Migrating to a new DXP? Don't let content derail your project

When organizations plan to move to a new digital experience platform (DXP), the focus is often on features, integrations, and future-ready architecture. But the reality is, it’s your content that can quietly derail the entire initiative. 

Content can make or break your digital experience. It is the basis for the entire customer journey from awareness to conversion. Yet, during a migration, it’s one of the most underestimated (and underplanned) parts of the process.  

When you plan to redesign a website, how much content should you migrate? Is there a faster way to upgrade hundreds or thousands of pages across multiple global sites? And how do you stay on schedule without sacrificing content quality or consistency? 

In this article, we’re going to share content migration tips for a successful Sitecore XM Cloud or Optimizely transition, utilizing tools like AI, and going beyond a simple “lift-and-shift."   

Today’s content migration realities 

Content migration is almost always the most time-consuming phase of a DXP project. But it doesn’t have to be the most painful. 

Modern platforms today support new opportunities to scale content efficiently and sustainably. They were designed for speed and flexibility, but only if your content strategy is aligned with the technology itself. 

Most organizations enter a platform migration with big goals: 

• Speed to market for publishing and personalization 
• Consistent brand and product messaging 
• Mobile-first content delivery 
• Better SEO, accessibility, and performance metrics 
• An improved digital experience that drives results 

But at the core, what they really want is to do more with less—publish faster, scale smarter, and reduce operational drag. That’s where a strategic content migration plan makes all the difference. 

How to approach a scalable content migration 

The key is to start high, then zoom in: 

1. Define a universal information architecture (IA) 
   A well-structured IA with flexible components and templates can support multiple brands and business units without reinventing the wheel for each one. This also lays the foundation for personalization and dynamic content delivery down the line. 
   
   
2. Prioritize what matters 
   You don’t need to migrate everything. Establish a process that helps you categorize what to migrate and what to retire, then focus on what needs consolidated and rewritten with the content that will be migrated. This step alone can save you weeks of effort when the time comes for content entry. 
   
   
3. Collaborate across brand teams 
   Your brand and marketing teams are closest to the content. Bring them in early to identify high-value content, ensure consistency, and flag opportunities for optimization. 
     
4. Build in optimization opportunities 
   Use the migration as a chance to improve (not just move) your content. Address gaps in SEO, accessibility, and mobile responsiveness while you’re already “under the hood.” AI can also speed up what’s often a manual, time-consuming process. Whether you’re using to analyze performance, identify ways to improve, or surface content recommendations, AI can serve as smarter way to audit and enhance as you migrate. 
   
   
5. Streamline asset production 
   Centralizing and standardizing asset workflows (through tools like Content Hub) can help you accelerate timelines and ensure visual consistency across your digital presence. 

Scaling content across regions and languages 

When you’re migrating multiple localized country-specific and regional versions of your site, you’ll need to consider what content looks like across the board. Does every site have the same amount of shared content? Or unique content? How do their audiences differ?  

It helps to get a clear picture of all sites involved from the beginning, rather than waiting to begin localizations until your primary site has migrated. 

Don’t forget: if you’ll be updating content in multiple languages, make sure you have a plan for translation if it is needed.  

Leveraging AI during the migration phase 

There are many ways you can leverage AI tools to help save time and resources when it comes to content migration. The possibilities really are endless.  

As one example, we’ve had great success using a few time-saving tools when it comes to optimizing various pieces of metadata that are important for meeting both SEO and accessibility standards.  

The most important thing to remember is that utilizing these tools doesn’t mean your work is completely done for you. In some cases, it actually creates a new task for you – one where you strategically plan how to get the tool to produce the outcome you need.  

And beyond that, you must always have a level of strict human review to ensure the results are accurate and meet your standard of quality. 

Overall, it’s a good idea to consider what areas of your migration process could benefit from AI support and start experimenting early and often. What works for one organization may not be possible for others, but there’s always an opportunity. 

The outcomes of a seamless content migration 

When done right, content migration can set the tone for long-term platform success, and the benefits are tangible: 

• Faster speed to market for campaigns, updates, and launches 
• Simplified publishing with intuitive content models and reusable components 
• Greater website flexibility without constant dev support
• Better content governance through digital asset management enhancements 

The brands that come out ahead are the ones that treat content migration not as another task, but as an opportunity to audit, improve, and transform. With the right plan, tools, and partnerships in place, you can modernize your content while unlocking the full potential of your new DXP. Connect with us to learn more.