Switching to a new website or content management system doesn’t have to be overwhelming. This section explains every step of the migration process—from planning and content transfers to staff training, testing, launch, and post-launch support—so you know exactly what to expect before making the move.
Move Your Newspaper Website Without Disrupting Your Publication
Changing website platforms can feel overwhelming, especially when your publication has years of articles, photos, users, archives, advertising, and subscriber information that must be protected.
At Surf New Media, we help newspapers move to a modern website and CMS while minimizing disruption to daily publishing operations.
Our team understands that a newspaper website is more than a collection of pages. It is a working archive, a publishing system, a revenue tool, and an important connection between your publication and the community it serves.
A Migration Plan Built Around Your Newspaper
Every newspaper website is different. Some publications need to move thousands of articles. Others need to preserve years of e-…
You’re Almost Ready!
Launching a new newspaper website is an exciting milestone.
After weeks of planning, designing, migrating content, and training your staff, it’s finally time to introduce your new digital home to your readers.
A successful launch isn’t just about flipping a switch.
It’s about making sure your staff is confident, your content is ready, and your readers enjoy a seamless transition.
This guide will walk you through every stage of launch day and beyond.
Four Weeks Before Launch
Now is the time to review the overall website and make sure everything reflects your newspaper.
Final Website Review
Review your homepage layout.
Confirm your branding and logo.
Check navigation menus.
Verify section names.
Review contact information.
Confirm business hours and staff…
Will My Website Go Offline?
Usually not.
Your new website is built on a private staging server while your existing website remains online.
Only after everything has been tested and approved do we make the switch.
This greatly reduces downtime.
What Happens to SEO?
Search engine visibility is one of the most common concerns during a migration.
We work to preserve your website's search presence by carefully planning the transition.
This may include maintaining URLs where practical, setting up redirects when needed, preserving important metadata, and reviewing indexing after launch to help search engines understand the new site structure.
While every migration is different and search rankings can naturally fluctuate for a period after launch, careful planning helps minimize…
View In Full Screen | Download Checklist
Will My Website Go Offline?
Usually not.
Your new website is built on a private staging server while your existing website remains online.
Only after everything has been tested and approved do we make the switch.
This greatly reduces downtime.
What Happens to SEO?
Search engine visibility is one of the most common concerns during a migration.
We work to preserve your website's search presence by carefully planning the transition.
This may include maintaining URLs where practical, setting up redirects when needed, preserving important metadata, and reviewing indexing after launch to help search engines understand the new site structure.
While every migration is different and search rankings can naturally fluctuate for a period after…
Everything You Need to Know Before Switching Your Newspaper Website
Switching Website Providers Doesn't Have to Be Stressful
For many newspaper publishers, the thought of changing websites can feel overwhelming.
Questions immediately come to mind:
Will we lose our articles?
What happens to our photos?
Will our website go offline?
What happens to our email?
Will Google still find our stories?
Will readers notice?
The good news is that website migrations have become a proven, well-planned process.
With careful preparation and experienced guidance, your transition can be smooth, organized, and virtually invisible to your readers.
At Surf New Media, we've developed a migration process designed specifically for community newspapers.
Why Newspapers Decide to Migrate
Every newspaper…
PLEASE NOTE: This resource article references moving emails to a Surf New Media server. This does not pertain to clients who choose to keep their current email hosting external of Surf New Media.
We'll help you determine the safest way to preserve your existing email before the old service is discontinued.
Email Migration
When newspapers move their website to Surf New Media, one of the first questions is almost always: "What happens to our email?"
The good news is that, in most cases, your email addresses stay exactly the same.
If your email address is:
publisher@yournewspaper.com
or
news@yournewspaper.com
or
editor@yournewspaper.com
those addresses typically remain unchanged.
The difference is simply where the email is hosted.
Instead of your previous provider handling your…
Understanding the Real Cost of a Modern Newspaper Website
One of the first questions publishers ask us is: “How much does a newspaper website cost?”
The honest answer is…
It depends.
Just as every newspaper is different, every website has different requirements.
A weekly newspaper with a small staff has different needs than a daily publication with digital subscriptions, multiple editors, newsletters, and thousands of archived stories.
The good news is that understanding what drives the cost of a newspaper website makes it much easier to compare providers and choose the right solution.
It’s More Than Just Building a Website
Many people think the cost of a website is simply the cost of designing a few pages.
For a community newspaper, your website is much more than that.
It’s…
Your New Website Is Closer Than You Think
One of the biggest concerns publishers have is, “How long will it take to launch our new website?”
The good news is that we’ve refined our migration process over many years. While every newspaper is unique, most websites can be launched in 4 to 8 weeks after we receive the content and begin the project.
Week 1: Discovery & Planning
We start by learning about your newspaper and current workflow.
Review your current website
Discuss your goals and priorities
Plan your site structure
Set up your hosting environment
Schedule the migration
Milestone: Project kickoff completed.
Week 2: Website Build & Migration
Our team begins building your new website and transferring content.
Articles and archives
Categories and sections
Photos…