ASO
Transition Map
How to migrate from your current site to an ASO framework with minimal—often zero—ranking impact.
High-Level Transition Flow
We don't gamble with your rankings. We stage, validate, and only move when the new site proves it can beat the old one.
Core Principles
Every transition follows these non-negotiable guidelines
First, Do No Harm
Protect existing rankings before optimizing. Never sacrifice what's working.
Measure Twice, Optimize Once
Calculate VVS before and after every change. Data over instinct.
Stage, Don't Surge
Gradual rollout with monitoring beats big bang launches every time.
Reversibility is Mandatory
Every change must be reversible within 24 hours. No exceptions.
Which Scenario Are You?
Your starting point determines your transition path
Greenfield
No Website
Best case scenario—no legacy rankings to protect, full control over architecture.
Timeline
4-6 weeks
Complexity
Low
Risk
None
Recommended Tier
Tier 2+ (need full VVS)
Legacy Rebuild
Outdated Site
Highest risk—existing rankings to protect, outdated site, full rebuild required.
Timeline
8-12 weeks
Complexity
High
Risk
High
Recommended Tier
Tier 2+ (monitoring critical)
Modern CMS
WordPress/Webflow
Most common—functional site that's not VVS-optimized, can't do full rebuild.
Timeline
4-8 weeks
Complexity
Medium
Risk
Low
Recommended Tier
Tier 1-2 (depends on pages)
Custom/Enterprise
React/Next.js/Vue
Developer partnership required—custom tech stack, needs API-first approach.
Timeline
Ongoing
Complexity
High
Risk
Medium
Recommended Tier
Tier 3 (need API access)
E-commerce
Shopify/WooCommerce
Product-focused optimization with catalog management considerations.
Timeline
6-10 weeks
Complexity
Medium
Risk
Medium
Recommended Tier
Tier 2-3 (scale dependent)
Legacy Rebuild Process
The most complex transition—existing rankings to protect, outdated site, full rebuild required. Here's how we do it safely.
Comprehensive Audit
- Current state assessment
- VVS baseline calculation for all pages
- Preservation strategy per page
- Backlink profile analysis
Preservation Strategies:
PRESERVE_AS_ISWorking well, don't touch
PRESERVE_URL_OPTIMIZERanking despite low VVS
CONSOLIDATE_OR_301Not performing, merge or redirect
Parallel Site Build
- Staging environment (password protected, noindex)
- Content migration with VVS validation
- Never take old site down until validated
- VVS comparison: new must equal or exceed old
If new VVS < old VVS, iterate before proceeding
301 Mapping & Pre-Launch
- Every old URL must have a destination
- Redirect map creation and testing
- Pre-launch checklist completion
- Team briefing and rollback plan
Pre-Launch Checklist:
- All preservation targets have new URLs
- All 301 redirects tested and working
- New site VVS ≥ old site VVS
- Zero broken links
Launch (Critical Week)
- Choose Tuesday-Thursday, never Friday
- Hourly monitoring first 24 hours
- Submit new sitemap to GSC
- Request indexing for top pages
Launch Day = All hands on deck
Stabilization & Optimization
- Daily rank tracking (first 7 days)
- VVS recalculation (all preservation targets)
- Traffic analysis and comparison
- Ranking drop protocol if needed
Success Metrics (Week 12)
What a successful transition looks like
95%
of preservation targets maintain rank (±3 positions)
0%
of pages drop more than 10 positions
+5
average VVS improvement across all pages
90-110%
traffic within baseline range
Ready to Start Your Transition?
We'll assess your current situation and create a custom transition plan.