Benchmark Senior Living Migrating from Outdated Drupal to Modern WordPress with Gutenberg
CLIENT NAME:
Benchmark Senior Living
INDUSTRY:
Non-Profit / Healthcare
DELIVERY:
Migrating from Outdated Drupal to Modern WordPress with Gutenberg
TECHNOLOGY:
DRUPAL
Introduction:
Benchmark Senior Living is a leader in senior care services across the Northeast United States. With over 60 communities and a strong commitment to enriching the lives of seniors, their online presence plays a crucial role in informing families, generating leads, and highlighting their care philosophy. However, over time, their website—built on an aging version of Drupal—became a barrier rather than a bridge.
This case study outlines the journey of migrating Benchmark Senior Living legacy Drupal website to a modern, intuitive, and scalable WordPress solution using the Gutenberg block editor.
Challenge:
The original Benchmark website had served the organization for years, but by 2023, it was showing its age in multiple ways:
Outdated Drupal CMS
The existing site ran on a version of Drupal that had reached end-of-life, which meant increased security risks, higher maintenance costs, and limited support.
Complex Content Management
Editors found it challenging to make even simple updates. Adding pages or rearranging content often required developer assistance.
Rigid Design
The design system was dated, non-responsive in places, and didn’t reflect the warmth and innovation of the Benchmark brand.
Slow Performance
Page load times were sluggish, frustrating users and negatively affecting SEO.
Integration Issues
Connecting with CRM systems, analytics, and lead generation tools was cumbersome due to outdated modules and custom code.
Requirements:
Benchmark internal marketing and IT teams came together to define clear goals for the website overhaul. The ideal solution needed to:
Empower Content Editors
A CMS that marketing staff could use without technical help.
Preserve SEO Equity
Migrate all existing URLs and content without losing search rankings.
Modern Design & UX
A fresh, accessible, and responsive design aligned with their brand.
Faster Performance
Optimize for speed and mobile browsing.
Better Integrations
Seamless connections with HubSpot, Salesforce, and Google Analytics.
Scalable & Future-Proof
A platform that could evolve with the organization.
The Solution:
After evaluating multiple CMS options, Benchmark opted for a full migration to WordPress using the Gutenberg block editor.
The project was executed in phased steps to ensure a seamless transition without business disruption.
1. Discovery & Planning
We conducted a comprehensive audit of the existing Drupal site—mapping out all content types, user flows, and custom modules. Through workshops with Benchmark internal stakeholders, we clarified goals and pain points to prioritize what truly mattered.
2. Design System Redefined
We collaborated closely with their brand team to deliver a clean, welcoming, and highly accessible design that better reflected Benchmark mission. The new UI focused on usability for both senior users and their families—larger fonts, mobile-first layouts, and simplified navigation.
3. Custom Gutenberg Blocks
To empower non-technical editors, we developed a library of custom Gutenberg blocks tailored to Benchmark needs. These included:
- Community location cards
- Team bios with accordion toggles
- Testimonial sliders
- Lead forms embedded within content
- Call-to-action blocks with variations
This approach turned the CMS into a visual building tool—giving editors the freedom to create rich, branded pages without needing a developer.
4. SEO and URL Mapping
We worked hand-in-hand with their SEO team to ensure every page and redirect was accounted for. Metadata, alt tags, structured data, and 301 redirects were meticulously handled to preserve Benchmark strong search visibility.
5. Data Migration
Using custom scripts, we migrated over 2,000 pages, blog posts, and media files from Drupal to WordPress. Each content type was carefully mapped to its WordPress equivalent, ensuring nothing was lost in translation.
6. Performance & Accessibility
The new site was optimized for Core Web Vitals, with lazy-loaded images, minified assets, and a CDN for global delivery. We also conducted accessibility audits (WCAG 2.1) to ensure compliance—an essential factor for an audience that includes older users.
7. Training & Handoff
Before launch, we hosted live training sessions for the marketing and content teams. We also delivered a custom-written CMS manual for future onboarding. The internal team now had full control over their content and site management.
The Results:
The migration delivered immediate and measurable improvements across the board:
Content Management Time Reduced by 70%
Editors no longer rely on developers for updates. Entire landing pages can be created in-house in hours, not days.
Page Load Speed Improved by 40%
Lighthouse and GTmetrix scores showed major gains post-launch, resulting in lower bounce rates and longer session durations.
SEO Rankings Maintained (and in some cases improved)
Benchmark retained their top positions for key local and branded search terms, with increased organic traffic across community pages.
Higher Engagement and Conversions
The refreshed UX and improved forms increased lead submissions through the website by 28% in the first 3 months.
Scalability for Growth
The modular nature of Gutenberg blocks allowed Benchmark to rapidly spin up microsites for new communities and campaigns.
Key Benefits:
User Empowerment
Benchmark marketing team now owns their content. No more tickets for simple text edits or image swaps.
Modern Web Experience
A fast, responsive, and intuitive interface delights both users and editors.
Future-Proof Stack
With WordPress and Gutenberg, the platform is well-supported and ready to grow with Benchmark evolving needs.
Brand Alignment
The new design brings the warmth, care, and professionalism of the Benchmark brand to life.
Cost Efficiency
Reduced reliance on developers for routine updates means long-term cost savings.
