About Client
Our client runs a small lodge in North Carolina. It’s a quiet, relaxing place surrounded by nature, with spacious rooms, local food, and outdoor activities. A lot of travelers visit for a peaceful break.
But their website was old and hard to use. It was built on Drupal, didn’t support online bookings, and made updates difficult. They came to us to move everything to WordPress so the site would be easier to manage and give guests a better experience.
Task in Hand
We took a step-by-step approach to move the website over to WordPress, improve how everything works, and make the whole experience easier for both the lodge and their guests.
Approach
Once we knew what needed to change, we got to work. Here’s how we handled each part of the project:
1. Analyzing the Existing Website
We started by going through their old Drupal website to get a feel for how everything was set up. What pages mattered most? What features were frustrating? What did guests need but weren’t getting?
This helped us figure out what to keep, what to improve, and what to leave behind. The goal was to make the move to WordPress not just smooth, but actually better for their guests and easier for the team to manage.
2. Planning the Migration
Once we had a clear picture of the site, we put together a step-by-step plan to guide the migration. This included everything from moving over content to adding helpful features and giving the design a much-needed refresh.
Taking time to plan properly meant we could avoid surprises and make sure the transition was smooth without disrupting the client’s online presence.
3. Exporting Data from Drupal
Next, we focused on safely moving all the content from Drupal. That included room details, images, blog posts, and everything in between. We made sure nothing important was left behind.
Once the content was exported, we organized it carefully so it would fit naturally into the new WordPress site. This helped make the transition smooth and easy for the client.
4. Setting Up the WordPress Environment
We built the new site on WordPress, choosing a theme and plugins that matched the lodge’s needs. This included tools for content management, bookings, and design flexibility.
This setup ensured the new site was ready to handle all the functionality the client required while being easy for them to manage.
5. Importing Data to WordPress
Once the WordPress site was set up, we brought in all the content and double-checked everything. We made sure the room details, images, and blogs looked good and matched the new layout.
This step helped ensure everything was in place and ready for guests to explore on the new site.
6. Preserving SEO and URL Structure
To avoid losing traffic, we kept most of the URLs the same as the old site. When changes were needed, we added redirects so both visitors and Google could still reach the right pages.
This helped preserve their search rankings and kept the experience smooth for users.
7. Rebuilding Website Functionality
We rebuilt the helpful features from the old site like contact forms and also added new ones such as an online booking system. Now guests could check availability and book their stay without any hassle.
These updates made things simpler for the lodge team and more convenient for their guests.
8. Modernizing the Design
We gave the site a fresh new look that reflected the charm and peaceful vibe of the lodge. Big, beautiful photos, a clean layout, and simple navigation made the website feel more welcoming and easier to explore.
The goal was to bring out the lodge’s personality and help visitors quickly find what they were looking for.
9. Optimizing for Mobile Devices
We made sure the site worked smoothly across all devices. Guests can browse on their phone, tablet, or computer and the layout still looks great and works perfectly.
That way, they can explore the lodge and book their stay without any hassle.
10. Testing and Quality Assurance
Before going live, we tested everything top to bottom. We fixed broken links, cleaned up any bugs, and made sure the site loaded fast.
We also checked how it looked and worked on different devices and browsers so every visitor would have a smooth experience.
11. Launching the New Website
The new site went live smoothly with barely any downtime. Visitors could start exploring the updated features right away, and we stayed on top of things after launch to catch and fix any small hiccups quickly.
12. Post-Migration Support
After launch, we walked the lodge’s team through everything on their new WordPress site. We showed them how to update pages, manage bookings, and make changes easily.
We also continued offering support so they had someone to rely on whenever they needed help or had questions.
Results
A Modern Website
The lodge now has a fresh, user-friendly website that showcases their accommodations and makes it easy for visitors to explore and book online.
Simpler Booking Process
The new booking system made it quick and easy for guests to reserve their stays, leading to more bookings.
Better Mobile Experience
With a mobile-friendly design, visitors can now browse and book effortlessly on their phones or tablets, reaching a wider audience.
