How to Calculate ROI of a CMS Migration
IntermediateQuick Answer
TL;DR
Calculate CMS migration ROI by comparing total cost of ownership (TCO) before and after migration over 3 years. Include direct costs (licensing, hosting, development) and indirect costs (maintenance hours, content team productivity, downtime losses). Factor in benefits like faster time-to-market, reduced developer maintenance, improved conversion rates from better performance, and new revenue from omnichannel capabilities. The formula: **ROI = (Net Benefits − Migration Cost) / Migration Cost × 100%**.
Key Takeaways
- Calculate current TCO across all cost categories — most organizations discover their legacy CMS costs 2–3× what they thought
- Estimate new TCO including the one-time migration investment and ongoing platform fees
- Quantify productivity gains in dollar terms: faster publishing and less developer dependency have measurable value
- Include revenue impact — performance improvements and new channels are often the largest ROI drivers