1. Shopifucked: How to screw
up your e-commerce site
when re-platforming.
Andy Frobisher
Digitaloft
www.slideshare.net/AndrewFrobisher
@andy_frobisher

2. @andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO
WHO IS ANDY FROBISHER?
↪ Head of SEO at Digitaloft
↪ Worked in the industry for nearly 9 years
↪ I’ve worn many other hats in my time (as well
as a Boston Celtics cap), from Account
Manager, Project Manager, SEO Strategist,
and SEO Manager
↪ Started out working on site re-platforms as a
account manager & project manager
↪ Have been involved in close to 100 website
re-platforms
↪ Dad to April 2023’s BrightonSEO Baby

3. @andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO
WHAT WE’LL COVER
↪ Why businesses re-platform
↪ Why businesses fuck them up
↪ How we prevent them from going wrong

4. WHY DO BUSINESSES
RE-PLATFORM?
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

5. WHY DO BUSINESS REPLATFORM?
Businesses generally replatform because of one or more of these reasons…
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

6. WHY DO BUSINESS REPLATFORM?
Businesses generally replatform because of one or more of these reasons…
↪There’s a lack of marketing control
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

7. WHY DO BUSINESS REPLATFORM?
Businesses generally replatform because of one or more of these reasons…
↪There’s a lack of marketing control
↪Lack of functionality
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

8. WHY DO BUSINESS REPLATFORM?
Businesses generally replatform because of one or more of these reasons…
↪There’s a lack of marketing control
↪Lack of functionality
↪Outdated technology
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

9. WHY DO BUSINESS REPLATFORM?
Businesses generally replatform because of one or more of these reasons…
↪There’s a lack of marketing control
↪Lack of functionality
↪Outdated technology
↪Old/poor implementation
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

10. WHY DO BUSINESS REPLATFORM?
Businesses generally replatform because of one or more of these reasons…
↪There’s a lack of marketing control
↪Lack of functionality
↪Outdated technology
↪Old/poor implementation
↪Has outgrown the technology/software
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

11. WHY DO BUSINESS REPLATFORM?
Businesses generally replatform because of one or more of these reasons…
↪There’s a lack of marketing control
↪Lack of functionality
↪Outdated technology
↪Old/poor implementation
↪Has outgrown the technology/software
↪New management wants change
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

12. WHY DO BUSINESS REPLATFORM?
Businesses generally replatform because of one or more of these reasons…
↪There’s a lack of marketing control
↪Lack of functionality
↪Outdated technology
↪Old/poor implementation
↪Has outgrown the technology/software
↪New management wants change
↪Wants to re-brand
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

13. WHY BUSINESSES
FUCK THEM UP.
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

14. RE-PLATFORMS
WITH BAD E-COMMERCE
MY EXPERIENCE
REAL EXAMPLES
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

15. E-commerce business in the plumbing trade industry
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

16. @andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO
E-commerce business in the plumbing trade industry

17. @andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO
E-commerce business selling soft furnishings

18. @andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO
E-commerce business selling soft furnishings

19. @andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO
E-commerce business specialising in fragrances/perfume

20. @andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO
E-commerce business specialising in fragrances/perfume

21. @andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO
E-commerce business specialising in childrens toys

22. WHAT ARE THE MAIN THINGS ALL THESE
BUSINESSES HAVE IN COMMON?
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

23. ALMOST ALWAYS WHY THEY GO WRONG.
Almost always, there are similar reasons why re-platforming fucks up…
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

24. ALMOST ALWAYS WHY THEY GO WRONG.
Almost always, there are similar reasons why re-platforming fucks up…
↪URL changes
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

25. ALMOST ALWAYS WHY THEY GO WRONG.
Almost always, there are similar reasons why re-platforming fucks up…
↪URL changes
↪Content changes or missing content
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

26. ALMOST ALWAYS WHY THEY GO WRONG.
Almost always, there are similar reasons why re-platforming fucks up…
↪URL changes
↪Content changes or missing content
↪Removal of internal linking
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

27. ALMOST ALWAYS WHY THEY GO WRONG.
Almost always, there are similar reasons why re-platforming fucks up…
↪URL changes
↪Content changes or missing content
↪Removal of internal linking
↪Changes to site structure
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

28. ALMOST ALWAYS WHY THEY GO WRONG.
Almost always, there are similar reasons why re-platforming fucks up…
↪URL changes
↪Content changes or missing content
↪Removal of internal linking
↪Changes to site structure
↪Poor implementation of redirects
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

29. @andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

30. ↪ SEO is an afterthought
↪ SEO is brought in too late into the project
↪ Believes they don’t need SEO
↪ Ignores advice from their SEO
AN SEO’S WORST NIGHTMARE.
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

31. ↪ SEO is an afterthought
↪ SEO is brought in too late into the project
↪ Believes they don’t need SEO
↪ Ignores advice from their SEO
AN SEO’S WORST NIGHTMARE.
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

32. THAT’S NOT EVEN THE NUMBER 1
ISSUE!
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

33. @andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

34. The number one issue that I experience when
working with e-commerce businesses with site
replatorms is the lack of understanding within the
business itself as to why SEO need to be heavily
involved.
Business owners often do not understand the
negative impact a poorly managed site re-platform
can have on their organic visibility and revenue.
“
”
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

35. @andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO
Design
UX
Development
SEO

36. @andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO
Design
The higher your clients budget,
the more likely they are to
understand the importance of an
SEO focused replatform.
“
”

37. @andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO
Design
The higher your clients budget,
the more likely they are to
understand the importance of an
SEO focused replatform.
“
”

38. Generally speaking, the more money a client
invests in their SEO, the greater they will
understand and focus on ROI.
It’s this focus on ROI that drives e-commerce
businesses to treat SEO seriously during a website
replatform.
“
”
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

39. SO HOW DO WE PREVENT
THEM FROM GOING WRONG?
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

40. EVEN WITH ANY
BUDGET CLIENT, YOU
CAN FOLLOW THIS
ONE PIECE OF ADVICE
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

41. As SEO’s, we should own the project management
of all e-commerce website re-platforms and
migrations.
Businesses want to see an ROI from their
investment, so make sure an SEO is running the
project.
“
”
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

42. @andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO
E-commerce business in the vehicle insurance industry

43. WE TOOK OWNERSHIP
OF THE PROJECT
FROM START TO
FINISH
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

44. WHAT DID WE DO?
↪ Provided forecasting which included best and worst case scenarios
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

45. WHAT DID WE DO?
↪ Provided forecasting which included best and worst case scenarios
↪ Client understood the importance of ROI
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

46. WHAT DID WE DO?
↪ Provided forecasting which included best and worst case scenarios
↪ Client understood the importance of ROI
↪ Took ownership of the project management
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

47. WHAT DID WE DO?
↪ Provided forecasting which included best and worst case scenarios
↪ Client understood the importance of ROI
↪ Took ownership of the project management
↪ Built a robust project roadmap & SEO checklist
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

48. WHAT DID WE DO?
↪ Provided forecasting which included best and worst case scenarios
↪ Client understood the importance of ROI
↪ Took ownership of the project management
↪ Built a robust project roadmap & SEO checklist
↪ Ensured everyone knew their roles in the project & what they were responsible
for
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

49. WHAT DID WE DO?
↪ Provided forecasting which included best and worst case scenarios
↪ Client understood the importance of ROI
↪ Took ownership of the project management
↪ Built a robust project roadmap & SEO checklist
↪ Ensured everyone knew their roles in the project & what they were responsible
for
↪ Ensured that URL & content changes were kept to an absolute minimum
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

50. @andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

51. THE OUTCOME.
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO
Largest growth in organic sessions month on month (re-platform go live 10th Jan)

52. WRAP UP
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

53. WRAP UP.
↪ Don’t let SEO be an oversight
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

54. WRAP UP.
↪ Don’t let SEO be an oversight
↪ Invest in SEO when running an e-commerce website re-platform project
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

55. WRAP UP.
↪ Don’t let SEO be an oversight
↪ Invest in SEO when running an e-commerce website re-platform project
↪ SEO’s should think and act like a project manager
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

56. WRAP UP.
↪ Don’t let SEO be an oversight
↪ Invest in SEO when running an e-commerce website re-platform project
↪ SEO’s should think and act like a project manager
↪ Keep changes to a minimum
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

57. WRAP UP.
↪ Don’t let SEO be an oversight
↪ Invest in SEO when running an e-commerce website re-platform project
↪ SEO’s should think and act like a project manager
↪ Keep changes to a minimum
↪ Keep URL FilePath and FileNames the same
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

58. WRAP UP.
↪ Don’t let SEO be an oversight
↪ Invest in SEO when running an e-commerce website re-platform project
↪ SEO’s should think and act like a project manager
↪ Keep changes to a minimum
↪ Keep URL FilePath and FileNames the same
↪ Try and keep content the same
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

59. WRAP UP.
↪ Don’t let SEO be an oversight
↪ Invest in SEO when running an e-commerce website re-platform project
↪ SEO’s should think and act like a project manager
↪ Keep changes to a minimum
↪ Keep URL FilePath and FileNames the same
↪ Try and keep content the same
↪ Keep internal links the same
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

60. @andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

61. TOP TIPS.
↪ I don’t recommend re-designing or changing domain at the same time
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

62. TOP TIPS.
↪ I don’t recommend re-designing or changing domain at the same time
↪ Do one thing at a time (e.g. replatform then re-design)
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

63. TOP TIPS.
↪ I don’t recommend re-designing or changing domain at the same time
↪ Do one thing at a time (e.g. replatform then re-design)
↪ Crawl logs are your best friend. Make sure you have crawls for each key
milestone
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

64. TOP TIPS.
↪ I don’t recommend re-designing or changing domain at the same time
↪ Do one thing at a time (e.g. replatform then re-design)
↪ Crawl logs are your best friend. Make sure you have crawls for each key
milestone
↪ Educate the business and other partners on the importance of SEO as much as
possible
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

65. TOP TIPS.
↪ I don’t recommend re-designing or changing domain at the same time
↪ Do one thing at a time (e.g. replatform then re-design)
↪ Crawl logs are your best friend. Make sure you have crawls for each key
milestone
↪ Educate the business and other partners on the importance of SEO as much as
possible
↪ It’s not always going to be 100% perfect and that’s ok. It’s all about minimising
the known SEO risks.
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO

66. THANK YOU!
@andy_frobisher #BrightonSEO