Client Background:
Our client, formerly recognized for their Indian stock market game app, aimed to transition into a global player. The platform offered an immersive experience for introducing individuals to financial markets. This fantasy crypto & stock market game facilitated real-time trading competitions, providing a platform for beginner traders to showcase their skills and earn real cash prizes.
Objective:
The client planned a strategic shift from an Indian market focus to a global audience. To achieve this, a crucial step was migrating the website from a country code top-level domain (ccTLD) to a .app top-level domain. This initiative served dual purposes – supporting business expansion and rebranding efforts. Simultaneously, the client aimed to enhance user experience by launching progressive web apps for desktops and mobiles.
Challenges:
The transition presented challenges regarding effective communication with the development team and potential traffic and ranking drops during the migration. To address these, meticulous planning and execution were imperative.
Execution:
Ensured streamlined communication
We categorized domain migration activities for both SEO and developmental teams. By categorizing these activities, we ensured a seamless and coordinated effort that resulted in a successful migration.
Recognizing potential traffic and ranking drops
We closely monitored the potential traffic and ranking drops for targeted keywords in SEO. The implementation of 301 redirects, conducting backlink audits, and faster indexing have significantly aided in achieving the desired outcomes.
Reviewed the new website UI, content, and structure, defining the URL structure to avoid indexation errors.
Our review process and recommendations improved the website’s UI, resulting in better user engagement, faster loading speeds, and a refined user experience. Then, the website structure was modified to include game pages and support for multiple platforms, and the SEO-friendly URL structure was defined properly by keeping it short, simple, and readable.
Strategic use of self-referencing and unique canonicals
We removed the self-referencing canonicals from the old domain and added self-referencing canonicals to the new domain. We have identified the specific pages on the old domain that require redirection. We then mapped them properly with the new URLs in a Google Sheet and shared the redirection instructions with the team. This made the redirection process quick and easy.
Utilized “Change of Address” Tool in Google Search Console
We utilized the change of address tool to expedite the migration of Google Search results, replacing old URLs with new ones.
The migration, initiated in August, was completed successfully by mid-September, ensuring a smooth transition period.
Results:
The transition yielded positive outcomes:
1. Global Reach: The shift from an Indian market focus to a global audience was successfully achieved.
2. Traffic and Ranking Stability: Potential drops in traffic and rankings were mitigated, ensuring a seamless transition. Even after the migration, the number of clicks increased by 16%.
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3. Enhanced User Experience: Progressive web apps for desktops and mobiles were launched, contributing to an improved overall user experience.
4. Backlink Equity Preservation: Meticulous mapping and 301 redirects maintained backlink equity, ensuring a smooth transition for visitors.
5. Timely Iteration and Monitoring: Timely iterations and close monitoring of website traffic throughout the migration process addressed any issues promptly.
6. Comprehensive Technical Error Checks: Post-migration technical error checks identified and resolved issues affecting user experience or search engine rankings.
Conclusion:
This case study showcases the successful execution of a strategic domain migration, enabling our client to transition seamlessly into a global market. By addressing challenges proactively and implementing a well-defined migration plan, the brand retained its traffic and rankings and improved the overall user experience for a global audience.
