SEO Challenges When Migrating from Wix to Webflow — and How to Solve Them

If you’ve recently decided to move your website from Wix to Webflow, you’re probably excited about the design flexibility, faster performance, and better control over SEO that Webflow offers. It’s a solid choice for anyone looking to step up their website game.

But there’s something that often gets overlooked in the process — SEO doesn’t automatically transfer over. Even with a smooth migration, your search rankings can take a hit if you don’t tackle the right SEO issues from the start.

In a previous post, we walked you through the technical steps of how to migrate your site safely. Now, let’s go a step further. This follow-up post focuses specifically on the SEO challenges you might face after moving from Wix to Webflow — why they happen, how they can impact your site, and, most importantly, what you can do to fix them. Let’s break it down.

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Common SEO Problems When Migrating from Wix to Webflow

Website migration isn’t just about moving content from one platform to another — it directly affects how search engines crawl, index, and rank your site. Here are some of the most common SEO issues that can pop up during a Wix-to-Webflow migration and how to handle them.

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1. Broken URLs and Missing Redirects

The Problem:

Wix uses dynamic URLs by default, often including random characters or numbers (like www.yoursite.com/post-1234). Webflow, on the other hand, lets you create clean, customizable URLs. While this is a big SEO win in the long run, any old links — whether they were indexed by Google or shared on social media — can break during the migration, leading to 404 errors.

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How to Fix It:

• Set up 301 redirects in Webflow to point old URLs to their new versions.
• Use tools like Google Search Console or Screaming Frog to check for broken links.
• Create a custom 404 page in Webflow with helpful links or a search bar, so users don’t hit a dead end.

A good practice is to create a simple spreadsheet where you list all your old URLs alongside their new counterparts. This keeps the redirect process organized and ensures nothing falls through the cracks.


2. Loss of SEO Metadata

The Problem:

Metadata — like page titles, meta descriptions, and alt text for images — doesn’t always transfer cleanly from Wix to Webflow. This is especially true for dynamic content, like blog posts or product pages. If you don’t double-check, you might end up with blank or poorly optimized meta tags, hurting your site’s SEO performance.

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How to Fix It:

• Before migrating, export your metadata from Wix and keep a backup.
• Once in Webflow, reinsert the meta titles and descriptions for each page manually.
• For dynamic pages, use Webflow’s SEO settings to apply meta tags in bulk, pulling from your CMS fields.

Instead of just copying what you had in Wix, think about refreshing your metadata at this stage. Add more compelling language and long-tail keywords to boost your click-through rates.

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3. Sitemap and Indexing Delays

The Problem:

When you migrate to Webflow, search engines need time to re-crawl and re-index your site. If you don’t submit your new sitemap, some pages might take weeks or even months to show up in search results — especially if your internal linking structure changes.

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How to Fix It:

• Submit your Webflow sitemap to Google via Google Search Console (typically found at yoursite.com/sitemap.xml).
• Double-check your robots.txt file in Webflow to ensure it’s not blocking important pages from search engines.
• Use the URL Inspection Tool in Google Search Console to manually request indexing for key pages.

It’s also a good idea to review the sitemap Webflow generates. Sometimes unnecessary pages — like utility pages or drafts — can sneak in, so clean it up before submitting.

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4. Content Duplication

The Problem:

If both your Wix and Webflow sites are live during the transition period, Google might see two versions of your content. This can confuse search engines and dilute your rankings since the SEO value is split between both versions.

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How to Fix It:

• As soon as your Webflow site is live, unpublish your Wix site.
• Implement 301 redirects to consolidate SEO value, sending traffic from old pages to their new Webflow counterparts.
• Add canonical tags in Webflow to clearly show search engines which version of a page is the “official” one.

Don’t overlook blog posts — they’re often forgotten during migration but can be a major source of duplicate content if both versions exist simultaneously.

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5. Page Speed and Core Web Vitals

The Problem:

While Webflow is generally faster than Wix, your site’s performance can still suffer if the migration isn’t handled carefully. Unoptimized images, excess JavaScript, and messy page layouts can slow down your load times — and Google’s Core Web Vitals now play a direct role in search rankings.

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How to Fix It:

• Optimize images by using Webflow’s built-in compression tools and enabling lazy loading.
• Minimize the use of custom code, animations, or third-party scripts that can weigh down your site.
• Run your site through Google PageSpeed Insights to identify performance bottlenecks and follow the suggestions to fix them.

Even though Webflow hosting is fast, it’s still worth testing your site’s speed post-migration to catch any overlooked issues.

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SEO Wins After Migrating to Webflow

Despite the challenges, moving to Webflow gives you far more control over your site’s SEO. Once you’ve addressed the issues above, here are some ways to push your SEO even further:

1. Re-crawl and Re-index‍

• Use Google Search Console to request a site re-crawl and fix any errors in the coverage report.‍

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2. Long-Tail Keyword Optimization

• Focus on specific, intent-driven keywords like: “Webflow SEO migration tips”, “How to fix SEO after migrating from Wix”.
• These keywords target users actively searching for solutions, helping you rank faster.

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3. Internal Linking Strategy

• Strengthen internal linking by connecting related blog posts, landing pages, and service pages to build topical authority.
• Make sure key pages — like product or service pages — have plenty of internal links pointing to them.

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4. Track Your SEO Performance

• Use Google Analytics to monitor organic traffic and identify any ranking drops.
• Watch for pages that lose traffic after migration — these may need better redirects or updated content.

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SEO Pros and Cons of Migrating from Wix to Webflow

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Pros:

• Greater control over meta tags, alt text, and structured data
• Faster page load speeds
• Clean HTML and customizable URLs
• Advanced design and SEO flexibility

Cons:

• Manual SEO setup is required post-migration
• Risk of broken links or lost metadata
• Steeper learning curve for beginners
• Requires re-submitting sitemaps and re-indexing pages

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Final Thoughts

Migrating from Wix to Webflow is more than just a design upgrade — it’s a chance to refine your SEO strategy and boost your search rankings. However, it’s not without its risks. If you don’t address broken URLs, metadata loss, and indexing issues head-on, you could lose hard-earned traffic.

The good news? With careful planning and a solid post-migration SEO strategy, you can not only protect your rankings but also set yourself up for long-term success.

If you’re tackling an SEO migration, take it step by step. And if you’ve hit any snags along the way, feel free to share your experience — we’re here to help.