Website Migration

Last updated September 17, 2026

Navigating Your Website Migration to Recur: A Guide to SEO & Search Indexing

Welcome to Recur! Migrating your association management solution and website is an exciting milestone. However, if you have recently launched your new Recur website and noticed that search engines like Google aren't showing your updated pages right away, please don't be alarmed. This is a completely normal part of the web migration process.

Search engines do not update instantly. They require time to crawl, discover, evaluate, and index new content. This guide explains how search indexing works during a migration and outlines the proactive steps you can take to speed up the process and establish a strong online presence.

1. Understanding How Search Indexing Works

Search engines operate using three primary steps:

  1. Crawling: Automated bots ("spiders") follow links across the web to discover pages.

  2. Indexing: Search engines analyze the content, structure, and media on those pages and store them in a massive database.

  3. Ranking: When someone searches, the search engine evaluates indexed pages to display the most relevant results.

When you switch platforms (e.g., moving from WildApricot or WordPress to Recur), search engines need time to recognize that your site structure or web address has changed. Until Google re-crawls your old pages and discovers your new ones, old search results may temporarily linger or new pages may take a short period to appear.

2. Managing Migration Scenarios: Custom Domains vs. Vendor Subdomains

The path to indexing depends significantly on how your domain name is structured. Review the scenario below that applies to your organization:

Migration Type:

Custom Domain Migration

Example Setup:

yourassociation.org on WildApricot → yourassociation.org on Recur

Key SEO Challenge:

Preserving domain authority and updating page URL structures.

Primary Action Required:

Set up 301 (permanent) redirects from old URL paths to new Recur URL paths.

Migration Type:

Vendor Subdomain Migration

Example Setup:

yourassociation.wildapricot.org → yourassociation.getrecur.org

Key SEO Challenge:

The old subdomain platform lives on; search engines treat them as distinct websites.

Primary Action Required:

De-index or clean up the old vendor domain, set custom domain if possible, and build new authority.

3. Action Plan & Expectations by Migration Scenario

Scenario A: Customers with a Mapped Custom Domain

If your organization owns a custom domain (e.g., www.yourassociation.org) and pointed it to Recur, your core domain authority remains intact. Recur Sites includes an automated redirection management tool to seamlessly handle URL transitions.

What to Do Next:

  • Use Recur's Redirection Tool: Map your old page URLs to new Recur paths. The automated tool handles 301 redirects to ensure search engines transfer ranking power automatically.

  • Submit Sitemap via Google Search Console: Register your custom domain in GSC and submit your new XML sitemap to prompt immediate crawling.

  • Maintain Domain Ownership: Keep your domain registration active with your registrar so DNS settings remain intact.

What to Expect:

  • Minimal Downtime in Rankings: Search engines will process the automated redirects quickly, retaining most of your existing search authority.

  • Indexing Timeline: Recured pages typically index within 4 days to 2 weeks, with full search ranking stabilization occurring in 2 to 4 weeks.

Scenario B: Customers Using Previous Vendor Subdomains

If you transitioned from a vendor-assigned domain (e.g., yourname.wildapricot.org) to a Recur domain (e.g., yourname.getrecur.org), control over the legacy address is much lower because you do not own the root domain. Search engines treat these as completely separate websites.

What to Do Next:

  • Clean Up Old Platform Content: Unpublish public content or add a noindex meta tag on the old vendor site so search crawlers stop indexing outdated pages.

  • Post Forwarding Notice: Display a prominent message on the old site homepage linking visitors to your new Recur domain.

  • Update External Profiles: Manually update website URLs across social media, Google Business Profile, partner directories, and email signatures.

  • Consider Adopting a Custom Domain: Secure a dedicated domain (e.g., yourassociation.org) to build permanent long-term brand authority independent of any vendor platform.

What to Expect:

  • Building Authority from Scratch: Since direct 301 redirects across distinct root vendor domains are typically unavailable, search engines must index the new subdomain as a fresh site.

Longer Re-indexing Timeline: Expect initial crawling to take 1 to 3 weeks, with search results fully stabilizing over 4 to 8 weeks as external inbound links get updated.

Search engine crawlers discover new sites primarily by following links from established websites. Updating your web presence across the internet signals to Google that your Recur site is active:

  • Social Media Profiles: Update the website link in your Facebook, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and Instagram bios.

  • Google Business Profile: If applicable, update your organization's official website URL in Google Maps / Google Business Profile.

  • Partner & Directory Links: Reach out to affiliated organizations, community directories, or sponsors to update links pointing to your site.

  • Email Signatures & Newsletters: Update links in staff email footers and broadcast emails sent to members.

Step 3: Keep Content Fresh and Active

Search engines prioritize websites that regularly update their content. You can boost crawler activity by:

  • Publishing recent news announcements, upcoming event listings, or blog posts on your new Recur site.

  • Ensuring all key pages (About Us, Membership Benefits, Events, Contact) have rich, descriptive text and proper page titles.

  • Sharing new page links on social media channels to drive real user traffic, which alerts search engines to active visitor engagement.

4. What Timeline to Expect

Patience is key during a web migration. Here is a typical timeline for search engines to index a new site:

  • Initial Crawl & Indexing: Typically takes 4 days to 2 weeks after submitting your sitemap in Google Search Console.

  • Search Result Stabilization: Takes approximately 4 to 8 weeks for search rankings to fully adjust and replace old search listings with new Recur pages.

Rest assured that by following the recommended steps—submitting your sitemap, requesting indexing, updating external links, and clearing out old platform content—your new Recur site will establish strong, reliable visibility in search engine results.


Need assistance setting up your sitemap or domain configuration in Recur? Our support team is here to help you every step of the way!