Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) is a top-notch content management system. There are a lot of good reasons to switch to this platform, especially for larger businesses and organizations. To do so, you must go through the content migration process. 

Content migration can be involved, even if you are using an automatic system like AEM’scontent transfer tool. You must identify all the content to be transferred, map the content between the two systems, perform the migration, and verify the transferred content. Most businesses and organizations will have the highest success working with a website design and development company, like Inclind, that can handle any technical issues that may arise. 

Inclind works with nonprofits, businesses, membership organizations, higher-education institutions, credit unions, utility companies, healthcare providers, and more to provide website development, design, and maintenance and support services. Whether you use Adobe Experience Manager or another platform, we can help you build, design, and maintain your website - including content migration to a new system. If you’re interested in learning more, reach out to us to speak with a member of our team. 

What Is AEM? 

Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) is a content management system (CMS) that can be used to build and maintain a website - even if you don’t know how to code. AEM is an enterprise-level CMS that offers a range of features, including digital asset management and a cloud service. While this CMS is more expensive than WordPress, it is truly an all-in-one solution. 

If you have an existing website, you likely have lots of content - from written text to photos to videos to graphics. When switching to a new content management system, you will likely need to transfer this content from the old platform to the new one. This process is known as content migration. 

With many CMS platforms, content migration can be tricky. Fortunately, AEM is a higher-level system with its own content transfer tool. You may also choose to transfer your content manually. Seamlessly transferring your content from one CMS to AEM for both options will take time and skill. An experienced website design and development team can help you with the process. 

How to Migrate Your Content to AEM 

If you are moving your website to Adobe Experience Manager, then you will need to follow the content migration process. AEM’s Content Transfer tool can be used to make the process more efficient in some scenarios. That being said, there are still several steps that you will need to take to migrate your content successfully to Adobe Experience Manager. 

Take Inventory Of Your Content 

First, you will need to evaluate your current content. During this phase, you will define the content on your current CMS and identify the various types of content you want to transfer. 

Audit Your Content 

Next, you must analyze the content for quantity and quality. This step is essential to filter out outdated content or things you simply don’t want to be used. For example, if you have a blog post that is ten years old and doesn’t contain current, correct information, that content could be scrapped. Once you have finished the evaluation, you can finalize the content to be migrated. 

Create A Content Map 

Second, you will need to create a content map. This involves mapping between AEM's old and new Java content repository (JCR) properties. Essentially, you will identify all of the attributes from the old CMS that need to be migrated and then match them with the attributes in AEM that need to be populated. 

Start The Migration 

Third, you will start the content migration process - after backing up your existing content. With AEM, you can choose either manual or automatic migration using the AEM Content Transfer tool. You may also choose a hybrid model, where you do some manual and some automatic migration. 

Manual migration is a better choice if you don’t have a lot of content to be transferred and a lot of the content needs to be “cleaned.” For example, manual migration might be the way to go if you have to fix many broken links. Similarly, manual migration may be your best bet if your current content isn’t compatible with AEM. 

On the other hand, automatic migration is a good option if you have lots of pages and content to be transferred and if that content doesn’t require a lot of fixing. It also works well if your current system has structured content. You can do a hybrid migration if you have a mix of structured and unstructured content, lots of pages, and don’t need much content cleaning. 

There are benefits and drawbacks to both manual and automatic transfer. An automatic tool can significantly reduce the time it takes to migrate content, which is especially helpful if you have hundreds or thousands of pages. However, there is no guarantee that the content will migrate correctly - and it isn’t the best option if you require customization. 

Both manual and automatic content migration to AEM will require some technical know-how. Even using the content transfer tool, you must understand the technical requirements, prepare the content for migration, and fix any coding issues. A seasoned website support and maintenance team can help you with the process. 

Verify Migration Success 

The final step in the process - whether you choose manual, automatic, or hybrid migration - is to perform a content verification. Essentially, you should ensure the content is in the right place, transferred correctly, and works with any new content. If there are any issues, you will have to fix them before your site goes live. This step may also be referred to as testing and validation. 

A migration is a massive undertaking. A plan is necessary to keep everything organized and running smoothly. If done correctly, you will be up and running on your new CMS with minimal issues. 

Migrate Your Content Seamlessly with Inclind 

Content migration to AEM from another platform can be time-consuming and complicated, even with specialized tools. The end result is often more than worth the effort, but it can be frustrating if you aren’t familiar with the process. Inclind can help. 

Inclind collaborates with businesses and nonprofits throughout the United States from our offices in Delaware to help them create and maintain gorgeous, functional websites. We offer a full suite of services, including website design and redesign, website migration, conversion optimization, custom integrations, accessibility audits, technical SEO, and support and maintenance. We will work with you to help you meet your organizational goals. 

Interested in learning more about the website migration process? Fill out our online contact form or hit the live chat button to talk to one of our experts about your website.