Darwin Research Group

Why Timing Mattered

Darwin had attempted this migration with three agencies before. Each failed to execute on the same core requirement: modernize the platform without losing intellectual capital, search equity, or internal usability.

This wasn’t about a new look. It was about protecting years of research while building a system that could scale.

The Core Challenge

The legacy WordPress site couldn’t support the sophistication of Darwin’s content operation.

Key risks included:

• 400+ long-form articles with deep categorization and search value
• A large podcast archive central to brand authority
• Complex tagging, filtering, and indexation requirements
• Multiple internal contributors with zero tolerance for CMS friction
• No margin for SEO loss or broken content

This wasn’t a redesign. It was a content infrastructure rebuild.

Strategic Goals

From day one, the goals were structural—not cosmetic:

• Preserve and strengthen Darwin’s role as a trusted healthcare thought leader
• Translate years of content into a scalable, future-proof CMS
• Improve editorial workflows without retraining the entire team
• Maintain—and improve—search performance during migration
• Deliver a modern, executive-grade platform aligned with their credibility

The Solution

We led a phased, high-control migration from WordPress to Webflow, treating the site as a publishing system rather than a static website.

What We Built

• Full migration of 400+ articles, mapped into structured CMS fields
• Rebuilt category, tag, and filter logic for fast discovery and indexation
• Podcast CMS architecture supporting episodes, metadata, and distribution
• SEO-safe URL mapping and redirects to protect rankings
• Custom CMS templates optimized for long-form executive reading
• Performance optimization for speed, accessibility, and clarity

We also implemented integrations to reduce manual work and support ongoing operations.

Integrations & Technical Decisions

• Webflow: Core CMS, layout system, hosting
• WordPress: Legacy migration source
• Zapier: Form routing and automation logic
• DirectMail: Secure email handling for inbound inquiries connected via API
• Figma: Design system and layout planning

Every decision prioritized risk reduction, scalability, and long-term maintainability.

Team & Process

This project ran over multiple months and required close coordination with Darwin’s internal team. We led strategy, architecture, design, migration execution, QA, and post-launch refinement—acting as both builder and advisor.

Clear documentation, recorded walkthroughs, and structured QA ensured nothing broke and nothing was lost.

Webflow CMS Training & Long-Term Enablement

Beyond launch, we ensured Darwin’s team could confidently operate the platform without agency dependency.

We led hands-on Webflow CMS training tailored to their real workflows—not generic tutorials. The training covered:

• Publishing and updating long-form research
• Managing podcast episodes and metadata
• Applying categories and tags correctly
• Understanding how content flows across the site
• Best practices for search visibility and editorial consistency

The goal wasn’t dependency. It was ownership.

Outcomes & Impact

• A modern, high-performance Webflow platform built for thought leadership
• Zero content loss across hundreds of legacy articles
• Preserved—and strengthened—search visibility
• Improved clarity and credibility for senior healthcare audiences
• A CMS the internal team actually enjoys using

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