Founder of Goodspeed
Migrating from Contentful to Framer can unlock new design possibilities, but if done incorrectly, it risks plummeting search rankings and cutting off organic traffic. Many sites experience 10–30% traffic loss in the first month after migration due to mismanaged URL structures and broken redirects.
However, with a structured migration plan, you can maintain SEO during Contentful to Framer migration and ensure a smooth transition without sacrificing visibility. This guide walks you through a step-by-step approach to protect your SEO, covering site audits, metadata transfers, redirects, and post-launch monitoring.
Whether you’re a marketer or an SEO specialist, following these SEO best practices for Framer will help you preserve your rankings—or even improve them—after migration.
1. Prep Work: SEO Audit & Data Gathering
Before making any structural changes, you need to benchmark your existing SEO performance. A comprehensive audit helps you track post-migration fluctuations and prevents critical metadata, URLs, and backlinks from being lost.
1.1 Benchmark Your Current Rankings & Traffic
To measure the impact of your migration, first document your current SEO standing. Use Google Search Console, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to export:
Your top-performing pages and their keyword rankings
Monthly organic traffic trends
A list of backlinks from external sites
This data will act as a reference point, allowing you to detect any ranking dips and take corrective action immediately. When Formula Bot migrated to Framer, Goodspeed’s structured approach to Framer migration SEO helped boost its Google search rankings from 6th to 2nd.
1.2 Collect On-Page Metadata & URLs
Search engines rely on metadata to understand page relevance. Before migration, extract and store:
Title tags and meta descriptions
H1 headings and subheadings
Alt text for images
Schema markup and structured data
The easiest way to compile this is by running a full crawl using Screaming Frog or exporting metadata directly from Contentful’s API. A meticulously organised spreadsheet will ensure nothing is left behind when setting up your Framer site.
Additionally, many businesses overlook on-page SEO for Framer when migrating. Even slight URL modifications without proper redirects can cause link equity loss, affecting rankings. 80% of unmanaged migrations fail within 30 days due to SEO errors, making this step non-negotiable.
2. Aligning Contentful URLs with Framer’s Structure
A well-structured URL hierarchy helps preserve search rankings after migration and prevents users from landing on broken pages. Where possible, maintain existing slugs and implement 301 redirects to avoid disrupting search visibility.
2.1 Mapping Your Site Architecture
Framer’s URL structure may differ from Contentful’s, so plan ahead to minimise unnecessary changes. Keep these best practices in mind:
Retain original URLs unless absolutely necessary
If modifications are needed, ensure each old URL redirects to its closest equivalent
Avoid dynamic, complex URLs—Framer prefers clean, readable structures
Need a more structured guide to migrate? Read our checklist for a successful website migration.
2.2 Building a Redirect Spreadsheet
Even minor URL discrepancies can cause 404 errors, hurting both user experience and SEO performance. To preserve search rankings after migration, build a structured redirect spreadsheet that includes:
Old URL → New URL
Redirect type (301 recommended)
Priority level (critical, moderate, low)
Properly setting up 301 redirects for platform migration via Framer’s hosting settings or configuring them through .htaccess/server rules ensures a seamless transition.
3. Preserving On-Page SEO Elements in Framer
Moving to a new platform means you must rebuild critical SEO elements to maintain visibility. Properly configuring metadata, images, and structured data in Framer ensures your pages remain search-engine friendly while following SEO best practices for Framer.
3.1 Meta Tags & Headers
Your title tags, meta descriptions, and headers influence how search engines understand and rank your pages. While Framer offers flexibility, you must manually replicate and optimise these elements:
Ensure title tags and meta descriptions match their original counterparts to prevent ranking drops.
H1 headings should clearly define the page topic but do not have to be identical to the title tag.
Use Framer’s CMS or site editor to insert metadata correctly.
One common mistake during migrations is overwriting or losing meta tags, which can impact rankings. Avoid this by ensuring every page retains well-structured metadata, following SEO best practices for Framer.
For further guidance on metadata best practices, refer to our guide on SEO best practices for Framer.
3.2 Transferring Image SEO
Image search traffic is often overlooked during migration, yet well-optimised images improve both SEO and accessibility. To maintain rankings in Google Images and enhance UX, follow these steps:
Retain original image file names whenever possible.
Ensure all images have descriptive alt text to improve accessibility and keyword relevance.
Optimise images for faster loading times, as 53% of users abandon sites that take longer than 3 seconds to load.
One effective approach is to use Framer’s built-in image compression to reduce file sizes without sacrificing quality. This not only speeds up load times but also enhances your Core Web Vitals, a key ranking factor.
If you want to know more about Framer optimisation, check out our guide on optimising Framer for speed and performance.
3.3 Structured Data & Schema Markup
Google relies on structured data to display rich search results like FAQs, reviews, and product snippets. If you had schema markup in Contentful, ensure it carries over to Framer:
Implement JSON-LD schema using Framer’s custom code blocks.
Validate structured data using Google’s Rich Results Test before launch.
Retain FAQ schema, product data, and breadcrumbs to avoid losing enhanced search features.
Implementing structured data correctly can lead to higher click-through rates and improved rankings.
4. Handling Backlinks & Link Equity
Backlinks remain a critical ranking factor, and a migration mishandled can result in losing valuable link authority. A well-planned approach ensures your existing backlinks continue to drive SEO value and help preserve search rankings after migration.
4.1 External Link Check
Your site likely has backlinks from blogs, partners, and media sources. If those links point to outdated URLs, they can lead to broken pages and loss of ranking authority. Before migration:
Use Ahrefs or Moz to extract a list of your highest-value backlinks.
Contact site owners for URL updates if major changes occur.
Ensure your redirect plan accounts for pages with backlinks to prevent 404 errors.
4.2 Internal Linking in Framer
Just as external backlinks matter, your internal linking structure plays a crucial role in SEO. When transitioning to Framer:
Recreate your site navigation, footer links, and cross-page links to mirror Contentful’s structure.
Ensure anchor text remains relevant and keyword-optimised to maintain search ranking signals.
Use Framer’s internal linking features to maintain a logical site hierarchy.
Well-structured internal linking helps distribute “link juice” throughout your domain, reinforcing important pages in search rankings. Without it, 75% of users never scroll past the first page of search results, making it harder to regain lost visibility after migration.
5. Launch Phase: Redirect Implementation & Testing
Your Framer site is now set up, but before going live, redirects must be properly configured and tested to prevent traffic loss. This phase ensures Google and users can seamlessly transition from your old Contentful URLs to the new Framer structure.
5.1 Setting Up 301 Redirects
A well-executed 301 redirect strategy ensures old URLs pass ranking authority to their new counterparts. To implement 301 redirects for platform migration:
Configure server-side 301 redirects via Framer’s hosting settings or .htaccess files.
Test each redirect using Google Search Console’s URL Inspection Tool.
Monitor redirect chains to avoid unnecessary hops that could slow down indexing.
Without proper redirects, businesses can suffer a traffic loss due to broken links. Implementing 301 redirects for platform migration correctly can mitigate these risks and ensure search engines can quickly recognise the new site structure.
Need more help? Check out the Ultimate Guide to Migrating Your Website to Framer.
5.2 Live Testing for 404s
After setting up redirects, extensive testing is essential to catch any missed pages or broken links:
Use Screaming Frog to scan for 404 errors post-launch.
Check Google Search Console’s Coverage Report to identify indexing issues.
Review redirect paths manually to ensure no incorrect mappings.
A seamless redirect plan will protect your rankings and user experience, preventing common migration pitfalls.
6. Post-Launch Monitoring & Adjustments
Even after a smooth migration, SEO is an ongoing process. Regular monitoring ensures your rankings remain stable and allows you to fix unexpected issues before they impact traffic. Following Contentful to Framer migration SEO best practices, you can mitigate ranking fluctuations and optimise your site's performance.
6.1 Watch Your Rankings & Traffic
The first few weeks after migration are critical for assessing performance. To track post-launch SEO health:
Monitor keyword rankings daily for the first week and then weekly for a month.
Use Google Analytics to compare organic traffic trends before and after migration.
Identify pages with significant traffic drops and investigate whether they have indexing or metadata issues.
While some fluctuations are normal, sudden ranking drops may indicate redirect errors, missing metadata, or broken internal links.
6.2 Re-Submit Sitemaps
Once your Framer site is live, submit an updated XML sitemap in Google Search Console to expedite indexing. Steps to follow:
Generate an XML sitemap in Framer.
Submit the sitemap URL to Google via Search Console → Sitemaps.
Monitor Google’s Indexing Status to ensure pages are being discovered correctly.
Google’s reindexing process typically takes a few days to a few weeks, but prompt submission helps speed up the transition.
By refining these areas, you can turn your migration into an SEO advantage, improving user retention and rankings over time.
7. FAQs on Contentful-to-Framer SEO
Will my rankings drop immediately after migration?
Minor fluctuations are expected, but a strong redirect strategy and metadata preservation should prevent significant losses.
How soon will Google re-index my Framer site?
It typically takes a few days to a few weeks, but submitting a sitemap speeds up the process.
Can I improve my SEO post-migration?
Yes! Framer’s optimised performance can boost page speed and Core Web Vitals, positively affecting rankings.
What are the biggest SEO risks during migration?
The most common issues include losing backlinks, incorrect redirects, and missing metadata. Careful auditing prevents these problems and helps preserve search rankings after migration.
Conclusion
Migrating from Contentful to Framer doesn’t have to mean sacrificing SEO. By auditing your current site, planning URL structures, implementing redirects, and continuously monitoring performance, you can preserve search rankings after migration and even enhance visibility.
A structured migration approach ensures that your rankings stay intact, your traffic remains stable, and your website delivers a superior experience. Ready to take the next step? Avoid SEO pitfalls—book a free consultation for Contentful to Framer migrations.
Written By
Harish Malhi
Founder of Goodspeed
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