Common Pitfalls to Avoid When Migrating to Umbraco

Migrating to a new CMS is like moving into a new house. It’s exciting, filled with possibilities, and maybe just a little stressful. Moving everything over smoothly—and making it feel like home—takes planning, patience, and a few tricks up your sleeve. If you’re an Umbraco developer or a .NET developer, chances are you’ve been involved in an Umbraco migration (or are about to be). It’s a challenge worth taking, but it’s easy to trip over some common pitfalls along the way.

This guide will explore some of the most frequent mistakes developers and CMS users encounter when migrating to Umbraco. By the end, you’ll walk away with a clear roadmap, ready to tackle your migration with confidence.

Why Migrate to Umbraco?

Before diving into the pitfalls, let’s touch on why people make the switch to Umbraco. As an open-source CMS built on the flexible .NET framework, Umbraco offers unmatched customization, user-friendly interfaces, and a thriving developer community. Whether you’re upgrading from another CMS or moving from an older Umbraco version, the benefits are clear—more scalability, powerful integrations, and a CMS that plays well with your existing tech stack.

But here’s the catch: The path to these benefits isn’t always smooth. Developers who charge in without a plan often find themselves overwhelmed and wishing they could “Ctrl+Z” their entire strategy.

Pitfall 1: Diving in Without a Clear Plan

Like baking a cake without a recipe, starting an Umbraco migration without a plan is a recipe for disappointment. A common mistake is underestimating the scale of the migration—or worse, not defining clear goals upfront.

Avoid this trap by doing the following before you start:

Identify the scope of your migration. Will you migrate content, users, or functionality?
Map out your current CMS structure and the corresponding features in Umbraco.
Communicate with stakeholders. What are their expectations, and how will success be measured?

Having a comprehensive plan sets the tone for a smoother migration—and fewer sleepless nights.

Pitfall 2: Underestimating Content Complexity

If you think, “We’ll just copy the content over,” stop right there. Content structures differ significantly between CMS platforms. You might encounter challenges with formatting, hyperlinks, media files, or embedded applications during the migration.

Tips to avoid content headaches:

Audit your content first: Identify outdated content or duplicate pages that don’t need to come along for the ride.
Normalize the structure: Make sure content types from your old CMS map logically to content templates in Umbraco.
Plan a test migration: Migrate a small subset of content to detect formatting errors or broken links early.

Pro tip? Keep a checklist of every content type and its new location in Umbraco to stay ahead of potential confusion.

Pitfall 3: Forgetting About SEO and Redirects

Nothing stings like finding out your SEO ranking tanked after migration. Neglecting URL structures, redirects, and meta data during an Umbraco migration is a surefire way to create broken links and frustrated users.

Here’s how to protect your SEO:

Create a spreadsheet of all existing URLs and their corresponding new URLs.
Set up 301 redirects to ensure old links forward to the right pages.
Don’t forget meta titles, descriptions, and alt tags—they should migrate, too!

While SEO might seem like a detail to handle later, you’ll thank yourself for addressing it now.

Pitfall 4: Not Leveraging Umbraco’s Built-in Features

Umbraco is beloved for its flexibility, but many developers underestimate the power of its built-in tools during their first migration. Don’t waste time over-engineering solutions if Umbraco already has what you need.

Key features you should explore:

Grid Editor: A powerful content editing tool that makes flexible page layouts simple.
Umbraco Forms: If you have custom forms in your current CMS, consider whether Umbraco Forms can meet your needs.
Media Library: Umbraco’s Media Library is a lifesaver for organizing images, videos, and files.

Take the time to familiarize yourself with these tools—you might save yourself hours of custom development.

Pitfall 5: Neglecting Testing (and Overlooking Edge Cases)

You’ve done all the heavy lifting—surely it’s smooth sailing from here, right? Not so fast. One of the most common mistakes developers make is assuming the migration will work perfectly on launch day without thorough testing.

What to test before going live:

Content layout: Do pages render as expected in different browsers or on mobile devices?
Functionality: Are interactive elements like forms, buttons, or filters working correctly?
Broken links: Run link-checking scripts to flag any issues.
User experience: Enlist a few testers (or your team) to click through and provide feedback.

Create a step-by-step checklist for your testing phase. Testing might feel tedious, but trust me—catching bugs now will save you major headaches later.

Pitfall 6: Rushing the Rollout

Excitement often leads to rushing, but skipping a phased rollout can create unnecessary chaos—especially for complex websites.

Always plan for staggered implementation:

Roll out the new Umbraco site to a small audience or department first.
Gather feedback and identify any bugs or issues.
Gradually expand the rollout to larger groups until it’s fully live.

This approach not only eases technical challenges but also allows end users to transition smoothly.

Final Tips for a Stress-free Umbraco Migration

Migrating to Umbraco doesn’t need to feel daunting—so long as you avoid these common pitfalls and approach the process thoughtfully. To recap, here are the key takeaways to keep in mind:

Plan, audit, and test thoroughly at every stage.
Pay special attention to content mapping and URL redirects.
Explore Umbraco’s built-in tools before custom coding.
Treat SEO as a priority, not an afterthought.
Run rigorous testing and take a phased rollout approach.

Keeping these tips in mind will set you up for a successful migration—and a future of happy users, stable systems, and fewer migraines (yes, pun intended).

Whether you’re an Umbraco developer navigating your first migration or a seasoned .NET expert, remember you’re not alone. The Umbraco community is a fantastic resource when challenges arise, so don’t hesitate to reach out.

Need More Support?

If you’re gearing up for an Umbraco migration and feel overwhelmed, consider reaching out to seasoned professionals for guidance. It’s always better to get it right the first time.

Author Profile

Adam Regan: Deputy Editor

Features and account management. 3 years media experience. Previously covered features for online and print editions.

Email Adam@MarkMeets.com