Migrate from Wix or Squarespace to Webflow Safely

Migrating from Wix or Squarespace to Webflow can be a game-changer for your website’s flexibility, performance, and design capabilities. However, without proper planning, you risk losing SEO rankings, traffic, and domain authority. This guide will walk you through a step-by-step process to migrate your website without compromising SEO.

Why Migrate to Webflow?

Before diving into the migration process, it's essential to understand why Webflow is a superior choice:

• Greater Design Flexibility – Webflow offers full control over design and layout without code limitations.
• SEO Advantages – Clean code, faster page speeds, and better metadata control.
• CMS Capabilities – More structured content management compared to Wix and Squarespace.
• Performance – Webflow sites tend to perform better in Google’s Core Web Vitals, improving user experience and rankings.

Pre-Migration Checklist

Migrating a website requires careful preparation. Follow these steps to ensure a smooth transition or check out detailed checklist here:

‍

1. Audit Your Current Website SEO

Before migrating, analyze your existing Wix or Squarespace website to document:

• High-performing pages (Google Analytics & Search Console)
• Keyword rankings (Use Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz)
• Backlinks (Check with Ahrefs or Majestic)
• URL structure
• Metadata (title tags, meta descriptions, alt text)

‍

2. Backup Your Content & Media

• Export blog posts, images, and page content manually.
• Download all images and media assets in the correct formats.
• Save existing URL structures for redirection mapping.

‍

3. Plan URL Structure & Redirects

Webflow’s URL structure may differ from Wix or Squarespace. Create a 301 redirect map to prevent broken links and loss of SEO equity.

• Example:
  • Wix URL: yourwebsite.com/about-us
  • Webflow URL: yourwebsite.com/about
  • Redirect: yourwebsite.com/about-us → yourwebsite.com/about

‍

Step-by-Step Wix/Squarespace to Webflow Migration

Step 1: Set Up Webflow and Choose a Template

1. Sign up for a Webflow account.
2. Choose a blank project or a Webflow template.
3. Customize site settings, including the primary domain.

‍

Step 2: Rebuild Site Structure & Content

1. Recreate Navigation – Match the structure of your Wix/Squarespace site.
2. Import Blog Content – Use Webflow CMS Collections for blogs.
3. Format Content Properly – Maintain heading structures (H1, H2, H3) and optimize images.
4. Optimize Metadata – Ensure all pages have custom title tags and meta descriptions.

‍

Step 3: Implement SEO Best Practices in Webflow

1. Ensure Clean URL Structures – Keep them simple and keyword-optimized.
2. Improve Page Speed – Compress images and minimize unnecessary scripts.
3. Use Schema Markup – Add structured data for better search visibility.
4. Optimize Internal Linking – Maintain proper anchor text usage and avoid broken links.

‍

Step 4: Set Up 301 Redirects

• Go to Webflow Project Settings > Hosting > 301 Redirects.
• Add old URLs and set them to point to new ones.
• Verify redirects using Screaming Frog or Google Search Console.

‍

Step 5: Connect Custom Domain & Launch

• In Webflow, go to Site Settings > Publishing.
• Add your custom domain and update DNS settings with your registrar.
• Publish your Webflow site and test for broken links.

‍

Step 6: Submit Your Site to Google Search Console

• Add your Webflow domain to Google Search Console.
• Submit a new XML sitemap.
• Request re-indexing to speed up the transition.

‍

Post-Migration SEO Checklist

Monitor & Optimize

1. Track Organic Traffic & Rankings – Use Google Analytics and Search Console.
2. Check for 404 Errors – Fix broken links using Webflow’s 301 redirect tool.
3. Optimize Performance – Monitor Core Web Vitals in Google PageSpeed Insights.
4. Update Backlinks – Contact website owners linking to your old Wix/Squarespace site and request updates to the Webflow URLs.

‍

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not setting up 301 redirects properly – This can result in ranking drops.
• Ignoring mobile responsiveness – Webflow requires manual mobile optimization.
• Forgetting to re-index your new website – Delays in indexing affect search visibility.

‍

Final Thoughts

Migrating from Wix or Squarespace to Webflow is an excellent move for better design, scalability, and SEO control. By following this structured approach, you can ensure that your website retains its rankings and continues to grow organically. Here are more articles if you want to learn more about Webflow vs Wix or Webflow vs Squarespace.

If you need professional assistance, contact our Webflow experts for a seamless migration experience!