It seems that you have understood why WordPress is a better platform for your website and you now want to migrate to the same. Worry not. Migrating to WordPress is simple and easy. However, if done with an understanding of a few steps, things are even much easier.
With this article, we will lay emphasis on the migration process from a website of any platform to WordPress, so here goes.
Standard Migration Process: An Overview
The general process for converting to WordPress from another platform is as follows.
Understand and evaluate the current website
It will tell you what specific features your new WordPress site needs. This includes any type of content, including pages, posts, galleries, and links.
Configure your WordPress installation
You don’t need anything special yet. All you need to do is install WordPress on your domain.
Plugins to migrate from a specific platform to WordPress
Migration plugins make it easy to move your WordPress site.
Import content into WordPress using XML or CSV files
It is as simple as it sounds.
Set up your WordPress website design
This includes themes, colors, logos, menu structures, links, and more.
Testing and Debugging Issues
Before launching a website, it is important to prepare it for public use. This includes all internal and external links, images, media, content, menus, plugins, widgets, etc. We recommend using this plugin in maintenance mode when testing your site.
Go live
This includes transferring domains to new hosts and redirecting URLs to new websites. Further testing and tweaking Once your website is up and running, don’t assume all is well. Making changes is a good thing.
Here is a brief description of the stages to guide you further
- Evaluate and understand your website now
Knowing what you have will help you figure out what you need. Getting started with a website conversion strategy is a huge task, and you want to get it right first. It may sound cliché, but it takes planning to keep this train on track. You need to know how your WordPress site works. You need to know what you have, what you want to keep, what you want to change, and how to change it. You need to know the nature of the site and what to do about it. For example, do you run a group, paid membership, auction, school, or online store? Of course, they all need different parts. You need to know all the details to find the right solution for your WordPress site.
- Set up and configure WordPress
Next you need to install WordPress on your local or offline server. If you are using the same domain, install WordPress in a new folder and move your pages to the root folder or specify your domain as a folder when your page is ready. This way you can keep your old website and work on the new one at the same time. It can be imported using scripts or plugins. Your WordPress code may also consist of scripts to import your website. Go to Tools in your WordPress dashboard and select Import. If your CMS is not always available, you can test the plugins folder. If a plugin is available, install it and follow the instructions to import your vintage website into your new WordPress installation. The importer should be used for all leading platforms containing embedded CMS and HTML structures. There are also importers for WooCommerce, plugins, information, users, ads, etc.
3. Plugins for migrating from a specific platform to WordPress
Migration plugins make moving your website to WordPress much easier. So, use them if and when necessary.
- Import Content
Another way to import is to import file formats such as CSV and XML. This is the best way to store your files if you are not using a standard CMS platform.
Import XML or CSV files into WordPress.
This will import the XML or CSV file into WordPress as a post. It uses a simple drag and drop interface. It is a powerful and indispensable tool. To get the most out of this plugin, you need the Pro version, which adds a lot of features. Import data added to custom fields, import images into social media fields, import files from URLs, and more.
Import CSV with Top CSV Importer
It imports posts, pages, custom posts, and custom fields from a CSV file from any program, tool, or software. Import all WordPress post types and related fields with a split feature. You can check the status of your messages: Deleted, Posted, Pending, Draft, Blocked, Private and Safe, Post Styles UI Plugin Styles, Custom Fields, Scripts, Tags, Users (including Roles), Authors, Comments, and Online Store.
- Setting up the WordPress site design
Now that you have submitted all your data, let’s start with the design of the website your new. This includes giving it the look you want. You can set headers in Header View > Editor > Headers. For example, this is a good choice when making changes. If you’re using an image in the header, you can include the image’s URL in the code. A useful option for images is Appearance > Customize and Set Header Image from the menu. You can also find plugins that change the title to your liking.
There are a few things in the plugins folder to set headers and footers.
Background Image
You can load your own background image from View > Background Images. This may be necessary for the brand. If you want more control, you can consider add-ons with special functions.
CSS
If you want to keep the same style, you can view the old style of the site by opening the site in a browser, right-clicking, and selecting View Page Source. You can also select “View Articles” in Google Chrome. Both tools show the style of each element on the screen. You can recreate the same style on a new website using the hexadecimal name and font. Check the template you want to use.
- Testing and Debugging issues
It is important that everything is to your liking before you bring this part in for the show. Go to the website and check everything. Broken links, page downloads, embedded images, menu settings, buttons, redirects, 404 pages, ads, usernames, social media links, details, contact forms, newsletter subscriptions, RSS feeds, restricted access, etc. Is your website a normal one or E-Commerce, because you need more time for testing.
Run the test and make the necessary changes. Put some beta testers on the site and make sure you don’t get any surprises. List what you are looking for. Write down all your tasks and do them one by one. Prioritize so that the most important things get done first.
- Going Live
After you’ve thoroughly tested your WordPress site and made sure it’s ready to use, make it your official website. Make sure your readers know what’s coming before you go live. Write a story that describes what you did. When you enter maintenance mode, on the maintenance screen, pay attention to why your site stopped working, what changes you made, and when your site will be backed up. Use a plugin to get his email address so he can follow you on social media.
Communication is important. There are two ways to create a new official page. Whichever method you choose, leave your website in maintenance mode during the migration process until the website is migrated and thoroughly tested. One option is to move your website to your own server and replace the old one. For example, if you have an HTML website on your domain, delete the old website and replace it with your WordPress installation. Another option is to redirect the domain. A good choice if you host your WordPress installation on a subdomain of your website. There is only a URL that points to the domain name.
Conclusion
From the looks of it, this may look like a lot, but trust us, we have seen customers say just the opposite. It is just a matter of getting used to the interface, that’s all. While you are at it, you may also want to ensure that you make your WordPress site mobile-friendly since many users are on their phones more than laptops. Here is an article that talks about the same.
Hoping that you have understood how to migrate from your current site to the WordPress Platform. In case you have any doubts or concerns, please share them in the comments section below.
