So, you’ve decided to make the big move and migrate your WordPress blog to another platform totally understandable! Finding the right platform for your blogging goals is key to building a successful brand. And guess what? Though the tech-side of your website can be intimidating, switching from WordPress is easier than you might think. While WordPress is our go-to favorite, platforms like Squarespace or Wix might fit your style better, and that’s totally okay!
In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through moving your WordPress site to Squarespace, Wix, or even WordPress.org, if you’re ready to take your blogging game to the next level. Don’t worry about the techy details. We’re breaking it down to make the process smooth and stress-free. Let’s get started!
How Do I Transfer My WordPress Blog?
Ready to switch things up and move your WordPress blog to a new platform? Don’t stress. There are a few ways to make it happen, and this blog post has everything you need to get started. Just follow these simple steps, and you’ll be on your way to blogging exactly how you want in no time!
How to Transfer WordPress Blog to Squarespace
Step 1: Evaluate your WordPress website.
Before you start moving your WordPress blog over to Squarespace, take a moment to inventory all of your published pages and posts. Trust us, this step is essential! You’ll want to check for any custom features or plugins you’re currently using that might need to be reinstalled or swapped out once you’re working on Squarespace. The goal? Make sure your website is fully functional and ready to thrive in its new home.
Step 2: Export content from WordPress.
It’s easy to gather all of your content to move over to your new Squarespace site.
Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
Go to Tools > Export.
Select All Content (or the posts and pages you specifically want to bring over).
Click Download Export File and save it as an XML file to your computer.
Step 3: Create a Squarespace account.
Next, you’ll need to set up your Squarespace account and start building your site.
Go to Squarespace.com.
Sign up and choose a plan that works for you.
Select a template that matches your desired style. It might be a different template from the one you had on your WordPress.
Step 4: Import content into Squarespace.
The content you downloaded from WordPress must now be imported into your new Squarespace site.
In Squarespace, go to Settings > Advanced > Import/Export.
Click Import and choose WordPress as the platform.
Upload the XML file you exported from WordPress.
Squarespace will process the upload file and import and categorize your content into blog posts, pages, and other sections.
Step 5: Transfer media files.
You might have to manually transfer media files like images and videos or re-upload them because Squarespace may not import all of your site files.
Use Squarespace’s image editor to optimize your photos for the new platform.
Step 6: Recreate design and layout.
It’s time to rebuild and customize your new website since the design from your WordPress site won’t transfer to Squarespace. (Remember, optimized web design will help you rank high on Google!)
Customize your chosen Squarespace template to match your branding.
Recreate menus and navigation under Design > Site Styles.
Add pages, galleries, and forms as needed.
Step 7: Set up your SEO settings.
To make sure your Squarespace site is SEO-friendly, you’ll have to set it up.
Go to Marketing > SEO
Add page titles, descriptions, and meta tags for key pages.
Ensure permalinks (URLs) match your WordPress site as closely as possible.
Step 8: Redirect your domain.
Once your site is ready to roll on Squarespace, you’ll want to make sure your visitors don’t accidentally land on your old WordPress site. That’s where redirecting your domain comes in. You’ll need to point your domain to your new Squarespace site so everything runs smoothly.
If you bought your domain through WordPress, log into your account and head to Domains > Manage Domains, then update your DNS settings with the details Squarespace provides.
If you purchased your domain from a third-party provider, log into your registrar account and update the DNS settings to point to Squarespace’s nameservers. Not sure how? Squarespace has guides that walk you through the process for most domain providers.
Step 9: Set up 301 redirects.
To preserve all the hard work you did for SEO on your WordPress, you’ll want to set up 301 redirects to prevent broken links.
Create a list of URLs from your WordPress site.
In Squarespace, go to Settings > Advanced > URL Mappings.
Add 301 redirects for old URLs to point to new ones.
Step 10: Launch your Squarespace site.
The final step? Hitting Publish on your Squarespace site! Once everything’s been transferred, your domain is linked, and those 301 redirects are set up, you’re ready to start guiding your visitors to your brand-new home online.
How to Transfer Blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org
Step 1: Understand the difference.
Even though you’re still working with WordPress, moving from WordPress.com to WordPress.org is a total game-changer! With WordPress.org, you get full control over your site. That means custom themes, powerful plugins, and way more monetization opportunities. Since it’s self-hosted, you’re no longer limited by WordPress.com’s restrictions, giving you the freedom to truly customize and scale your blog however you want.
Step 2: Choose a hosting provider.
Since WordPress.org is self-hosted, you’ll need to choose a web host provider for your site. Our top picks? Bluehost and SiteGround both offer one-click WordPress installation, making the setup process a breeze.
Once you’ve selected your hosting plan, you’ll need to register a custom domain name (if you haven’t already).
Step 3: Install WordPress.
On your new web hosting account, install (or re-install) WordPress!
Log in to your hosting dashboard.
Use the hosting provider’s one-click WordPress installation tool.
Note down your admin username, password, and login URL. It’s usually yourdomain.com/wp-admin
Step 4: Export your WordPress.com content.
To transfer your posts, pages, media, and comments, download your WordPress database and content from WordPress.com.
Log in to your WordPress.com dashboard.
Go to Tools > Export.
Select All Content or choose specific content to export.
Click Download Export File to save the XML file to your computer.
Step 5: Import content into WordPress.org.
Next, use the WordPress importer to upload the content from your previous site.
Log in to your new WordPress.org dashboard.
Go to Tools > Import.
Select WordPress from the list of import options and click Install Now.
Once installed, click Run Importer.
Upload the XML file you downloaded from WordPress.com.
Assign authorship by mapping the old WordPress.com author to an existing user or create a new one.
Click Submit to complete the import.
Step 6: Transfer media files.
Some media files, like images and videos, might not automatically import. You can manually import them or use plugins like Auto Upload Images.
Step 7: Set up permalinks.
To match your old website’s structure and maintain search rankings, you’ll have to update the permalinks and URLs for the new site.
Go to Settings > Permalinks in your WordPress.org dashboard.
Choose a structure similar to your WordPress.com site.
Save changes.
Step 8: Redirect traffic.
To ensure visitors are directed to your new site, you’ll have to set a redirect.
To do this, you’ll have to upgrade your WordPress.com Site Redirect plan.
Log in to your WordPress.com dashboard and go to Settings > Domains > Site Redirect.
Enter your new domain and purchase the redirect.
This means anyone who tries to visit your old WordPress.com site will automatically be directed to your new WordPress.org site.
Step 9: Customize your new site.
Now that the technical setup is out of the way, it’s time for the fun part. Customizing your site! Whether you want to match the design and branding of your previous site or give it a full-on glow-up, this is your chance to make it your own.
It’s also the perfect time to download essential plugins to boost your SEO and keep your WordPress site running smoothly. A little extra optimization now can make a HUGE difference in your site’s performance and visibility!
How to Transfer WordPress Blog to Wix
If you’re considering transferring your WordPress blog to Wix, make sure you read our blog post, Wix vs. WordPress!
Step 1: Evaluate your current WordPress site.
Before you start moving your WordPress blog to Wix, take a sec to inventory all your published pages and posts. This step is SO important! You’ll also want to check for any custom features or plugins you’re currently using that might need to be reinstalled or replaced.
Step 2: Set up a Wix account.
Next, you will need to set up a new Wix account.
You can sign up at Wix.com and select a pricing plan based on your needs.
Then, choose a Wix template that fits the style and branding.
Step 3: Export your WordPress content.
Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
Navigate to Tools > Export.
Select All Content, or choose specific types like posts, pages, or media.
Click Download Export File to save the XML zip file to your computer.
Step 4: Manually transfer blog posts to Wix.
Unfortunately, Wix doesn’t allow you to directly import your WordPress XML file. So, you’ll have to transfer blog posts manually.
In Wix, go to Site > Blog.
Click + New Post and copy-paste the title, content, and images from your WordPress blog.
Format the content using Wix’s editor to match your style.
Adjust the post dates in Wix to match the original publication dates in WordPress.
Download images from your WordPress Media Library if they don’t transfer automatically and re-upload them to your Wix Media Manager.
Step 5: Recreate pages.
Go to Site > Pages in Wix.
Create new pages and replicate the content from your WordPress site.
Use Wix’s drag-and-drop editor to redesign pages if needed.
Step 6: Redirect your domain.
If you;ve registered your domain through WordPress or a third-party provider, you’ll need to update your DNS settings to point to Wix. This is what officially connects your domain to your new site.
Not sure how to do it? No worries! Wix provides step-by-step instructions for different domain registrars, making sure the process is super simple. Just follow their guide, and you’ll be all set in no time!
Step 7: Set up 301 redirects.
If your WordPress URLs don’t match your Wix URLs, you’ll need to set up 301 redirects in WordPress or your domain registrar. This ensures that hosting services seamlessly direct all your visitors to the right pages on your new site.
Don’t skip this step! It’s key to maintaining your traffic and search engine ranking after the move.
Step 8: Optimize your Wix site for SEO.
It’s time to get technical and prime your new Wix site to follow the best SEO practices!
Add meta titles and descriptions for all of your pages. Use similar keywords as your WordPress site for SEO consistency.
Ensure URLs in Wix match your WordPress permalinks as closely as possible. To change them, go to Site > Settings > SEO (URLs) to adjust them.
Lastly, you will submit your Wix site’s sitemap in Google Search Console to ensure Google indexes all the right pages!
Find the best SEO strategy and platform for your blogging goals with InfluencerSEO!
When you’re first starting your blog, there’s a lot of trial and error, especially when it comes to choosing the right blogging platform. But here’s the good news: when you take the time to learn how to set up your blog the right way and make it super SEO-friendly (with a little help from InfluencerSEO’s expert tips), you’re already setting yourself up for success!
Need a little help with the tech side of things? No worries. We’ve got you covered! Our Blog Tech Support package is exactly what you need, whether you’re starting fresh or moving your blog to a new platform. We’ll handle the manual work while making sure your site is fully optimized and ready to grow.
Ready to level up your blog? Contact us today, and let’s make those blogging dreams a reality!
Jordan Becerra, founder and Lead SEO Strategist at InfluencerSEO, has spent almost 15 years in the creator internet space, the last nine building InfluencerSEO into the go-to SEO partner for content creators, with 500+ creators served from pre-launch to massive publication. She learned creator monetization and community building strategy from the inside working for Lauryn Bosstick of The Skinny Confidential prior to founding InfluencerSEO, so she understands both halves of the game: how search actually works AND how creators actually build a strong community online and make money. Her job now is to stay ahead of where search engine optimization is going, especially as AI rewrites the rules, and to make sure the creators she works with get there first.
Leave a Reply