Gamma & Hybrid: Structured content migration and digital transition

Background

Gamma, one of Belgium’s most well-known DIY stores, is part of the Dutch group Intergamma and a true omnichannel retailer.

In Belgium, GAMMA is among the top 3 in DIY. Each week, around 160,000 customers visit the 86 GAMMA stores in Belgium, and an equivalent number visits the webshop. About 1,000 employees serve customers on the shop floor.

The challenge

During our successful collaboration on performance marketing, the Gamma team asked if we could assist with the content migration from their “old” Hybris CMS platform to the new headless CMS Contentful.

Two internal employees had already started the migration, but additional capacity with sufficient expertise was needed to transfer the remaining 1,400 pages within the 2 months left before the new website’s go-live. It was also crucial that the pages were SEO-proof and that no information was lost. They wanted to double-check this with our expertise.

• Inventory the necessary or missing texts, translations, meta descriptions, images, and other assets
• Define a “way of working” with an accompanying quality check that the team could follow in accordance with the new structure of the headless CMS
• Build pages according to SEO best practices and optimize where necessary
• Meet the strict 2-month deadline to complete the migration

Why Hybrid Agency?

Hybrid was engaged to strengthen Gamma’s team both content-wise and technically. To estimate the required workload, we decided to run a “test migration.”

With a core team, we performed a test migration for one complete dossier. Pages were categorized by type and complexity, and for each page, potential issues (missing meta information, broken links, layout problems, etc.) were identified.

From this test, a time estimate was derived, which allowed us to develop a formula for the entire project. This also clarified how many team members would be needed to meet the deadline and which expertise was required to complete the migration at high quality.
Once the workload and necessary capacity were clear, the team composition could be determined.

At Gamma, two employees were appointed to assist our team with any questions about the new CMS Contentful. They were also responsible for the final validation and publishing of completed pages. Additionally, a content marketer was assigned to supply missing texts, translations, and meta information, and Gamma also appointed an internal project manager to monitor the project.

We decided to complement Gamma’s team primarily with technical and marketing profiles:

• CMS developer to examine the ins and outs of the headless CMS and provide technical expertise on frontend and backend development
• Performance marketer to monitor and implement SEO optimizations where needed
• Digital project manager with broad knowledge of marketing and web development to manage the project, bridge between teams, and conduct quality checks

The collaboration

We started the project with an intake meeting to get acquainted with Gamma’s team responsible for the content migration from the current CMS “Hybris” to the new platform “Contentful.” The focus of this meeting was an introduction to the new CMS and the current workflow. At the same time, pain points were highlighted, and we discussed the scope and desired deadline. The original purpose was to gather enough information to later present a migration plan and proposal. It soon became clear that, due to the project’s size and potential unknown issues, this would not be fully possible.

Given the complexity and scope, we performed a test migration with the core team. This test run allowed us to develop a formula to make a realistic estimate of the required time and budget.

The migration itself involved over 1,400 pages and associated assets. It was crucial that no information was lost and that missing information was supplemented. Our digital project manager prepared a plan of approach, including a manual, an inventory of all pages in Excel with their status, and a Word document per dossier to track all feedback for the Gamma team. Status calls were organized every two weeks to stay on top of progress.

After quality control by our digital project manager, pages were conceptually released to the Gamma team, who performed the final validation before publishing the pages, successfully completing the migration process.

Results and impact

Thanks to close collaboration and proactive monitoring of the workload via lists, meetings, and the manual, we succeeded in meeting the deadline, and pages were supplemented and published on time. After this migration, Gamma requested the remaining categories and pages to be migrated, which we gladly did!

The results show that the content migration had no negative impact on organic search positions. Additionally, the number of visitors coming to the website from organic traffic remained constant.

The future

With the successful migration of over 1,400 pages and assets to the new CMS Contentful, Gamma has laid a solid foundation for further digital growth. Thanks to standardized workflows, clear quality controls, and close collaboration with Hybrid, the team can easily add new content, manage translations, and implement SEO optimizations without risking data loss or organic visibility.

The established methodology and tooling also provide flexibility for future projects, such as expanding content categories, integrating additional functionalities, and further developing marketing campaigns. The Gamma team now has a scalable system that not only supports the current content structure but also efficiently facilitates future digital initiatives.

Conclusion

The collaboration with Gamma demonstrates the importance of a structured approach, technical expertise, and strong project management in a large-scale content migration. Thanks to strict planning, clear quality standards, and close coordination among all parties, we succeeded in completing the migration on time and without SEO loss. A clear example of how a flexible and complementary team can make a difference in complex projects.