Landstede Groep
25+ websites in four weeks to a platform that actually grows with you
Landstede Groep manages more than 25 websites in a single multisite environment. The setup functioned well on its own, but the underlying technology was lagging behind and the supplier could no longer keep up with the pace and service level of the organisation. With an internal team that wants to be able to switch quickly and new projects on the horizon, that was not a sustainable foundation.
- Whitelabel for speed, custom design for larger sites, in one portal
- Releasing has become a routine action, not a risk moment.
- All sites on a current LTS version, with automatic security updates.
- Central management, but each editorial team maintains its own site
- One point of contact for technology, security, GDPR, and new projects
- Ongoing support from the marketing team for actions and campaigns
Rebuilding twenty-five sites was not an option
With a portfolio of this size, starting over is not only costly, it is also unfeasible. Each site has its own editorial team, its own target audience, and its own history. Replacing everything at once means putting everything on hold at once.
The multisite setup did not necessarily need to be overhauled. What did need to change was the foundation beneath it: an up-to-date Umbraco version, a predictable update path, and the ability to release quickly without every change becoming a risk.
Everything to Umbraco Cloud, in four weeks
We have migrated the entire environment to Umbraco Cloud and updated all sites to the latest LTS versions. The entire operation, including migration and upgrade, took four weeks.
This has primarily changed what is possible on a daily basis. New functionality can go live quickly, as releasing on Umbraco Cloud has become a routine task rather than a risky moment. Security updates are automatically applied. And no one needs to question whether everything is still safe and up-to-date.
Two types of websites, one portal
Not every website within an organisation like this needs the same things. Some sites need to be up quickly, with functionality that they share with the rest. Others are large enough to justify a unique design and specific requirements.
That’s why both types work alongside each other in the same portal. There is a whitelabel solution that enables a new website to be set up in a short time, with shared functionality that is maintained centrally. And there is room for fully custom-designed sites for the larger titles. The management, updates, and security are arranged the same for both.
This means that the choice between speed and customisation no longer needs to be made at the beginning of a project based on what is technically feasible, but rather on what the site requires.
What has happened since then
The migration was the beginning, not the endpoint. Since the transition, three new websites have been added, both whitelabel and custom-designed, and four existing sites have been revamped. None of these seven projects were standalone, as the foundation was already in place.
Additionally, we continuously support the marketing team: with campaigns and actions, with questions about content structure, and with the small improvements that arise each month. That's precisely the kind of work that remains undone on an outdated platform because it's not separate.
Webwonders is an extension of our team, not an external party.
Results
4 weeks
Duration of the complete migration and upgrade
25+
Websites in one environment, each individually manageable
0
Websites rebuilt to facilitate the transition
3 + 4
New websites and redesigns since the migration
Switching Service
Running more than one website?
Then this is exactly where a switch can yield the most benefit. Start with a Platform scan: within five working days, you'll know what can be done with your current environment, what will be retained, and what a switch might cost.
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