Case Study
KAIA Site Migration
40+ page WordPress to Next.js migration with Vercel CI/CD, Storyblok CMS, SEO preservation, and GSAP motion.
Problem
KAIA's WordPress site had grown to 40+ pages with complex content relationships, SEO equity, and motion-heavy pages. The team needed modern performance, developer workflow, and CMS flexibility without losing search rankings or breaking content ops.
Context
KAIA is an Emmy-winning visualization agency serving NASA, DARPA, MIT, Disney, Nike, and FAA. The migration had to preserve brand quality while upgrading the technical foundation.
Constraints
- Zero SEO regression on migration
- Storyblok CMS for content team autonomy
- GSAP animations and 3D elements on select pages
- Vercel CI/CD for deployment pipeline
Goals
- Migrate 40+ pages to Next.js without URL or ranking loss
- Establish modern CI/CD on Vercel
- Enable content team to manage pages via Storyblok
- Preserve and enhance motion design where it serves the brand
Approach
Workflow-First: mapped content types, URL structure, and editorial workflow before writing migration scripts. SEO preservation was a first-class requirement, not an afterthought.
Architecture
- Next.js App Router frontend
- Storyblok headless CMS
- Vercel hosting with CI/CD pipeline
- GSAP for Tier 2 motion on Solutions-style pages
- 3D elements on designated high-interaction pages only
Workflow
Content audit → URL mapping → component library → page migration → SEO validation → CMS handoff → CI/CD automation
Tools
Next.js, Vercel, Storyblok, GSAP, WordPress (source)
Key decisions
- Headless CMS over embedded WordPress to decouple content from presentation
- Phased migration by content cluster, not big-bang cutover
- 90/10 motion rule: most pages static/fast, select pages get GSAP/3D
Results
- [TBD] Page load performance improvement
- [TBD] Core Web Vitals scores post-migration
- 40+ pages migrated
- SEO preserved across migration
- Vercel CI/CD pipeline operational
Lessons
Migrations fail when teams treat them as code projects instead of workflow projects. SEO, CMS ops, and motion design must be architected together.
Framework
Workflow-First — map editorial and deployment workflows before choosing the stack.
Next steps
Agency ICP page will use this case study as primary proof for technical migration and modernization engagements.