Migrating 5 DesertNet CMS Websites to WordPress VIP Multisite
Executive Summary
Voice Media Group (VMG), a leading media and technology company, faced a critical deadline to migrate its digital ecosystem from a legacy CMS scheduled for discontinuation. The migration involved five major news websites and five subdomains, all requiring uninterrupted performance and SEO preservation.
Multidots migrated all 10 properties to a WordPress VIP Multisite architecture within 10 weeks, delivering a scalable platform, streamlined editorial workflows, and improved performance while preserving SEO authority.
Properties Migrated
Content Migrated
Page Performance Improvement
About: Voice Media Group
Voice Media Group is a diversified media and technology company serving millions of readers across the United States. The company operates well-known publications including Denver Westword, Phoenix New Times, Miami New Times, Broward New Times, and Dallas Observer.
VMG combines journalism with digital marketing services, connecting communities and advertisers through content and ad technology.
Unique monthly visitors
(Across 5 sites Markets)
Brands
Page Views Per Month
The Challenge: A Hard Deadline for Digital Transformation & Performance
Voice Media Group faced a strict migration deadline due to the discontinuation of its legacy DesertNet CMS, creating a high-risk scenario where failure to migrate would result in system shutdown.
The team faced several challenges:
- Strict deadline with no margin for delay
- Migration of large volumes of historical content with SEO preservation
- Complex third-party ad and analytics integrations
- Outdated editorial interface impacting content workflows
The Goal: Migrate all digital properties to a scalable WordPress VIP Multisite platform while preserving SEO, improving performance, and enabling modern editorial workflows.
The Solution: Enterprise WordPress Multisite Migration
Multidots implemented a centralized WordPress VIP Multisite architecture to unify all properties under a scalable and maintainable system.
Key Technical Implementations:
- Unified multisite architecture for 10 properties
- Parent-child theme system for centralized control with brand flexibility
- Automated migration of legacy CMS content with SEO preservation
- 40+ custom Gutenberg blocks for flexible content creation
- Integration of third-party tools including Google Ad Manager, GA4, Sailthru, Parse.ly, and more
- Advanced content blocks for events, categories, and featured articles
- Custom roles, permissions, and compliance readiness
The Results: Performance, Scalability, and Editorial Efficiency
The migration delivered a scalable and future-ready platform while meeting strict operational requirements.
1. Delivery & Reliability
- Migration completed within deadline (July–September 2025)
- No service disruption during transition
2. Performance & Platform Impact
- 15% improvement in overall page performance
- Centralized platform managing all 10 properties
- Improved frontend performance across sites
3. Content & Operational Efficiency
- Simplified content management using Gutenberg blocks
- Reduced dependency on developers for updates
- Reusable block library and modules across sites
- Improved scalability for future site launches
Migrating 5 DesertNet CMS Websites to WordPress VIP Multisite
Voice Media Group migrated 10 properties to WordPress VIP, improving performance by 15% while unifying content management and preserving SEO.
