How to Migrate a Website to WordPress (Step-by-Step Guide)

Thinking of migrating your existing website to WordPress? You’re not alone.

WordPress powers over 40% of all websites for a reason — it’s flexible, user-friendly, SEO-ready, and endlessly customizable. Whether you're moving from Wix, Squarespace, Joomla, or a custom-built CMS, migrating to WordPress can unlock more control and long-term growth.

This step-by-step guide will help you understand how to smoothly migrate your website to WordPress — the right way.

Step 1: Plan the Migration

Before touching any code or content, you need to plan:

What content will be migrated? (Pages, posts, images, videos, etc.)
What will stay, and what can be left behind?
Are you keeping your current design or going for a full redesign?
Will the URLs change?

Pro Tip: Make a content inventory and note down all the current URLs. This helps prevent SEO issues post-migration.

Step 2: Set Up WordPress Hosting

Choose a reliable WordPress hosting provider. Popular choices include:

Bluehost (beginner-friendly)
SiteGround (great support and performance)
Kinsta or WP Engine (premium managed hosting)

Once chosen, install WordPress — most hosts offer 1-click installation.

Step 3: Choose a WordPress Theme

Now that WordPress is installed:

Choose a theme that fits your brand (free or premium).
If you're replicating your old site design, consider hiring a developer for a custom theme.
Use responsive and SEO-friendly themes like Astra, OceanWP, or Kadence.

Customize your theme using the built-in Customizer or a page builder like Elementor.

Step 4: Export Your Existing Content

Depending on your current platform, the method varies:

From another WordPress site: Use Tools → Export
From Wix/Squarespace: Manual copy-paste or third-party migration tools
From Joomla/Drupal: Use plugins like FG Joomla/Drupal to WordPress
From static HTML site: Copy content and manually recreate pages/posts

You may need to manually download images, videos, and files too.

Step 5: Import Content into WordPress

Head to your new WordPress dashboard:

Go to Tools → Import
Install the appropriate importer plugin
Upload your exported XML or content files

For media files, use the Media Importer, or upload them via FTP into the /wp-content/uploads/ directory.

Step 6: Set Up Menus, Widgets & Permalinks

Recreate your site’s navigation menus in Appearance → Menus
Add sidebars or widgets under Appearance → Widgets
Set your permalink structure in Settings → Permalinks (use SEO-friendly URLs)

Choose Post Name for cleaner URLs like /about-us/ instead of /?p=123.

Step 7: Install Essential Plugins

Enhance functionality with these must-have plugins:

Yoast SEO (or Rank Math): SEO optimization
WPForms: Contact forms
UpdraftPlus: Backups
Wordfence or Sucuri: Security
LiteSpeed Cache or W3 Total Cache: Speed optimization

Step 8: Set Up Redirects (Preserve SEO)

If your URLs have changed, use a redirect plugin like Redirection to map old URLs to new ones.
This:

Preserves SEO rankings
Avoids broken links (404 errors)
Improves user experience

Step 9: Test Everything

Before launching:

Test all pages, links, images, and contact forms
Check site speed and mobile responsiveness
Test in different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari)
Fix any 404 errors or layout issues

Step 10: Launch the New Site

Once everything’s ready:

Update DNS settings to point to your new WordPress host
Wait for propagation (can take up to 48 hours)
Monitor traffic and performance

Keep backups and have a rollback plan in case anything breaks post-launch.

Final Thoughts

Migrating to WordPress opens the door to better design, easier content management, and limitless growth potential. By planning your move carefully and following the steps above, you’ll ensure a smooth, SEO-friendly transition without losing valuable data or traffic.

Need help with your WordPress migration?
At eWebWorld, our expert developers handle seamless website migrations with zero downtime and full SEO preservation.