A typical website migration project occurs when content, traffic, and/or authority from one or more domains need to be consolidated into a single domain. This usually involves redirecting URLs, merging content, aligning SEO and analytics systems under one unified site.
When businesses come together in the form of an acquisition or joint partnership, it’s not just teams that need to integrate.
Business tend to need their entire digital ecosystem updating and the website is often the first and arguably the most important place where acquisitions can go publicly wrong.
The development team at Tribus have seen many internal teams handle the legal and financial parts of an acquisition flawlessly only to stumble when it comes to merging their websites.
A website migration can strengthen your brand visibility and acquisition. Done poorly then it can hurt traffic and possibly confuse customers and damage credibility.
Common Reasons for a Website Migration
One of the most common reasons for undertaking a website migration is during a business acquisition. When one company acquires another there’s often a strategic need to consolidate both brands under a single, stronger domain.
In many cases we see the typical route of [brandA domain] merging into [brandB domain] to unify the brand experience and streamline SEO performance. This option normally follows when a business traditionally acquires another business. This horizontal acquisition tends to be the simplest way to execute a website acquisition project.
Some scenarios require a completely new domain to represent both businesses. For example migrating [brandA] and [brandB] into [NewDomainBrandAB]. This brand merger or transformational acquisition as some people call it makes the migration process become even more complex.
Not only are you now managing two existing websites, but you’re also introducing a third domain that must be fully integrated and brought under your ownership.
Executing this process correctly is crucial to preserving organic visibility, brand equity, and technical integrity.
Company Growth
As a company expands, it may outgrow its original website or might change the name of the business or domain. In many cases Tribus’ Development and UX teams have been given multiple micro sites or product-specific domains that have been created over time that need to be consolidated under one stronger more authoritative brand domain.
"Unifying fragmented websites under a coherent domain and URL taxonomy streamlines technical SEO. It improves sitewide crawl budget allocation and delivers a consistent user experience aligned with the brand."
Oliver Blackburn (Head of Digital Marketing)
Streamlining a Company’s Offering
When a business simplifies or refocuses its product or service portfolio then Tribus often sees conversations around domain strategy start to surface in boardroom discussions.
Following the successful launch of a new product, some organisations naturally shift their focus toward that offering which begins debates around the use of parent domain name versus product-specific domain name.
The development team at Tribus frequently worked with businesses choosing to consolidate their digital presence by transitioning from multiple domains to a single product focused domain structure. In these cases the [parent company domain] evolves into [product domain], with the brand repositioned as “Product Name by Parent Company Name.”
Why Website Migrations Matter
When a decision has been made to migrate a business’ website then customers, partners and even search engines need clarity. Who are you now? What do you offer? How do the multiple brands fit together?
A planned website migration helps you:
Unify your brand so visitors instantly understand your combined value.
Preserve SEO performance avoiding traffic loss or ranking drops.
Simplify customer journeys by executing a well thought through redirection strategy
Planning Your Migration
Before touching any code or content Tribus recommends steping back and decide what your new digital architecture should look like.
Some businesses go for a full merge which see them move everything under one main domain. Others take a phased approach, gradually migrating products or services.
There’s no one-size-fits-all it depends on your audience, existing brand equity and long-term vision.
Tribus would always recommend:
Considering a soft launch or partial redirect rollout to monitor impact before full deployment.
Always maintain backups and rollback procedures for DNS and hosting configurations.
Keep SEO, marketing, and comms teams aligned on timelines and messaging.
Migration Tips for SEO
The technical side of a website migration is crucial for protecting SEO performance. Here are key steps companies should take:
Make sure every old page points visitors (and SearchBots) to a new home.
Protect your search rankings by keeping your best-performing pages and keywords intact.
Update your tracking so you don’t lose valuable performance data.
Use the migration as a chance to improve speed, security and mobile experience.
Team Alignment during Mergers
A website migration involves more than just your web or IT team. Marketing, sales, customer service and leadership all have a role to play. Clear communication across teams and with your customers helps make the transition smooth and transparent.
Let your everyone know what’s changing, what’s staying the same and why this merger benefits them.
Don’t assume anything when it comes to migrating websites.
A Website Migration
Merging websites is more than a technical exercise. A website migration is a chance to reintroduce your brand, refine your message and re-engage your audience. If you do this right it then sets the foundation for long-term digital growth.
At Tribus Digital, we can help businesses navigate complex website migrations from UX design and development to SEO and analytics. If you’re planning a merger or acquisition, then Tribus can make sure your digital transition is seamless, strategic and search friendly.
