Founder of Goodspeed
Migrating from Drupal to Framer is an opportunity to modernise your website. However, without a structured approach, your search rankings, traffic, and SEO equity could take a serious hit. Many businesses see a 10–30% drop in traffic in the first month after migration due to URL changes, disrupted backlinks, and metadata updates. But the good news? A carefully executed transition can preserve and even enhance your SEO performance.
This guide will walk you through the SEO best practices for website migration, covering audits, redirects, on-page optimisation, and post-launch monitoring. With the right strategy, you can move to Framer seamlessly and without losing your hard-earned rankings.
1. Prep Work: SEO Audit & Data Gathering
Before you begin the migration, a thorough SEO audit is crucial. This ensures that you track key performance indicators and retain all essential SEO elements from your Drupal site.
1.1 Benchmark Your Current Rankings & Traffic
The first step in protecting your search visibility is to document where you currently stand. Use tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, and SEMrush to record:
Top-performing pages (those bringing in the most organic traffic).
High-ranking keywords that drive visibility.
Inbound backlinks that contribute to your site’s authority.
Benchmarking your performance before a Drupal to Framer SEO migration is crucial. Many businesses experience ranking fluctuations after migration, but with the right planning, you can mitigate risks. By benchmarking your current performance, you’ll quickly identify and address any dips post-migration.
1.2 Collect On-Page Metadata & URLs
Next, export all on-page SEO elements, including:
Title tags & meta descriptions
Image alt text & filenames
Schema markup & structured data
Using a tool like Screaming Frog, create a master spreadsheet of URLs and metadata. To stay organised, create a Drupal site migration checklist to track all critical SEO assets.
2. Aligning Drupal URLs with Framer’s Structure
URL structure is a key ranking factor. A well-mapped migration plan prevents broken links, lost authority, and unnecessary ranking drops.
2.1 Mapping Your Site Architecture
Your goal should be to retain as much of your existing URL structure as possible to avoid confusion for both search engines and users. Here’s how to approach it:
Keep existing slugs where feasible.
If URLs must change, plan 301 redirects ahead of time to prevent 404 errors.
By mapping your URLs carefully, you can preserve SEO when migrating to Framer while avoiding broken links and traffic loss. Many sites that fail to properly redirect pages experience a traffic drop, as search engines struggle to index the new structure efficiently.
2.2 Building a Redirect Spreadsheet
To streamline the redirection process, create a spreadsheet with:
Old Drupal URLs
New Framer URLs
Redirect type (301 for permanent changes)
A well-managed redirection strategy is essential, as 80% of unmanaged migrations end up rolling back within a month due to SEO failures.
The Formula Bot migration with Goodspeed demonstrates how precise URL mapping and redirection help not just retain but also boost organic traffic post-migration. Formula Bot increased their site speed by 75% and jumped from 6th to 2nd rank on Google search.
3. Preserving On-Page SEO Elements in Framer
After ensuring your URLs and redirects are correctly mapped, the next step is to preserve on-page SEO elements like meta tags, structured data, and image optimisation.
3.1 Meta Tags & Headers
Title tags, meta descriptions, and headers play a crucial role in maintaining search visibility after migration.
In Framer:
Manually replicate the title tags and meta descriptions from your Drupal site migration checklist into Framer’s CMS.
Ensure that H1 tags remain unique for each page and follow a clear hierarchy (H2, H3, etc.).
Avoid duplication, as 75% of users never scroll past the first page of search results, making strong metadata essential.
A poorly structured header system can impact readability and search rankings. 94% of first impressions of a website are design-related, reinforcing the importance of clear, well-organised content.
Learn more about how to ensure SEO best practices when using Framer templates.
3.2 Transferring Image SEO
Search engines rely on image alt text, filenames, and compression to rank visual content. To preserve SEO when migrating to Framer:
Keep image alt-text descriptions the same as on Drupal, ensuring accessibility and search visibility.
Use SEO-friendly filenames (e.g., framer-seo-guide.jpg instead of image123.jpg).
Optimise image sizes to avoid slow load times, as 53% of users abandon a mobile website that takes more than three seconds to load.
3.3 Structured Data
Structured data markup helps Google understand your content and display rich snippets in search results.
To set up redirects and structured data in Framer:
Identify schema types used on Drupal (e.g., FAQ, articles, products).
Implement JSON-LD for structured data within Framer’s custom code blocks.
Test schema implementation using Google’s Rich Results Tool.
A well-structured site improves search visibility and reduces traffic loss after migration. Many businesses experience a traffic dip if structured data is not properly reimplemented.
4. Handling Backlinks & Link Equity
Backlinks are a key ranking factor. Preserving link equity ensures your website maintains domain authority after migration.
4.1 External Link Check
Backlinks from high-authority sites help sustain rankings. Before launching your Framer site:
Use Ahrefs or Moz to identify valuable inbound links pointing to your Drupal pages.
Ensure each linked page exists on Framer or is properly redirected.
Reach out to partners, directories, and blogs to update backlinks if needed.
Learn more about Optimising Your Framer Template for Speed and Performance.
4.2 Internal Linking in Framer
Internal links distribute SEO value and improve site navigation. To maintain a strong linking structure:
Ensure header, footer, and sidebar links match your Drupal layout.
Maintain contextual internal links between related content.
Avoid orphan pages (pages with no internal links), as they weaken SEO impact.
A strong internal linking strategy helps retain link juice and user engagement.
5. Launch Phase: Redirect Implementation & Testing
With everything set up, it’s time to go live. Implementing and testing redirects ensures search engines and users find the correct pages post-migration.
5.1 Setting Up 301 Redirects
301 redirects are essential for maintaining search rankings and preventing traffic loss. A smooth migration requires well-planned redirects and structured data in Framer. Ensuring that old URLs properly redirect and that structured data is correctly implemented helps maintain search engine rankings. To set them up:
Use Framer’s built-in redirect settings (if available) or configure redirects via your server control panel (.htaccess rules or Nginx config).
Double-check that every old Drupal URL is mapped to a relevant Framer URL.
Avoid redirect chains (redirecting from Page A → Page B → Page C), as they slow down indexing.
5.2 Live Testing for 404s
Once redirects are in place, test for broken links and indexing issues:
Crawl your site using Google Search Console & Screaming Frog.
Identify 404 errors and fix any missing redirects.
Monitor Google’s indexing behaviour and submit a new sitemap.
6. Post-Launch Monitoring & Adjustments
The work isn’t over once your Framer site is live. Monitoring rankings, submitting sitemaps, and leveraging Framer’s strengths are key to long-term SEO success.
6.1 Watch Your Rankings & Traffic
The first few weeks after migration are critical for SEO performance. Many sites experience a temporary 10–30% traffic fluctuation as search engines re-index new pages. Monitoring performance after a Drupal to Framer SEO migration is critical to ensuring a smooth transition. Many sites experience temporary fluctuations, but proactive tracking helps mitigate long-term ranking drops. To stay ahead:
Monitor traffic and keyword rankings daily in Google Search Console, Ahrefs, or SEMrush for the first week, then weekly for a month.
Compare performance against your benchmark report from the audit phase.
Identify any ranking drops and investigate potential causes (e.g., missing redirects, lost metadata).
Read How Framer’s Built-In CMS Simplifies Content Management Post-Migration to make ongoing SEO management easier.
6.2 Re-submit Sitemaps
After migration, search engines must quickly crawl and reindex your Framer site. Submit your updated XML sitemap in Google Search Console to:
Help Google understand your new site structure.
Speed up the indexing of Framer pages, ensuring no critical pages are overlooked.
Detect any crawl errors or missing redirects early on.
6.3 Optimise for Framer’s Strengths
Framer’s modern architecture offers unique SEO advantages—leveraging these can enhance performance beyond what was possible on Drupal:
Lightning-fast load speeds: Pre-rendered pages in Framer cut load times by 40%, reducing bounce rates.
Better mobile UX: 83% of mobile users expect a seamless experience, making Framer’s responsive design a valuable asset.
Built-in GDPR-compliant analytics help fine-tune content and user engagement.
A well-optimised Framer site improves not only search rankings but also conversion rates and engagement metrics.
Explore Optimising Performance After Migrating Your Website to Framer for more in-depth speed and UX enhancements.
7. FAQs on Drupal-to-Framer SEO
Still have concerns about your migration? Here are answers to the most common questions.
Will my rankings drop immediately after the migration?
Minor fluctuations are expected, but a well-planned redirect strategy minimises impact. Most websites see a 4–12 week recovery period before rankings stabilise.
Do I need a developer to handle structured data on Framer?
Basic schema implementation can be done using Framer’s built-in tools, but advanced structured data may require developer expertise.
How soon will Google re-index my new Framer site?
Reindexing typically happens within a few days of submitting your sitemap, but some changes may take longer. Regular monitoring in Google Search Console is essential.
Can I improve site speed compared to Drupal?
Yes! With Framer’s pre-rendered pages and HTTP/3 integration, websites can see up to 30% lower latency and faster load times.
Conclusion
Migrating from Drupal to Framer doesn’t have to mean losing your hard-earned search rankings. With a structured approach—benchmarking SEO performance, implementing 301 redirects, preserving metadata, and optimising Framer’s unique strengths—your website can maintain and even improve its search visibility post-migration.
By proactively monitoring rankings, re-submitting sitemaps, and refining performance, you can minimise fluctuations and ensure long-term SEO success. Businesses that follow best practices recover faster, with many seeing enhanced load speeds, mobile responsiveness, and engagement metrics after making the switch.
With expert guidance and meticulous planning, you can preserve SEO when migrating to Framer and unlock a modern, high-performance website that continues to rank and convert. Avoid SEO pitfalls—book a free consultation for Drupal to Framer migrations.
Written By
Harish Malhi
Founder of Goodspeed
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