A clear starting point
How should a campaign switch website platforms?
Inventory your content, domain, email and connected services first. Check that the new platform fits the work, recreate and review the website, then coordinate the public handoff. For PoliticalWin, plan a manual setup using templates and guided editors; do not assume your existing site or database will import automatically.
Decide what you want to improve
A move should solve a real operating problem. Perhaps routine edits depend on a webmaster, important pages are scattered or the team is maintaining more software than the public website needs. Write down that problem before comparing another design.
Then test the proposed workflow with a representative task: enter one issue, prepare one news update or lay out one event. The aim is to understand how the team will maintain its material after launch, not just how the homepage looks on the first day.
Make an inventory before rebuilding
List the public pages worth retaining and collect the original photos, documents and approved copy. Record important URLs, forms and external links. Separately list domain registration, email, contribution processing and any database or communication tools connected to the current site.
| What you have | What to prepare |
|---|---|
| Pages and updates | Current copy, page purpose, important addresses and a decision to retain, revise or retire each item. |
| Images and resources | Original files, permission to use them, captions and relevant descriptions. |
| Forms and stored responses | Required fields, response destination and a secure retention or export plan with the current provider. |
| Domain and email | Registrar and DNS access, renewal details, mailbox provider and responsible administrator. |
| Connected services | Donation, RSVP, analytics and other destinations that must continue to work. |
Check PoliticalWin against that inventory
PoliticalWin offers campaign templates, guided profile and section editing, issues, endorsements, events, news, FAQs, media, volunteer and contact forms, and a custom-domain workflow. Donation links direct visitors to the campaign’s existing external contribution page.
Use those capabilities to plan your public website. Keep a broader CRM, email marketing service or field platform where the campaign still needs it. An existing vendor comparison can help identify differences; it is not evidence that every function can move into one new account.
Recreate the important material and review it
Choose a template and enter the core profile first. Recreate the content in the sections that best fit its purpose. For example, a dated announcement belongs in news, while a continuing priority belongs on an issue page. You do not need to carry every stale page into the new navigation.
Review with real text and images. Check the office title, location, dates, contact details, forms, footer and external destinations. Confirm the language option your site requires before selecting a plan. Resolve any essential function that does not fit before committing to the handoff.
Connect the domain after the new site is ready
The campaign may keep its existing domain and registrar. Follow PoliticalWin’s current dashboard DNS instructions and coordinate with the administrator responsible for email and other domain services. Switching the website does not automatically move mailboxes or an old provider’s stored data.
If page addresses will change, ask the existing host or technical administrator about redirects and map important old links to relevant new destinations. Google’s site-move guidance recommends testing and monitoring these changes. Keep access to the old setup until the agreed checks are complete.
Use a decision gate, not a deadline guess
Proceed when the new website covers the essential public content, the team understands its editing workflow and the domain/email handoff has a named owner. If an essential integration, stored-data requirement or language need is unresolved, clarify it before changing the public address.
- Core content and image rights are available.
- Required features and outside services have a place in the new setup.
- Public pages, links and forms have been reviewed.
- Domain, mail and any redirect responsibilities are assigned.
- The current provider’s renewal, cancellation and data-retention terms are understood.
Questions before choosing a platform
Frequently asked questions
Will PoliticalWin automatically import my old website?
Plan to enter and recreate the approved material using PoliticalWin’s templates and guided editors. This guide does not describe an automatic website, database or media import service.
Can I keep the same domain?
A campaign-owned domain can be connected through the custom-domain workflow. Check registrar access, DNS and existing email before changing it.
Do I have to replace my donation platform?
No. You can use a campaign-approved link to your existing external contribution page. Verify the destination when reviewing the rebuilt site.
Should I cancel the old website first?
Understand the current contract and retention rules first. Keep the access needed to collect content, handle any redirects and complete the handoff checks before cancellation.
How long will a switch take?
Timing depends on content preparation, feature fit, access to the current setup, review and domain work. Use a readiness checklist rather than assuming an instant transfer.
Primary references
Sources and product details
Your next step
Prepare your next website before the handoff
Use your inventory to evaluate PoliticalWin, choose a template and recreate the approved content. Keep your current setup available while you confirm the new workflow and domain plan.