Real Estate Website Migration in 4 Months with Next JS

About Client

We worked on this project for a client who is one of the top property portals in Australia committed to buying off-the-plan, boasting over 10,000+ apartment and housing developments across the nation. They are on a mission to radically improve the quality of housing within the country. They provide Indepth market insights about the local real estate industry, guides on the neighbourhood and engage in community forums.

Client Goals & Objectives

The real estate client approached Swivel with specific requirements aimed at enhancing their website's functionality and user experience. The primary focus of the project was twofold: the implementation of a new V2 login feature and the migration of their website from Drupal 7 to Drupal 9.

1. Website Migration from Drupal 7 to Drupal 9: With the evolution of technology and web development standards, the client recognised the importance of migrating their website to a more advanced and robust platform. The migration from Drupal 7 to Drupal 9 was driven by the need for improved performance, security, and scalability. By upgrading to Drupal 9, the client sought to leverage the latest features and enhancements offered by the platform, ensuring a future-proof website that could adapt to evolving business needs and technological advancements.

2. V2 Login Feature Implementation: The client expressed a need for a modernised login system to improve user access and engagement on their website. The V2 login feature was envisioned to provide users with a seamless and intuitive login experience, facilitating easier access to personalised content and services. By incorporating this feature, the client aimed to enhance user convenience and satisfaction, thereby fostering stronger user engagement and loyalty.

3. User Experience Enhancement: Central to the client's requirements was the desire to enhance the overall user experience (UX) of their website. Beyond the specific implementation of the V2 login feature and migration to Drupal 9, the client emphasised the importance of delivering a seamless and engaging UX across all aspects of their website. This included optimising website performance, streamlining navigation, and ensuring compatibility with various devices and browsers. The overarching goal was to create a user-friendly and visually appealing website that would leave a positive impression on visitors and encourage continued interaction and exploration.

4. Scalability and Future Growth: In addition to immediate improvements, the client sought a solution that would support their long-term growth and scalability objectives. By migrating to Drupal 9, the client aimed to future-proof their website and ensure compatibility with upcoming updates and innovations within the Drupal ecosystem. The V2 login feature was designed with scalability in mind, allowing for potential expansion and integration of additional features and functionalities as the client's business evolves.

Solution Implementation

To strategically implement the solution, the Swivel Tech team enabled maintenance mode for the mobile app and website, terminated the old backend system post-new API deployment, and added a force update feature to prompt user updates. These measures ensured a smooth migration process with minimal disruptions and helped the Swivel tech team execute the following solutions effectively.

1. Drupal 7 to Drupal 9 Migration:

- The migration from Drupal 7 to Drupal 9 involved a comprehensive process to ensure a seamless transition of the website's data, content, and functionality. This included assessing the existing Drupal 7 site structure, modules, and customisations to identify any compatibility issues or dependencies.

- The team meticulously planned the migration process, including data migration strategies, module upgrades, and custom code adjustments to align with Drupal 9 standards and best practices.

- Extensive testing was conducted throughout the migration process to validate data integrity, functionality, and performance, ensuring a successful transition to the new Drupal 9 platform.

2. Conversion from React JS to Next JS for SEO Support:

- Recognising the importance of SEO optimisation for improved website visibility and ranking, the decision was made to transition from React JS to Next JS for front-end development.

- Next JS offers built-in features and optimisations that support SEO best practices, including server-side rendering (SSR) and static site generation (SSG), which enhance website performance and indexing by search engines.

- The conversion to Next JS involved refactoring existing React JS components and codebase to leverage Next JS functionalities effectively, ensuring compatibility with SEO requirements and standards.

- By adopting Next JS, the website's SEO performance was enhanced, resulting in improved search engine rankings and visibility, ultimately driving more organic traffic and engagement.

3. Upgrade of React Native Version to Support New Libraries like Algolia:

- With the goal of enhancing the mobile app's functionality and user experience, the decision was made to upgrade the React Native version to support new libraries such as Algolia for advanced search capabilities.

- The upgrade involved updating the React Native framework to the latest version, ensuring compatibility with Algolia and other required libraries and dependencies.

- The team conducted thorough testing and validation to ensure the upgraded React Native version-maintained app stability, performance, and compatibility with existing features and functionalities.

- By upgrading to the latest React Native version and integrating new libraries like Algolia, the mobile app's search functionality was significantly improved, providing users with a more efficient and seamless search experience, ultimately enhancing overall user satisfaction and engagement.

Results and Outcomes

Working on this project allowed the client to actualise a more modernised version of their application. As such, the team at Swivel tech garnered positive feedback on the work conducted for this project. The client was also able to garner a noticeable number of positive results and outcomes:

- Increased Google Index Due to SEO: The implementation of SEO strategies led to a notable increase in Google index visibility. This improvement contributed to higher search engine rankings, resulting in enhanced online visibility and organic traffic for the website.

- Performance Enhancement: The performance of the website and mobile app experienced a significant upgrade, as indicated by the transition from a C grade to an A grade in performance metrics. This improvement was measured using GTmetrix, showcasing faster loading times, improved responsiveness, and overall better user experience.

- Enhanced Google Analytics: Google Analytics data reflected improvements in various key metrics, indicating enhanced user engagement, increased website traffic, and improved conversion rates. These insights provided valuable information for further optimising the website and app to better meet user needs and preferences.

- Enhanced User Experience: The overall user experience was enhanced across both the website and mobile app. This was achieved through improved performance, streamlined navigation, and the implementation of user-friendly features and functionalities. These enhancements contributed to higher user satisfaction and increased retention rates.

- Increased Weekly Downloads: Following the implementation of the force update feature and other improvements, the weekly downloads of the mobile app witnessed a noticeable increase in both the Play Store and App Store. This uptick in downloads signified improved user adoption and satisfaction, further validating the success of the solution implementation.