- Change Management → Early stakeholder involvement and training
RESULTS & IMPACT
- Successful migration of both platforms with no major disruption
- Organic traffic preserved post-migration
- Improved page load speeds and mobile performance
- Enhanced editorial efficiency and publishing workflows
- Reduced reliance on complex, costly development resources
- Established a scalable digital foundation for future growth
KEY TAKEAWAY
This project demonstrated the ability to lead complex, multi-site digital transformations — balancing technical execution, stakeholder management, and business continuity — while delivering measurable improvements in performance, usability and scalability.